ITU announces prize money and Gold Group athletes for 2011 World Championship Series

The International Triathlon Union (ITU) is pleased to confirm the prize money and initial Gold Group athletes for the 2011 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series.

Prize money from the seven Series events and the year-end bonus pool will total $1.65-million (all funds USD). The Grand Final in Beijing-contested on the 2008 Olympic venue-will feature a $250,000 prize purse while the prize money for every other Series event will be $150,000. Athletes will vie for an additional $500,000 in the year-end bonus pool, which pays the top 20 ranked women and men at season’s end.

A star-studded group of World Champions and Olympic medallists have been selected for the 2011 Gold Group. The Gold Group was established in 2009 as a means of raising the profile of the outstanding triathletes, their National Federations, and to build global awareness of triathlon’s stars. The prominent squad of 10 women and 10 men will act as the premier athlete ambassadors of the ITU, encouraging the general public and youth to participate in the sport. The Gold Group athletes will enjoy the privilege of securing extra quota slots for their respective countries at each Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series race.

In all, the group includes eight Olympic medallists and 10 World Championship title holders with all five continents represented. The athletes are chosen according to the following selection criteria: top three at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the highest ranked in the 2010 ITU World Championship Series rankings.

Alongside last year’s Gold Group, new faces on the women’s list include Paula Findlay (CAN), Kate Roberts (RSA) and Vicky Holland (GBR), while Joao Silva (POR) and Sven Riederer (SUI) are the new names among the men.

2011 Gold Group Athletes – Women

Emma Snowsill (AUS)

Emma Moffatt (AUS)

Nicola Spirig (SUI)

Lisa Norden (SWE)

Helen Jenkins (GBR)

Paula Findlay (CAN)

Andrea Hewitt (NZL)

Kate Roberts (RSA)

Vicky Holland (GBR)

Mariko Adachi (JPN)

2011 Gold Group Athletes – Men

Jan Frodeno (GER)

Simon Whitfield (CAN)

Bevan Docherty (NZL)

Javier Gomez (ESP)

Steffen Justus (GER)

Alistair Brownlee (GBR)

Sven Riederer (SUI)

Joao Silva (POR)

Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS)

Alexander Brukhanov (RUS)

Matt Baird Editor of Cycling Plus magazine

About

Matt is a regular contributor to 220 Triathlon, having joined the magazine in 2008. He’s raced everything from super-sprint to Ironman, duathlons and off-road triathlons, and can regularly be seen on the roads and trails around Bristol. Matt is the author of Triathlon! from Aurum Press and is now the editor of Cycling Plus magazine.