Toyota Legacy Triathlon and Toyota USA Paratriathlon National Championships Return to Long Beach This Weekend

July 15, 2022

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – USA Triathlon will host the third annual Toyota Legacy Triathlon this weekend, July 15-17 in Long Beach, California. The event includes an action-packed schedule of amateur, elite, elite paratriathlon and youth multisport events.

The course for all races is set at Alamitos Beach, the proposed site of the triathlon competitions for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Los Angeles 2028. The event was held for the first time in 2019, as USA Triathlon became the first National Governing Body in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement to bring a new annual event to the Los Angeles footprint ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The weekend of racing includes the Toyota USA Paratriathlon National Championships, featuring the best U.S. elite paratriathletes, including Tokyo 2020 Paralympians Chris Hammer and Kyle Coon, who will race for national titles and a professional prize purse of $36,750, provided in equal parts by USA Triathlon, Toyota and the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF). Funding from the prize purse will help athletes offset costs for equipment, travel, training, and race entry, among other expenses, and will further inspire and empower the next generation of adaptive athletes.

“CAF was born from the sport of triathlon with our first event held being a triathlon to help one injured friend Jim MacLaren gain independence. Going on 29 years, we continue to support many, many athletes with physical challenges so they can learn, thrive, and compete in triathlon. We are honored to partner with both USA Triathlon and Toyota to continue showcasing the sport, this event and the athletes competing at the highest levels,” said Bob Babbitt, Co-Founder of CAF.

Nearly 1,000 age group triathletes will compete in the sprint-distance (750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike and 5k run) Toyota Legacy Triathlon, taking place at Alamitos Beach and through Long Beach city streets.

For the second consecutive year, the Toyota Legacy Triathlon weekend will also include the Americas Triathlon Cup Long Beach, featuring up-and-coming elite triathletes.

USA Triathlon will also host a free Youth Splash & Dash for youth ages 7-18. Local youth are encouraged to participate in the fun, non-competitive event that features a 100-meter open water swim and 1k run.

The free Youth Splash & Dash is a part of USA Triathlon’s ongoing initiatives to support youth participation, which also includes free race entry for all 15-19 year-old athletes competing in the Toyota Legacy Triathlon.

For complete Legacy Triathlon information, including a schedule of events and course maps, visit the event website at thelegacytriathlon.com.

MEDIA INFORMATION

To request a media credential for onsite coverage of the Toyota Legacy Triathlon, Toyota USA Paratriathlon National Championships and Americas Cup Long Beach, please contact Stephen Meyers, USA Triathlon Communications and Content Senior Manager, at stephen.meyers@usatriathlon.org.

• The onsite media contact at the Legacy Triathlon will be Stephen Meyers, USA Triathlon Content Manager, at stephen.meyers@usatriathlon.org or 970-778-7743.
• The race venue is at Alamitos Beach, near Marina Green, 386 E. Shoreline Dr., Long Beach, CA 90803
• USA Triathlon will provide photos and athlete quotes on request for each race day.

SCHEDULE
Friday, July 15

Open Water Swim — 6:30 p.m. PT

The multisport action kicks off on Friday, July 15 with a 750-meter and 1,500m open water swim competition at Alamitos Beach.

USA Triathlon Foundation / Ready, Set Gold! Youth Event
For the second consecutive year the USA Triathlon Foundation is partnering with the LA Sports Council’s Ready, Set, Gold! program, which helps youth discover healthy and active lifestyles while learning Olympic and Paralympic ideals.

The USA Triathlon Foundation and Ready, Set, Gold! will host a youth event on Friday, July 15, at the Zwift Corporate Headquarters in Long Beach as children ages 13-16 will get an up-close look at the intersection of technology, gaming and sport. Zwift has been an integral partner in supporting youth engagement, including working with the aforementioned organizations to identify eligible schools, put on in-school presentations and develop a unique opportunity for local-area kids.

Saturday, July 16
Toyota Legacy Triathlon — 6:45 a.m. PT
The age group sprint-distance Toyota Legacy Triathlon will take place on Saturday, July 16. Nearly 1,000 competitors will race a 750m swim, 20-kilometer bike and 5k run course that follows the Alamitos Beach shoreline and through Long Beach city streets. The race also features a relay option, where three athletes team up to complete the race.

The free Legacy Triathlon Youth Splash and Dash begins at 9:45 a.m. at Marina Green Park.

Also on Saturday at 9:45 a.m., the South Bay Squad is hosting a One With the Ocean Play in the Waves program, providing disabled children from the underserved KEEN LA community the opportunity to swim in the ocean for the first time. An inclusive triathlon and endurance sports club, the South Bay Squad is a grant recipient of the USA Triathlon Foundation, which has a mission to transform lives through sport by opening pathways for all to swim, bike, and run.

Sunday, July 17

Americas Triathlon Cup Long Beach — 6:10 a.m. PT
Up-and-coming elite triathletes will race in the Americas Triathlon Cup Long Beach, the second year for the Long Beach race that features elite triathletes and Paris 2024 and LA 2028 Olympic hopefuls. The multi-loop course is held in the draft-legal format, in which athletes work together in tight packs on the bike. Athletes will cover a 750m swim, 20k bike and 5k run.

U.S. athletes on the start list include Marc Dubrick, Austin Hindman, Nick Holmes, Drew Shellenberger, Gina Sereno, Madisen Lavin, Grace Walther and Faith Dasso.

Toyota USA Paratriathlon National Championships — 8:40 a.m. PT
The nation’s fastest elite paratriathletes will race for national titles in six paratriathlon sport classes at the Toyota USA Paratriathlon National Championships. Elite paratriathletes will race for national titles over a 750m swim, 22k bike and 5k run course.

Elite paratriathletes and Tokyo 2020 Paralympians Chris Hammer and Kyle Coon will race for national titles, along with up-and-coming paratriathletes Emma Meyers, Jacie King and Skyler Fisher, who are all on USA Triathlon’s Junior & U23 Development team.

About USA Triathlon

USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon, paratriathlon, and indoor and virtual multisport events in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,000 races and connects with more than 400,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors — as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation — USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Triathlon Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of World Triathlon and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).

About Challenged Athletes Foundation

The Challenged Athletes Foundation® (CAF) is a world leader in helping people with physical challenges lead active, healthy lifestyles. CAF believes that participation in physical activity at any level increases self-esteem, encourages independence and enhances quality of life.  Since 1994, more than $147 million has been raised and over 40,000 funding requests from people with physical challenges in all 50 states and over 70 countries have been satisfied. Additionally, CAF’s outreach efforts impact another 60,000 individuals each year. Whether it’s a $2,500 grant for a handcycle, helping underwrite a carbon fiber running foot not covered by insurance, or arranging enthusiastic encouragement from a mentor who has triumphed over a similar challenge, CAF’s mission is clear: give opportunities and support to those with the desire to live active, athletic lifestyles. To learn more, visit challengedathletes.org.

– usatriathlon.org –