ITU Long Distance World Championships 2020, to be held over a 3,8km swim, 180km bike and 42km run

The ITU Executive Board has approved that the ITU Long Distance World Championships 2020, to be held during the Multisport World Championships in Almere, will be held over the classic long distance 3,8km swim, 180km cycle and 42,2km run.

ITU is doing an exception accepting this distance, instead of the regular ITU distance for the Long Distance World Championships used in the last three editions of the Multisport World Championships, but the technical difficulties in the circuit in Almere made this the only possible option.

The ITU Sports and Operations team has reviewed on site all the possible courses to guarantee a fair and safe competition venue for the race, and has decided to move on to the 3,8km-180km-42,2km distance, even though the next edition in 2021 will go back to the ITU long distance: 3km swim, 120km cycle and 30km run.

Race Director Richard Belderok is very satisfied. “We are very happy with this development. Glad that the ITU chooses for the rich tradition that originated in Almere. We think that this distance is part of our race and even our city. CHALLENGEALMERE-AMSTERDAM is 3.8 kilometres of swimming, 180 kilometres of cycling and 42.2 kilometres of running. We are – of course – looking forward to the European Championships that we will be organizing this year, but at least as much to next year’s World Championships. The fact that this World Championship coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Holland Triathlon, makes it a big party!”

The ITU Long Distance World Championship is the final event in a week of ITU World Championship Multisports, taking place between September 4 and 13, 2020 in Almere-Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It will be the fourth edition of this engaging and successful format, that has been organized in Penticton (Canada); Fyn (Denmark) and Pontevedra (Spain) the years before, and will move to Townville, Australia, in 2021.