Collins Cup AXED from 2023 calendar as PTO season to end with Asian Open

The PTO have confirmed that their race season will come to an end at the PTO Tour Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August, with no Collins Cup event set to be organised this season and the focus instead switching to pre-existing events.

Despite rumours that the team competition – which pits Europe, America and the Rest of the World against each other – was set to be held in Morocco at the end of the season, the commercial organisation cited timing and logistics as the reason behind not going ahead in 2023.

Instead, they will now turn their attention to delivering their final two races in August, with the PTO Tour US Open in Milwaukee kicking things off, followed two weeks later by the PTO Tour Asian Open in Singapore, which comes just a week before the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships.

Why no Collins Cup in 2023?

In a statement released by the organisation, the PTO explained its decision around the Collins Cup:

“The Collins Cup remains an important format for the PTO and will return in the future, but our immediate focus is on delivering great events at the PTO US Open in Milwaukee on 4-5 August and the inaugural PTO Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August – and then securing an expanded 2024 calendar, which we will announce later this year.”

Timing and logistics

In regards to an additional event which would have been organised later on in the season, the PTO revealed that these plans had also been scrapped, with the company unable to find a way to put together the event that they wanted by the end of this year.

“Timing and logistics did not allow for us to deliver the event to the high standard we require, especially given the scale of our broadcast production.

“As has been shared before, our intention is that the majority of PTO events will take place over multiple days, with independent races for pro men and pro women as well as entirely separate opportunities for age groupers to race.

“While this ensures the ‘best product’, it does have a bigger impact on our host cities compared to ‘normal’ single day events. Our focus now turns to ensuring we deliver to these high standards with the PTO US Open in Milwaukee and PTO Asian Open in Singapore.”