PTO adds $15,000 prize purse to Helvellyn Triathlon

Alistair Brownlee to race in the Lake District

Speedy Age Group athletes eligible to race in against the Pro athletes too…

In a similar manner to the upcoming Challenge Davos, the Professional Triathletes Organisation have stepped in to provide prize money assistance, this time to the challenging Helvellyn Triathlon.

With Joe Skipper and the (retired!) Lucy Gossage already announced, that field will be enhanced by the addition of non other than the two-time Olympic Games triathlon champion.

PROFESSIONAL TRIATHLETES ORGANISATION ANNOUNCES PRIZE PURSE FOR UK HELVELLYN TRIATHLON

The Professional Triathletes Organisation today announced that it will provide a $15,000 professional prize purse at the Helvellyn Triathlon to be held on 6th September.

The Helvellyn Triathlon is one of the sport’s gruelling gems where athletes experience the beauty of England’s Lake District and the joy and pain of traversing Mt. Helvellyn. The race begins with a one-mile swim in the calm, crystal clear waters of Lake Ullswater, after which athletes cycle a 38-mile route including the “Struggle,” a 1,500ft climb of the Kirkstone pass, all topped off by nine mile run on the fells of Mt. Helvellyn.

Alistair Brownlee, two-time Olympic gold medal winner and PTO Board Member, stated, “With travel restrictions in place, the small number of races available are mostly regional events. It is a tribute to the PTO’s mission for supporting athletes and the triathlon community that PTO Professionals in different regions have been able to come together to work with local organisers. We are very grateful to the UK PTO Professionals who have worked with Race Director Rob Wilkins and his Helvellyn Triathlon team to support the Helvellyn event and are pleased that there are other groups of PTO Professionals in regions like Canada and elsewhere doing the same. While we all enjoy the big international events hosted by multinational race operators, we always remember that it is the grassroot organisers who are the life blood of our sport.”

The PTO has worked with the Helvellyn Triathlon team and has calculated that the difference in the Helvellyn course’s Ideal Time between men and women is 28:03. The race will be structured so that the top women’s wave will set off 28:03 ahead of the top men’s wave, and then professional athletes will be awarded places and prize money based on crossing the finish line, regardless of gender.

The $15,000 prize purse will be distributed as follows:

In addition, since the Helvellyn Triathlon traditionally has some of the highest calibre Age Group athletes in triathlon, the PTO and the Helvellyn Triathlon team have agreed to designate the race as an “Open” Championship. Any Age Grouper who has in 2019 completed any middle- or long-distance race achieving a time within 7% of the Ideal Professional Time for that race, will be eligible to be part of the elite wave and compete with the professional field, starting alongside the likes of Alistair Brownlee and Joe Skipper. Any Age Grouper interested in determining their qualification for the professional wave, can submit their information to info@trihard.co.uk

Rob Wilkins, Race Director of the Helvellyn Triathlon, commented, “As a result of the pandemic we had to cancel a number of our races, so when Alistair Brownlee and Joe Skipper contacted us to see if there was a way for PTO Professionals to help and be part of the Helvellyn Triathlon event, we thought it would a great opportunity to support the UK triathlon community. We are excited by the unique format and it will be great to see the professionals and Age Groupers enjoy the beauty and ruggedness of Helvellyn together.”

Charles Adamo, Executive Chairman of the PTO, commented, “With the pandemic destroying most of the 2020 racing season, our PTO Professionals have been reaching out to local and independent operators to see where they can help. We are very grateful to Rob Wilkins and the Helvellyn Triathlon team for allowing us to be part of their truly iconic race and know that with the field and the format it will prove to be one of the exciting events for 2020.”

There are still places available for the Helvellyn Triathlon and anyone interested can find out more at https://www.trihard.co.uk/events/helvellyn-triathlon/

For more news on the Professional Triathletes Organisation, Rankings, Collins Cup and more, check out our dedicated section on the site HERE.