Courtesy: USAT

USA Triathlon sanctioned a total of 1,227 events, which included 1,542 races, in 2004. The number of races sanctioned is nearly double to what USAT sanctioned two years ago.

The number of races is higher than the number of events because some events (such as Wildflower or St. Anthony's) consist of several races. Of the 1,227 events sanctioned, 825 included short or sprint distance races and 191 were youth races.

Additionally, 332 of the races took place for the first time in 2004.

2005 Race Directors Conference
Lew Friedland, former president of World Triathlon Corporation, will give the keynote address to kick off the 2005 USA Triathlon Race Director Conference--Tools of the Trade.

The conference will be held Jan. 14-17 in San Francisco, Calif. Late registration fees will be added to the cost of registration after Jan. 1, 2005, so prospective attendees are encouraged to sign up soon.

Use the following link for conference registration, host hotel booking and to view a preliminary conference schedule:

www.usatriathlon.org/Events/RaceDirectors/2005Conference/2005_RD_Conf.htm.

Chalmers, Hiller Elected to ITU Committees
Jill Newman Chalmers, a former U.S. elite triathlete, and USA Triathlon member and volunteer Dr. Doug Hiller were named to International Triathlon Union committees at the ITU Congress on Dec. 4 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Chalmers was elected to the Women's Committee and Hiller was elected to the Medical Committee.

USAT Holds First Level III Coaching Clinic
USA Triathlon held its first Level III Coaching Certification on Nov. 28 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The coaching candidates who attended the five-day clinic were: Dennis DePriest, Gale Bernhardt, John Crawley, Bob Seebohar, Alan Ley, George Dallam, Scott Schnitzspahn, Ric Rosenkranz, and Joe Friel.

In 2005, the coaching certification process will begin with the Registered Triathlon Leader, which is a primer on the basic concepts of multi-sport training for those without a degree in exercise science. USA Triathlon Level I and II certifications are needed before applying for the Level III, along with five years of triathlon coaching, a degree in exercise science, service to USA Triathlon and a proven record of coaching elite athletes.

For more information about coaching certification, go to www.usatriathlon.org/Coaches/coaches_certification.htm.

Vote for Race of the Year
USA Triathlon members can vote for the race of the year on the USA Triathlon web site.

The categories are large triathlon (more than 250 people), small triathlon (less than 250 people), large duathlon (more than 100 people), small duathlon (less than 100 people) and off-road tri or du.

Go to www.usatriathlon.org/RaceOfYearBallot/RaceOfTheYear.asp to vote.