After a few years of trying it looks like Townsville, Australia will finally have a chance to host the World Triathlon Multisport Championships in 2024. The event was scheduled to take place there in 2021, but thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic the event wasn’t able to be held in the North Queensland city. Today World Triathlon announced that the races will be held there in a couple of years.
The World Triathlon Multisport Championships include world championships for duathlon, long-distance triathlon, long-distance aqua bike, aqathlon, cross triathlon and cross duathlon.
“We are absolutely delighted to return to Queensland after such a long time without events in Australia, this time for one of our flagship events: the Multisport World Championships in Townsville,” said World Triathlon President and IOC member Marisol Casado. “Over the last years, Australia has become synonymous of triathlon on its multiple variations, and has proved to be a magnificent host for the triathlon family, playing host to some truly memorable performances and great champions, staging races the results of which have helped shape the path of entire seasons. Being able to hold these important races in one fantastic location and all under the banner of one festival has proved to be hugely beneficial for athletes, spectators and media alike, allowing the global World Triathlon family the opportunity to gather together for a true celebration of the sport, and we are extremely excited to head to Townsville in 2024.”
The first World Triathlon Multisport Championships took place in Penticton, Canada, in 2017, followed by Fyn, Denmark, in 2018 and Pontevedra, Spain in 2019. In 2021 the events were split to multiple locations due to the pandemic – Almere, El Anillo and Aviles – and this year the races will take place in Romania and Slovakia – the PTO Collins Cup will also serve as the site of the long-distance world championships. Next years event will be held over 10 days in Ibiza, Spain, with the 2024 race to be held in Townsville. Dates have not been confirmed as of yet for the 2024 festival.
