Only a few weeks after the Triathlon World Tour was officially announced, the sport has already witnessed a major seismic shift. In what can only be described as a landmark development, the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has acquired a majority stake in Challenge Family. As a result, Challenge Family races will become part of the Triathlon World Tour starting next year.
The PTO has taken over the majority share from Y11 Sports & Media, the investment company that acquired a stake in the Netherlands-based organization several years ago. PTO CEO Sam Renouf called the move ‘significant’ in the organization’s journey.
“This acquisition and investment into Challenge Family is a significant moment in the PTO journey. As we make the Triathlon World Tour a reality alongside our partners, to create a single brand and competition structure that helps professionals, amateurs, fans, media, sponsors and other stakeholders more clearly understand and engage with our sport,” Renouf stated.
A More Unified Structure
The Triathlon World Tour aims to bring greater clarity and uniformity to a sport long characterized by overlapping world championships and competing race series. By 2027, the structure is expected to be fully realized, featuring a T100 World Championship Series, a T50 World Championship Series (the former WTCS), and a Challenger Series.
From 2027 onward, the Challenger Series will largely consist of today’s Challenge Family races, serving as a pathway toward qualification for the top-tier Championship events. Importantly, the traditional Long Distance races within Challenge Family will retain their identity and formats. Iconic events such as Challenge Roth, Challenge Almere-Amsterdam, and Challenge Taiwan will continue to offer their classic distances.
“Challenge Family’s respected event platform, community-driven ethos and operational expertise make them a natural partner, in addition to a shared vision to transform the sport and unlock its untapped commercial potential. I look forward to working closely with Jort Vlam [Challenge Family CEO, ed.], his dedicated team and their community of passionate race partners around the world to make this happen”, adds Renouf.
Shared Vision for Growth
Renouf was present this weekend at the Challenge Family Race Director Meeting in Gran Canaria, where he met with key stakeholders and organizers from across the series. Challenge Family CEO Jort Vlam also attended and expressed optimism about the partnership:
“Challenge Family and our race partners have spent more than two decades building a global series defined by strong local communities, athlete-first experiences, and a commitment to innovation. Joining forces with the PTO marks an important evolution in that journey. This partnership allows us to preserve what makes Challenge Family unique while contributing to a unified, globally recognized series that strengthens the sport’s long-term growth, commercial sustainability and global visibility. We are excited to work closely with the PTO, World Triathlon, and our race organisers worldwide to help shape a more connected, professional and inspiring future for triathlon.”
As previously reported, further details about the Triathlon World Tour are expected later in 2026.
Earlier, Triathlon Today published an article about the pros and cons of the Triathlon World Tour. This article you’ll find here.
