28 June  

London: The PTO Tour is beginning with a bang, as the top three PTO World Ranked athletes – PTO World #1 Kristian Blummenfelt, PTO World #2 Gustav Iden and PTO World #3 Lionel Sanders – are scheduled to go head-to-head for the first time this season, as the Professional Triathletes Organisation today announced the line-up for the men’s race at the inaugural $1 million PTO Canadian Open (23-24 July). 

“What a way to start what is going to be the greatest season of all time,” said an excited Sanders, who has recently been training at altitude for the first time as he looks to battle the world’s best and claim the PTO Canadian Open on his home soil. 

“Big events, the best athletes and larger prize purses bring people to the table. That’s part of what has been the issue in the sport. We’ve been fighting for scraps.  What we are doing with the PTO has the potential to bring about a truly golden era for longer distance triathlon – we’ve got the right athletes, a dedicated team and committed investors all behind us.  This is the beginning of what can become a bona fide professional circuit comparable to other sports.”

The scheduled PTO Canadian Open men’s line-up can be found here and includes:

Not only will the top professionals be competing for a $1 million prize purse, the PTO Canadian Open is the final event to determine automatic qualifying spots for The Collins Cup teams, with 10% PTO Bonus points available. Expect the athletes to leave it all on the course as they look to secure a spot at The Collins Cup or impress their Team Captains in hope of a coveted Captain’s Pick. 

Commenting on the announcement, PTO CEO Sam Renouf said:

“When the athletes were first setting up the PTO, the ambition was very simple.  They wanted to have the world’s best triathletes racing head-to-head on the biggest stages and for the proper prize funds, and that is exactly what the fans want to see.”

“This world class field and the fact that $1 million is on the line, brings that ambition to life and sparks so many exciting questions and permutations.  We also believe it gives us the perfect vehicle to start to share our amazing athletes’ exploits and rivalries with broader sports fans who are perhaps getting to experience our sport for the first time.”

The PTO is a new body co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to take the sport to the next level and see it grow and thrive.  The inaugural PTO Tour starts with the PTO Canadian Open (July 23-24); followed by the second edition of $1.5M Ryder Cup-style Collins Cup (August 20-21), which sees Team Europe take on Team USA and Team International. It will conclude with the first PTO US Open in Dallas, Texas (September 17-18). Each Open carries a minimum prize money of $1M and will be raced over 100km – a 2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run. 

The $1 million PTO Canadian Open prize fund breakdown as follows:

What is unique about triathlon, and the PTO Tour especially, is that amateurs get the chance to watch the world’s best triathletes as well as sign up to compete alongside them – over a 25km or 100km triathlon. 

-ends-

For further information 

Professional Triathletes Organisation

Anthony Scammell E: [email protected]

About the PTO 

The PTO is a new body co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to take the sport to the next level and see it grow and thrive.  The inaugural PTO Tour race schedule for 2022 includes: the first-ever PTO Canadian Open (July 23-24); the second edition of $1.5M Ryder Cup-style Collins Cup (August 20-21), which sees Team Europe take on Team USA and Team International; and the first PTO US Open (September 17-18). Each Open carries a minimum prize money of $1M and will be raced over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run). In 2023 and 2024, the PTO Tour plans to expand with the PTO European Open and the PTO Asian Open, alongside their US and Canadian equivalents and the Collins Cup.