The Collins Cup and World Triathlon Multisport World Championships is the ultimate festival of pro racing, age-group events and family fun. Here’s what you can look forward to!
Here at PTO HQ, we’re getting seriously excited about our latest announcement – the full line-up of events at this year’s Collins Cup – and how this five-day smorgasbord of multisport goodness will be the ultimate triathlon festival.
Running from 18 to 21 August and held at the x-bionic sphere near Bratislava in Slovakia, the centrepiece of the festival is the second edition of the game-changing Collins Cup. This race for triathlon glory will see Team Europe trying to defend their title against Team USA and Team International.
Attend the festival and you’ll get to sit in the grandstand to watch the action unfold live alongside three massive screens showing the live broadcast. 12 of the world’s best pro triathletes per team, backed by tri legend team captains, will make up 12 hotly fought one-vs-one-vs-one match races. To the winners, the Collins Cup trophy and the next chapter in Collins Cup history. To the losers, the Broken Spokes trophy – a year-long motivator to fight back harder next year.
But outside of this Superbowl of triathlon for the professionals, there’s a whole host of other races and activities to satisfy your appetite for triathlon racing and fandom. Check out our welcome guide with an intro from Alistair Brownlee and read on to learn more.
Collins Cup Age-Group Race
First up, there’s the Collins Cup age group race: held over 100km, it’ll challenge you to redefine your limits of speed and endurance. Hold strong form over the 2km swim, eke out bigger watts during 80km bike then straddle that redline to beast the 18km run. You can also race as a relay if you want to focus on one or two of the disciplines along with friends or family.
We’ve made the entry fees as affordable as possible with no additional Active fees while our industry-leading refund policy is in place to allay fears of possible cancellation or potential non-attendance due to covid, injury or even pregnancy. Learn more and enter on our Collins Cup race page.
World Triathlon & Aquathlon Championships
If you’re in the hunt to don your national colours, the Collins Cup is also the place to race… and not just in triathlon either. Working in partnership with World Triathlon, the sport’s global governing body, the Collins Cup will host the 2022 World Triathlon Long Distance World Championship.
Held over the same distance at the open Collins Cup age-group race, this event will give you the chance to earn an age-group world championship title alongside the elite, under-23 and junior divisions. There’s also the World Triathlon Aquabike Championship (2km swim, 80km bike) and the World Triathlon Aquathlon Championship – an opportunity for swim-run specialists to strut their skillset over a 1km swim, 5km run format.
Entry to these World Triathlon events is via your national triathlon governing body only, so if you’re interested in racing get in touch with them directly to state your interest, check qualification criteria and see if you’re eligible.
If you’re coming to watch the pro race rather than take on 100km yourself, but feel inspired to get your heart beating, there will also be a Fun Run. This relaxed 5km dash will help you get into the spirit of competition – and burn the calories required to take full advantage of all the delicious food on offer.
Other Festival Activties
In addition to the race events, there are lots of extra activities that will make your trip to Slovakia a multisport celebration you’ll never forget.
The Collins Cup Opening Ceremony is an opportunity to get up close to the pros in their team attire and feel the electricity as the 12 race match-ups are announced. Expect surprise picks, rekindling of old rivalries and plenty of banter as the pros aim to psyche one another out before the big day.
You’ll also have the chance to learn directly from PTO professionals thanks to our PTO Tri Talks, where you’ll get insider tips and tricks from the top to give your own swim, bike and run a boost.
The World Triathlon Parade of Nations offers a chance to celebrate your home country in an Olympics-style flag-flying march and is followed by the pasta party, which will give you time to meet like-minded triathlon enthusiasts and swap stories of your biggest victories and challenges in an atmosphere buzzing with pre-race excitement.
Meanwhile, the PTO Tour Fan Zone is sure to tempt you with the latest gear, nutrition and tech from the world of triathlon. There will be plenty for both athletes and supporters including a Kids’ Zone, food trucks offering a variety of deliciousness and other surprises you’ll have to wait to see.
On Saturday night, we’ll have a special Champions Concert from Emma Drobna, Slovakia’s leading pop star, to celebrate the Collins Cup victors in style. With the tunes pumping, even the most tired legs from Team Europe, Team US and Team International will surely get moving to the beat!
Events Schedule
Here’s all the racing action you can look forward to:
Thursday 18 August
- World Triathlon Aquathlon Championship (1km, 5km)
- Collins Cup Opening Ceremony – see the Collins Cup athletes and captains live on stage as matches are announced!
Friday 19 August
- Collins Cup Press Conference – get athletes’ reactions to their match selections
- PTO Tri Talks – get advice from the world’s best pros at the Ted Talks of the tri world
Saturday 20 August
- Collins Cup Pro Race – watch 36 superstars from three teams battle it out over 12 match races
- Collins Cup Champions Concert – a special live concert from leading Slovakian pop star Emma Drobna
Sunday 21 August
- Collins Cup age-group open race (2km, 80km, 18km)
- World Triathlon Long Distance Triathlon Championship (2km, 80km, 18km)
- World Triathlon Aquabike Championship (2km, 80km, 18km)
The Location
The x-bionic sphere in Samorin is a sensational location for a triathlon festival. Just 25km from the thriving cultural hub of Bratislava, this massive complex is set over 93 acres and caters for athletes from no fewer than 27 Olympic sports. For triathletes, there’s a three-floor gym, an aquatic centre with 25 and 50m pools, a 400m running track and smooth roads for riding.
The location also features a hotel with capacity for over 1,000 guests and four restaurants putting everything within easy reach in the idyllic setting on the bank of the Danube. If you want to explore further, Slovakia is the place to do it. From the buzzing nightlife and beautiful architecture of Bratislava to the country’s nine national parks and chocolate-box villages, there’s something for every taste.
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