International Triathlon Union reveals biggest prize purse to date for 2017

On Wednesday, the ITU announced their biggest professional prize purse to date for the World Triathlon Series 2017 season, which kicks off in Abu Dhabi on March 3rd.

This year’s prize pool is $2.5 million USD, with an additional $100,000 bonus pool introduced this year offered to the season’s top 35 men and women, “in a bid to increase revenue opportunities for more triathletes, and not just the very top tier.”

The decision to increase the prize purse was made following consultation with the ITU’s Athlete Committee, a board made up of appointed professional ITU athletes from around the world.

“I’m very pleased to be able to offer athletes more money, which will be reflected in the bonus pool,” said ITU President and International Olympic Committee member Marisol Casado.

“Moreover, I’m thrilled to have the input from our new Athletes’ Committee to ensure the money is dispersed in a manner best benefiting triathletes.”

With the prize purses from all the ITU events combined this year (including world cups and the Grand Final), athletes will be racing for their share of an overall $3.5 million USD prize pool. Each world cup race offers a $60,000 prize purse, kept the same from last year but with six more races on this season’s tour. Athletes will also vie for $70,000 at the ITU Mixed Relay World Championships in Rotterdam in September and $200,000 at the ITU Multisport World Championships Festival in Penticton in August.

France’s Jessica Harrison, the chair of the Athletes’ Committee, said: “The Athletes’ Committee is very satisfied that ITU and the WTS are confirming their commitment to helping the athletes by investing this new source of revenue straight back into the prize money fund.

“It is important to keep moving in the right direction of making triathlon a professional and viable sport for all ITU athletes who invest so much time and energy into their triathlon careers and dreams.