World Triathlon President Antonio Arimany Shares His Vision for the Future of Triathlon

This morning, we had the opportunity to sit down with World Triathlon President Antonio Fernández Arimany to discuss the upcoming unification of the sport under the new Triathlon World Tour, set to launch in 2027. The initiative follows recommendations outlined in a recent Deloitte-led review of triathlon’s global landscape and aims to bring greater alignment across the sport.

During our conversation, Arimany shared his vision for the future of triathlon and the key priorities he believes are essential to achieving long-term success. We also asked the question on many athletes’, fans’, and industry stakeholders’ minds: what, if anything, does this new era mean for organizations and brands that are not currently part of the partnership, including Ironman?

Building a Bigger, More Connected Sport

“Deloitte confirmed what we [were] seeing, but we always need to confirm externally,” Arimany shared, explaining the rationale behind partnering with Deloitte to create what is essentially a roadmap for the sport’s future.

The central message emerging from the Deloitte report was the need for greater unification across the sport’s various series and its overarching narrative. As of 2027, the 100km distance is set to remain the T100, with the WTCS becoming the T50 World Championship Series, and Challenge Family events (apart from the iconic Challenge Roth) set to become part of a Challenger Series, where developing elite athletes can work their way toward the upper tiers of competition.

When asked what success would look like in an ideal world, Arimany shared: “I would like to see triathlon at the same level as tennis or golf in terms of popularity.”

When asked about the key steps required to realize that vision, he first highlighted the need to grow the popularity and viewership of elite events through improved broadcast quality and accessibility, the continued selection of emblematic host cities and venues, and showcasing athletes in a way that compels fans to follow the storylines throughout the season.

The second key priority he pointed to was growing mass participation. He added that the recent addition of HYROX under World Triathlon, as a distinct yet related multisport endeavour, is something he sees as a win-win for both HYROX and triathlon, broadening exposure and attracting a wider base of athletes.

Arimany also emphasized the importance of collaboration in working collectively toward what he described as an incredible goal for the sport. He noted that the PTO is responsible for the continued evolution of the broadcast product, including commercial partnerships, while World Triathlon remains focused on its core strengths as the sport’s highest global governing body, including athlete development pathways, technical and competition standards, anti-doping programs, and support for event organizers and national federations. That role, he noted, includes continued support for organizations such as Ironman that currently sit outside of the 2027 Triathlon World Tour framework.

And What About Ironman?

This naturally leads to what many view as the elephant in the room: what, if anything, does the creation of the Triathlon World Tour mean for organizations that are not part of the new structure, most notably Ironman?

Arimany began by emphasizing – and commending – everything Ironman has done for the sport.

“Ironman has done a great job establishing and promoting triathlon,” he said, his respect for the organization both genuine and evident.

He shared that he met with Ironman CEO Scott DeRue just 15 days ago in Tampa and reiterated that, in his words, “The doors will always be open for anyone to join and be part of the Triathlon World Tour.”

That invitation extends not only to Ironman, but also to Supertri. Arimany noted that he has spoken with Supertri co-founder Michael D’hulst as well and made it clear that World Triathlon remains open to future collaboration. While neither organization has chosen to join the initiative at this stage, he presented the opportunity as an open invitation rather than a closed chapter.

The Olympics

Last but certainly not least is the Olympic conversation.

Arimany confirmed that World Triathlon is exploring the possibility of adding both the T100 distance and HYROX to the Olympic program for the 2032 Brisbane Games.

Before then, he hopes to see the T100 included at Doha 2030, providing an opportunity for the IOC and the broader sporting community to see firsthand how the format could fit within a major multi-sport event.