PTO adds 21,000 Euro bonus pool to Challenge Davos race

The Professional Triathletes Organisation  (PTO) will contribute 21,000 Euros to the prize purse at Challenge Davos later this month. We reported earlier this year that the race was likely to go ahead, based on Switzerland’s opening up of events up to 1,000 people.

The additional prize purse will be handed out as a “bonus pool” based on a handicap system at the race, which is scheduled for August 29.

“Under the PTO World Ranking System, the calculation of the Ideal Time for men on the Davos course is 3:22:19, while the Ideal Time for women is 3:51:57, thus there is a 29:39 difference between the men and the women,” according to a release from the PTO today. That difference will be subtracted from the women’s times, so the bonus cheques will be handed out based on the new net times.

“With the pandemic wreaking havoc on the 2020 racing season, the PTO has been seeking ways to support our professionals, who are unable to race and are effectively without opportunities to earn any income,” says Charles Adamo, Executive Chairman of the PTO. “In March we paid out over $2.5 million dollars to 200 professionals to provide financial assistance to help them survive. With just a few races scheduled for 2020, we have been approaching event operators who are able to hold races with professional fields and offering to supplement their prize money. While some operators have advised us that it is against their long-standing policy to accept outside financial support for their professional races, others have welcomed our support and we are grateful to them for allowing us to contribute additional prize money for professionals. Challenge Davos has a great history and, as one of the few races on offer, has a large and impressive field of professionals scheduled to race. It is a perfect opportunity for us to help. We are currently working with a number of independent regional races and hope to be able to support additional events in 2020.”

Some of the men expected to compete for the win this weekend include last year’s Grand Final champion Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR), 2014 Ironman world champion Sebastian Kienle (GER) or last year’s Challenge Bonus Pool champion Pieter Heemeryck (BEL). On the women’s side last year’s third-place finisher at the 70.3 worlds, Switzerland’s own Imogen Simmonds is expected to take on Germany’s Laura Philipp, who finished fourth in Kona last year.