The Challenge Family announced their first race in the USA today, but did not offer the exact location yet. But with certain details revealed that should eliminate quite a few places suggested by internet detectives and conspiracy theorists.
According to a press release from the Challenge Family organization this inaugural Challenge USA long course triathlon event will take place in late June 2014 in the Mid-Atlantic region and will be handled by famed race directors Robert "Vigo" Vigorito of Columbia Triathlon Association fame and Stephen Del Monte of DelMoSports.
Ever since it was rumored that a big announcement from Challenge was to come, it had been predicted that one of the cities slighted in the recent battle for an Ironman event in the Southeast might be courted. While we don't know if Asheville, Raleigh, Winston-Salem, Greenville, Hilton Head Island or Myrtle Beach will eventually get a Challenge, Rev3 or other big event brand triathlon, this first Challenge USA race is likely not it, since neither of these places who lost out to Chattanooga, TN are in the Mid-Atlantic region. That means that the race likely will take place somewhere between New York City and Washington, DC and it appears somewhere near the ocean, unless Vigorito was trying to guide us in the wrong direction.
"We will announce the details of this first race in mid-September and you can be certain it's going to be one very exciting and memorable event – the course is flat and fast! The swim is sheltered, the bike incorporates state forests, vineyards and classic downtown Americana while the run is all about the ocean, and spectators… lots of them," said Vigorito in the Challenge Family press release.
"Each year, hundreds of Americans cross the Atlantic to be part of this experience and now they can enjoy it at home," added Challenge Family CEO Felix Walchshöfer. "We have found a team that shares our values. Like them we are driven by quality. We don’t see overselling fields as an indicator of success. We base success on strong fields that are the right size for the course and give the best possible race experience. I have a huge amount of respect for Vigo and Stephen and what they have achieved and I feel honored to have them as part of this exciting journey."
This will be the third race in North America for the Challenge Family organization, with the first one having taken place a couple weeks ago in Penticton, Canada, the second one being in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada and now brings the total Challenge race number events to 22, and that includes the flagship event in Roth, Germany.
