Triathlon History
Triathlon is still a relatively young sport, with early multisport roots in France in the 1920s. Competitors participated in a race called “Les trois sports” - translated literally as “three sports” - which combined swimming, cycling, and running.
Triathlons in America
Triathlons in America can be traced to Southern California in the 1970s. The first Mission Bay Triathlon was held on September 25, 1974 in San Diego. Many people consider this the birthday of the modern triathlon. Forty-six athletes competed in the multisport event, which included a 500-yard swim, a 5-mile bike ride, and a 6-mile run.Beginning of the Ironman
As the sport caught on, the beginnings of the most famous triathlon in the world unfolded in Hawaii. Three separate events - the Waikiki Rough Water Swim, the Around-Oahu Bike Race, and the Honolulu Marathon - were combined in 1978 to form the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon. Of the 15 competitors who started the race, 12 crossed the finish line.Rules Committees
As triathlon continued to grow, official governing bodies and race organizations began to form. USA Triathlon (USAT) serves as the national governing body in the United States. World Triathlon, formerly the International Triathlon Union (ITU), is the international governing body. The IRONMAN Group operates the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 race series.USA Triathlon (USAT)
USA Triathlon (USAT) is the national governing body for triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon, and related multisport events in the United States. USAT formed in 1982 when the U.S. Triathlon Association and the American Triathlon Association merged.More information about USAT can be found on the USA Triathlon website.
International Triathlon Union (ITU)
The International Triathlon Union (ITU) was founded in 1989 in Avignon, France, the site of the first official world championships. In 2020, ITU rebranded as World Triathlon. World Triathlon governs international triathlon competition and related multisport disciplines.More information can be found on the World Triathlon website.
IRONMAN
The IRONMAN brand grew from the original Hawaii event into a global series of full-distance and 70.3 races. The IRONMAN World Championship remains one of the most recognizable events in endurance sports.More information can be found on the IRONMAN website.