By Alix Shutello
The International Ultra Association (IUTA) is the official governing body of ultra triathlon and acts as an organization nonprofit. Its Steering Committee is composed of highly experienced, proficient and passionate ultra triathletes and race directors, all devoted to develop the sport and take it to greater height. Steering Committee members works honorary and hail from two continents and five different countries—Canada, United States, France, Hungary and Belgium.
The IUTA has many important goals to grow the community of ultra triathletes. President Ghislain Marechal reports that in recent meetings of the IUTA Committee, the IUTA has discussed the role of the organization and its possible development for the future. There are several goals that the organization is establishing to continue promoting ultra triathlons globally:
- Increase the number of races of the IUTA Challenge.
- Bring more athletes to our races, particularly women and teams.
- Continue building a positive image of our sport (it’s doable, it’s achievable, it’s full of emotion, it’s a family spirit, it’s not necessary elitist but it’s also competitive against yourself and others).
- Give ultra triathlons more credibility by reinforcing anti-doping controls.
- Promote ultra triathlons to give them more visibility.
- Provide a good experience in the races for the athletes and their crew, to the full benefit of the ultra-family spirit.
Race guidelines for ultra triathlons are under consideration. These include reinforcing the anti-doping policy, allowing for teams to compete, and formally banning pacing on the running section (as this gives an unfair advantage to some athletes). IUTA rules have been well established for years, and if there is the need for small adaptations, the IUTA doesn’t see the need for revolutionary changes.
The IUTA wants to reward top athletes (men and women) and recognize their yearly commitment a little more, and would also like to promote the “Finisher” spirit. World- wide ranking does not provide any advantage with regard to other athletes, however. All athletes are placed on an equal footing, both at the start and at the finish line. The organization has very strict rules about types of equipment and clothing, but nothing really different from other federations. IUTA rules can be accessed at http://www.iutasport. com/?page=rules
In terms of sponsors, only a few of the athletes have sponsors. “It’s a pity, considering the dedication, the time and the sacrifices (family, work) needed to perform in the sport. Many athletes receive race kit material offered by different product brands, but very few receive money,” Marechal said.
Nobody, according to Marechal, makes a living as an ultra triathlete and sponsorship never covers all the expenses (race entry fees, travel, accommodations, trainers, race material). “Ultra triathlon racing exists as a hobby. It is a real shame, because for many athletes, money is the main limiting factor that prevents the sport from growing. With a bit more money, many potential ultra triathletes would shine on the international scene,” Marechal said.
The Ultra Triathlon World Cup Series
The IUTA-sanctioned races constitute the Ultra Triathlon World Cup Series. In 2013, there is a total of 8 World Cup races. These are:
• Double Ultra Triathlon Tampa, Florida, USA March 2013
• World Championship Double Ultra Triathlon Neulengbach, Austria May 2013
• Double Ultra Triathlon New Forest, Hampshire, United Kingdom June 2013
• Double Ultra Triathlon Emstetten, Germany June 2013
• Triple Ultra Triathlon Lensahn, Germany July 2013
• Double Ultra Triathlon- Murska Sobota, Bakovci Slovenia August 2013
• Double Ultra Triathlon Lake Anna, Virginia, USA October 2013
• Deca Triathlon Monterrey, Mexico November 2013 To learn more about the IUTA, visit
http://www.iutasport.com/
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/International-Ultra- Triathlon-Association/106725069497714
IUTA CABINET
• Ghislain Marechal (FR): President
• Yves Beauchamp (CN): Vice President and Treasurer
• Zsolt Na?dasdi (HUN): Vice President
• Steve Kirby (USA): Race Director representative
• Emmanuel Conraux (FR): Athlete representative
HISTORY OF THE ULTRA TRIATHLON
Ultra triathlon represents a new standard of excellence in the world of triathlon. The word “ultra” means beyond the Iron distances. The shortest of ultra triathlons is the double ultra triathlon, which has a race distance twice that of the Iron race – 7.6 (4.8 mi) km swim, 360 km (224 mi) cycle and 84.4 km (52.4 mi) run. The longest among them is the deca triathlon (deca IRON), which is ten times the Iron distance. Between these are the triple, quadruple and quintuple ultra triathlons, called IRONs.
Today, more than 3500 athletes have competed in almost 200 ultra triathlon competitions from that more than 2500 triathletes have started in a double IRON and more than 1000 in a triple IRON.
