Rescheduled Athena, Clydesdale Championships Share Updates

USA Triathlon, along with race production company Team Magic, Inc., today announced that the 2020 USA Triathlon Clydesdale & Athena National Championships, initially scheduled to take place June 28 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have been canceled due to ongoing precautions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clydesdale & Athena Nationals were part of the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon hosted by Team Magic. When the Chattanooga event was forced to postpone due to COVID-19, Clydesdale & Athena Nationals were rescheduled for Aug. 15 as part of Team Magic’s 35th Annual Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon.

Due to the cross-state travel required for an authentic National Championship, and because the Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon has now switched from including an Olympic-distance race to being a sprint-distance-only event in order to properly implement COVID-19 safety precautions, USA Triathlon and event organizers determined that the Clydesdale & Athena National Championships can no longer take place in 2020.

The 2021 edition of Clydesdale & Athena Nationals will return to the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon on June 27.

“USA Triathlon strongly supports Team Magic’s decision to switch to a sprint-distance-only event for the Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon, in order to manage resources and implement COVID-19 safety protocols to the fullest extent,” said Brian D’Amico, Director of Events at USA Triathlon. “With that said, hosting Clydesdale & Athena Nationals without all of its competitive distances, and without a national field due to travel complications during COVID-19, is not a fair situation for all athletes. We proud to work with Team Magic once again in 2021 to bring Clydesdale & Athena Nationals back to Chattanooga.”

“While we were hopeful to keep the Clydesdale & Athena National Championships on the calendar, we are confident this adjustment is the best option for us to produce a race in the current climate,” said Faye Yates, Owner and Director of Team Magic, Inc., and Race Director for the 2020 and 2021 USA Triathlon Clydesdale & Athena National Championships. “Team Magic staff, along with our host venue and support staff, are committed to providing the best race possible to our local and regional racers, who are equally committed to follow the necessary safety protocols. We will miss seeing any Clydesdale and Athena participants who will not be able to participate at our modified event, and we look forward to hosting them in 2021."

Athletes who were registered for the 2020 Clydesdale & Athena National Championships have the option to compete in the sprint-distance age-group race at the 2020 Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon, which is still scheduled for Aug. 15, or transfer their registration to the 2021 Clydesdale & Athena National Championships in Chattanooga, the 2021 Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon or any future Team Magic event in 2020 or 2021. Athletes will receive an email from Team Magic with more details about how to select a deferral option.

Clydesdale & Athena Nationals have been held as a standalone event on USA Triathlon’s National Championship calendar since 2014. The Clydesdale & Athena competitive divisions are based on weight minimums outlined in the USA Triathlon Competitive Rules. Athletes competing in the Clydesdale division must be a minimum of 220 pounds, and athletes in the Athena division must be a minimum of 165 pounds.

Updates from USA Triathlon regarding COVID-19 are available at usatriathlon.org/covid-19. USA Triathlon continues to monitor the situation surrounding COVID-19, while following the guidance of local authorities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), when making decisions regarding the status of USA Triathlon events and programs. Any further potential changes to USA Triathlon’s National Championships event calendar will be communicated immediately.

About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,300 events and connects with more than 400,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors – as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation – USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the ITU and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).