Official opening of ITU Headquarters

by World Triathlon Admin on 06 Mar, 2005 12:00

The International Triathlon Union (ITU) officially opened its new doors to the
world today, as the only international Olympic sports federation to have its headquarters
in Canada. Indeed, triathlon is one of only four federations based outside of
Europe, with the others being judo in Japan, taikwondo in Korea and baseball in
the US. The international sport federation was conceived and founded in the late
eighties by a group of sport enthusiasts at the Alta Lake Sports Club in North
Vancouover, led by Les McDonald.

The ITU was formed in 1989, the year of the first annual Triathlon World Championships.   Since that time, Vancouver has been the centre stage for the development of   the sport from the grassroots to the Olympic podium. Today the ITU hosts 14   World Cup triathlons in every corner of the globe, 6 multi-sport championships,   and dozens of other multi-sport events attracting thousands of competitors and   millions of television viewers in more than 90 countries.
 
  Triathlon was added to the Olympic programme at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, making   it the fastest ever sport to achieve that pinnacle. Appropriately, for its induction,   Simon Whitfield took home gold for Canada. Triathlon is now one of the fastest   growing and most charismatic sports on the Olympic Programme.

We are so proud to be part of a community that promotes such an active   lifestyle and sport. said ITU President, Les McDonald, We are   very excited to continue to bring our sport to the world and we have high expectations   for triathlon in the future. From our humble beginnings as the Alta Lake Sports   Club we envisioned the ITU as one day being a respected international Olympic   sport federation. That day is here.
 
  The continued success of triathlon at the Athens Olympic Games has ensured its   future and established a strong foundation for international growth. The ITU   is now in a more secure financial position and for the first time   can operate from a fully staffed office, rather than the basement of its executive   director.

The new contact details for ITU are:
  Address:
  998 Harbourside Drive, Suite 221
  North Vancouver, British Columbia
  V7P 3T2, CANADA,
  Telephone: 1.604 904 9248
  Fax: 1 604 608 3195
  Emails: - all remain the same. Please see the “contact   us” section.

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