World Triathlon

The revised course for this Sunday’s Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon World Cup is now online.  Elite athletes will swim 1500 meters in the Blue Heron Lake, then will cycle a slightly long bike course at 42 kilometers over eight laps.  Athletes will finish with a 4-lap 10-kilometer run.  Both the run and bike courses contain several sharp corners. 

Click here to view the revised course map

The event is the most lucrative on the ITU calendar.  With $700,000 USD up for grabs, the prize purse will be equal for men and women and breaks down like this:

Place Amount
1. $200,000.00
2. $40,000.00
3. $25,000.00
4. $15,000.00
5. $12,500.00
6. $10,000.00
7. $9,000.00
8. $7,000.00
9. $6,000.00
10. $5,500.00
11. $5,000.00
12. $4,500.00
13. $4,000.00
14. $3,500.00
15. $3,000.00

In addition, the first athlete out of the water will receive a $5000 USD bonus from Speedo.

For days, Hy-Vee LOC and West Des Moines city officials have been monitoring water conditions at Blue Heron Lake in West Des Moines Raccoon River Park in the hopes of hosting a true triathlon. Today, they got the news they had been waiting to hear: the water level is lower and the bacteria readings well within the safety range.

Officials announced at 2 p.m. that age-group, junior and youth elites, and ITU World Cup athletes will all have the swim returned to their events during this weekends Hy-Vee Triathlon.

Safety of the athletes has always been our number one priority, said Randy Edeker, co-chair of the Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon World Cup.  Every day that the lake levels dropped and the sun stayed out, we were more optimistic.

Click here for more on the flooding situation

Last week, with the water levels dangerously high and the bacteria counts spiking way beyond safe levels, putting 2,200 amateur athletes in the water was too risky and the event was changed to a duathlon. Although race officials did not completely rule out a swim for elite athletes, the outlook for the professionals was about as grim as for the amateurs.

It has always been our deep desire to deliver a swim to both elite and age-group athletes, said Edeker. We were told to hope for a miracle, and it looks like we got one.

All races will now take place under the regular weather guidelines as established by the sports national federation.

The finish line will remain on the campus of Southwoods School, where officials moved the event last week after flood waters threatened Des Moines. The Kids Tri-Fest will be there as well.

West Des Moines has been absolutely fantastic in accommodating us on such short notice, said Edeker. We could not accomplish the Herculean task of such a move without the support of city officials and West Des Moines residents. We are extremely grateful.

All activities will take place at the times already scheduled. Volunteer and spectator parking will be at Wells Fargo on Mills Civic Parkway. Athlete parking will be explained during the mandatory briefings each participant must attend prior to racing.

The Kids Triathlon for children ages 5 to 12 will remain a duathlon, which is a run-bike-run. It will be hosted entirely on the campus of Valley Southwoods.

Click here for more event information

Click here for a preview of the womens and mens races

Click here for the official event website