Races

USA Triathlon Breaks
with WTC and IMNA-Owned Races

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 13, 2005) - Citing the importance of
athlete safety and a fair playing field, USA Triathlon has announced
that it will no longer sanction events owned by the World Triathlon
Corporation (WTC) or Ironman North America (IMNA).

The move comes in reaction to WTC's desire to establish a global rule
book for its races that is not in compliance with USA Triathlon's rules.

"We believe our rules provide the safest races and the fairest
competition," said Skip Gilbert, executive director of USA Triathlon.
"The WTC's new rules would not meet USAT's strict requirements for
safety. We cannot insure races that do not follow those parameters. That
could jeopardize the 1,500 races we sanction and our 58,000 annual
members as a whole."

The USAT Competitive Rules were written to provide athletes safety and
overall fairness in competition. They also provide each athlete maximum
protection from unfair or arbitrary penalties. Every violation an
official calls in a race is intensively reviewed by the senior referee
and penalties are assessed after the review. Athletes have a right to
discuss and appeal calls that may be unfair.

The WTC has asked that an exception be granted to this procedure to
allow real-time stand-down (on-course) penalties for age group
triathletes. This exception would remove all review, due process, and
rights of appeal and put the final decision in the hands of one
official. Stopping a motorcycle in traffic could also endanger both the
athletes and the official.

"This is truly a sad day for us," Gilbert said. "In the grand scheme of
things, triathlon is a small sport and we need unity, not division."

WTC has said that it has 50,000 athletes who compete globally. USA
Triathlon embraces more than 200,000 one-day and annual members.

"We are a non-profit sport national governing body and this decision
will cost us significant membership revenue," Gilbert said. "But our
priority must be to put our athletes and race directors first, not the
impact to our bottom line."

The USA Triathlon Board of Directors has given its unanimous support to
the decision.

"Skip provided the Board with two strong options; one a compromise, and
the other a removal of the sanction," said Brad Davison, president of
the USA Triathlon Board of Directors. "In a conference call last
Wednesday (June 8), Skip recommended the latter course of action and,
based on a number of factors, the Board gave its unanimous approval."

This decision means that athletes who compete in WTC or IMNA-owned races
will not be afforded any of the benefits that would be available at a
USA Triathlon sanctioned event, to include national ranking, and
qualification for national and world championships.

Moreover, Gilbert called on the WTC and IMNA to refund to the athletes
any money it has already received on behalf of USA Triathlon for one-day
licenses.

However, Gilbert did not close the door on a relationship with WTC down
the line.

"If they want to come back to the table and work with us, we would love
to help them establish a global rulebook that would make everyone
happy."

USA Triathlon is the national governing body for triathlon, duathlon,
aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. For more
information on this and other stories related to USA Triathlon, please
contact communications and media relations manager B.J. Evans at
719-597-9090, ext. 105 or at BJ@USATriathlon.org. USA Triathlon's web
site is www.usatriathlon.org.