A couple of days ago, the USA triathlon announced for the first time the launch of a new inaugural WIN program, also known as the Woman’s Initiative which is a series of 18 sport’s events to be held across the country. They are especially designed to attract women’s participation, especially the ones that have just started their career.
All of the 18 events will be organized and managed by a total of 11 race directors which will be selected by a selection committee from a pool of other possible candidates.
All these events will include both, women’s triathlons and also duathlons. Also, they will include women’s-only waves within the scheduled races, instructional clinics and also, social events.
Representation – across gender, race, age, sexual identity etc – matters. #Intersectionality for the win! https://t.co/QdaIUE1zfm
— Women’s Initiative (@equalityYEG) May 31, 2017
The main goal of each event is to involve and expose female participants despite their age and athletic level. These events are especially designed to provide low-cost, community-friendly races.
History
The WIN initiative, being a USA Triathlon program, is developed under strong fundamentals and tradition making its formula work when trying to promote female-oriented multi-sports. USA Triathlon has already proved the worth of these initiatives strongly believing they must be continued.The Women’s Committee back in 2010 and attaining triathlon’s status as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women, are only two of these successful women-oriented programs.
Today, women make only 37.5 percent of USA Triathlon’s annual of membership base number. On the other hand, when analyzing the youth category, girls make almost half of USA Triathlon youth members at around 47 percent.
Terri Walters, the USA Triathlon Event Services Manager, when talking about the WIN program, added: “The focus of USA Triathlon’s WIN Program is on participation, not competition. By offering more races and clinics geared specifically towards women, we hope to encourage camaraderie and remove the intimidation factor that may keep some women from participating in multisport.”
All directors of the WIN program will receive a strong promotional support on all USA Triathlon channels of social media and also WIN-branded materials such as banners, medals etc.
2017 WIN Program Events
New Events:
July 1: Women’s Do a Duathlon (Spokane, Wash.)
Race Director: Christina Reddick
Oct 21: Women’s Only Try a Triathlon (Hallandale Beach, Fla.)
Race Director: Christina Reddick
Existing Events:
June 4: Omaha Women’s Triathlon (Omaha, Neb.)
Race Director: Brad Hilderbrandt
June 25: Tri Goddess Tri (Grass Lake, Mich.)
Race Director: Eva Solomon
July 16: Montana Women’s Triathlon (Helena, Mont.)
Race Director: Ann Gilbert
July 29: WIN for KC Women’s Triathlon and Duathlon (Smithville, Mo.)
Race Director: Stephanie Lankford
Women’s Only Waves
June 3: Island Lake Triathlon (Brighton, Mich.)
Race Director: Eva Solomon
July 22: Mighty Moraine Man Series (Portersville, Pa.)
Race Director: Joella Baker
Aug. 13: Tri Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, Calif.)
Race Director: Penni Bengtson
Aug. 27: Ohio Super Sprint Triathlon Challenge (Lewis Center, Ohio)
Race Director: Craig Thompson
Sept. 9: Hocking Hills Triathlon (Logan, Ohio)
Race Director: Tim Tyler
Clinics (Dates TBD):
Tough Cookies FREE Tri Clinic Series (Austin, Tex.)
Race Director: Tzatzil LeMair
Triathlon Drills and Skills (Location TBD, Nebraska)
Race Director: Brad Hildebrandt
Intro to Triathlon and OWS Clinics (Santa Cruz, Calif.)
Race Director: Penni Bengtson
Women in Multisport Events and Clinics (Harmony, Pa., and Portersville, Pa.)
Race Director: Joella Baker
Social Events:
June 2: Tri Night Out (Santa Cruz, Calif.)
Race Director: Penni Bengtson
Date TBD: Girls Night Out (Location TBD)
Race Director: Ann Gilbert
Dates TBD: Summer Tri Nights Out (Salem, Mass., and Reading, Mass.)
Race Director: Susan Sotir
