By Gary Anderson

September 16 - Edmonton in Canada will play host to the 2014 World Triathlon Series Grand FinalEdmonton, Canada will follow London in hosting the World Triathlon Series Grand Final as the International Triathlon Union (ITU) officially revealed the schedule for the 2014 season, which for the first time will include Chicago. 

Scheduled for August 26 to September 1, next year will mark the second time Edmonton will have hosted the season finale following 2001, and the fourth time it has taken place in Canada.

Edmonton, which has staged nine ITU World Cup events in the last ten years, as well as a Paratriathlon race in 2012, will also host the annual ITU Congress prior to the Grand Final.

Now entering its sixth year after a revamp in 2009, the ITU has confirmed that six regular World Triathlon Series events have been pencilled in for 2014 in addition to the Grand Final, while negotiations are ongoing with two more cities with the possibility of adding one or two more events during the early part of the season in April.

Every event will feature age-group races and all elite women's and men's races will be broadcast live to an international audience and streamed live online.

In 2012 and 2013, the series was broadcast in more than 160 countries.

Will Spain's Javier Gomez be celebrating again in after the Edmonton Grand Final next year?Will Spain's Javier Gomez be celebrating again in after the Edmonton Grand Final next year?
























The six confirmed events will see the series kick-off again in Auckland on April 5 and 6, followed by Yokohama, which will be hosting a World Triathlon Series event for the fourth time on May 17 and 18, before this year's Grand Final host London will welcome the world's best on May 31 and June 1.

Chicago, which has been confirmed as the venue for the 2015 Grand Final, will host its first ever World Triathlon Series event on June 28 next year before the series returns to familiar climes in Hamburg on July 12 and 13, and the penultimate event in Stockholm on August 23 and 24.

"The popularity of triathlon continues to soar, which was evidenced by the record participation we had at our Grand Final last week," said ITU President and International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Marisol Casado.

"The World Triathlon Series is the premier triathlon circuit, which continues to garner more and more broadcast and spectator attention each year."

Britain's Non Stanford delighted the home crowds in London as she powered her way to the World Championship titleBritain's Non Stanford delighted the home crowds in London as she powered her way to the World Championship title

























The 2013 World Triathlon Series season came to thrilling climax in London this past weekend as both the men's and women's elite competitions went right down to the wire.

Britain's Non Stanford eventually emerged at the head of the pack to claim a famous win on home soil in the women's race, while the indomitable Brownlee brothers - Olympic champion Alistair and last year's world champion Jonathan - who sat first and second in the rankings going into the Grand Final, could not deliver another home win as London 2012 silver medallist Javier Gomez of Spain clinched the win and the World Championship crown.

The ITU also revealed a number of venues and dates for World Cup events in 2014, with five races confirmed for Mooloolaba, New Plymouth, Chengdu, Huatulco and Tiszaujvaros from March to August, while Jiayuguan, Cozumel, Alanya, Tongyeong and Rio de Janiero have ben confirmed as World Cup venues but no dates have been set yet.

The full schedule and dates will be confirmed in the coming weeks, with all dates for the World Triathlon Series and World Cup races subject to change.


Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related Stories
May 2013: ITU opens bid process for 2014 World Triathlon Series
January 2013: Edmonton to host 2014 ITU World Championships Grand Final