Triathlon News & Notes: Frodeno to Race Roth, Ironman Des Moines Here to Stay, and National Tri Week

Sarah Wassner Flynn
·5 min read

This article originally appeared on Triathlete

Varlo and Zwift pair up for pro rides

Varlo and Zwift have are presenting the "Pro Sessions" ride series with athletes including Jason West, Sika Henry, and Klodian Mitri. The series kicked off on June 9 with West, the 2022 Ironman 70.3 North American champion, and the next will feature Henry, the first U.S. Black female professional triathlete, on July 21 at 8:30 p.m. ET. (Those with the Zwift companion app can hear Henry share more about her journey in the sport.) Then on Aug. 4 at 8:30 p.m., Mitri, a multiple Ironman World Championship age group qualifier and new pro, will take the lead. More info about the Zwift rides can be found here.

Jan Frodeno announces plans to return to racing

After missing the Ironman World Championship (as well as several other races over the past few months), Jan Frodeno announced that he is racing at Challenge Roth on July 3. "It's been a hell of a past few months and I'm getting a little tired of aqua jogging," he joked on Instagram of his journey rehabbing an Achilles injury. The 40-year-old, who set a world record in the Iron-distance on the Roth course in 2016, went on to say that while he's excited to toe the line in Roth, he is realistic about the possibility of dropping out if his tendon isn't feeling up to par. "I do have to be careful, but there's just so much gravitas [to Roth] that I am really looking forward to it," he said.

Ironman in Iowa to stay (for now)

Des Moines, Iowa will remain a destination for Ironman for the next three years, the company announced earlier this week. The city, which first hosted an Ironman last year, will serve as the site for the 2022 Ironman North American Championships on Sunday, and then it will rotate back to a 70.3 in 2023. This reflects a three-year extension on the contract between Des Moines and Ironman. Said Greg Edwards, CEO and president of Catch Des Moines, "[The agreement] shows the commitment of all our communities, and our passionate triathlon community, to bring world-class events like this one to the metro. All that hard work is paying off; like they say, it's a marathon, not a sprint!"

National Triathlon Week kicks off soon

National Triathlon Week, a nationwide initiative to celebrate the sport, kicks off on June 20, USA Triathlon announced. Throughout the week, athletes are encouraged to get involved and celebrate the sport by posting on social media with the hashtag #TriWeek and tagging @usatriathlon. The week's activities promote sharing of stories and training tips by current multisport athletes -- making it an opportunity for prospective triathletes to learn more about the multisport lifestyle. Check out the complete schedule and ideas for how to participate here.

Join Boston Tri's Kids Day

Registration for the Kids Day, part of the Boston Triathlon, is now open. The event, set for July 23, will feature a Kids Splash & Dash for athletes ages 7-15, as well as a Kids Fun Run for athletes under the age of seven. "We are so excited to welcome kids of all ages again this year, and give them the opportunity to see what it's like to be a multisport athlete in a safe, fun setting," said Michael O'Neil, president of the Boston Triathlon. "Kids Day at the Boston Triathlon will be a fun event for children from all around the region, and we hope that it will inspire them to develop a love for multisport competition."

Low water levels plague California triathlon

Low water levels forced a local race company in Northern California to cancel its event this year--a situation race officials are blaming on climate change. "Unfortunately as global warming increases and we see our lake/reservoir levels continue to drop, our lake driven water events will become much harder to conduct," said Ryan Coelho of USA Productions posted of 2022 California Triathlon, which was set to welcome 1,000 competitors this weekend at New Melones Lake in Angels Camp. All registrants in this year's event will be deferred to 2023.

RELATED: Why Triathletes Should Care About Climate Change

Podcast Notes

  • The Triathlete Hour talks to pro Nikki Bartlett, who recently took top honors at Marbella 70.3 and shares how she's found joy in training and racing. Plus, host Laura Siddall offers her hot takes on the Sub7/Sub8 Project.

  • MX Endurance and ProTriNews also rehash Sub7/Sub 8 and take on other headlines in the sport, including Ironman Hamburg and the upcoming Challenge Roth.

  • The Inside Tri show chronicles the story of Becky Storrie, a triathlete turned pro cyclist who has endured chronic fatigue.

  • IronWomen offers a crossover episode with Girls Gone Gravel, airing interviews from last week's Unbound Gravel race, including chats with triathletes Heather Jackson and Rach McBride. Later in the show, Haley and Alyssa bring on paralympic swimmer Ahalya Lettenberger to chat about her progress in the pool.

  • Hear from the Escape from Alcatraz winner himself, Eric Lagerstrom, on That Triathlon Life, where he and Paula talk about his race and then addresses some listener questions.

  • Pro triathlete Rudy von Berg joins The Real Triathlon podcast and has some friendly banter with Jackson Landry about their on-course battles.

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