In light of the recent news of the World Cup race in Rome being added to the 2023 calendar, we thought we would ask a question. What are some of the most exotic locations in which World Triathlon could hold a WTCS or World Cup race that have never previously hosted an event?
Under the umbrella of previously hosted, we will include any and all World Triathlon events since the inception of the organisation.
That rules out Ibiza after it hosted this year’s World Multisport Championships. Likewise Paris would not qualify given a World Cup race took place there in 1996. (Paris would also be cheating given it will be hosting the Olympic Games next year.) Las Vegas is similarly ruled out having held World Cup races in 1991 and 1992.
The criteria for what would make a cool location are an entirely subjective assortment of famous sites, growing parts of the world and/or places of great natural beauty. The feasibility of the locations in terms of travel and the race course are largely incidental. After all, sometimes practicality is simply a test of imagination.
Berlin is a city that quickly springs to mind. As one of the great capitals of Europe, the city is steeped in history. It is also the home of the Berlin marathon and has a long-developed sporting tradition. On the triathlon front, the sustained success of WTCS Hamburg plus last year’s European Championships in Munich indicate a virile appetite for the sport in Germany.
Further south, there are Italian options such as Florence or Pisa. Both would provide some of the most architecturally interesting backdrops available.
Another novel idea would be to take an event to Siena, Italy. The main driver behind this concept would be to have the athletes race through the town, embracing the Palio di Siena course (horse racing) as part of the route. One slight issue, though, would be a lack of suitable open water for the swim (insert joke about the European Championships in Madrid here).
Looking to the north, Reykjavik would be another option. The volcanic scenery of Iceland would be a major draw. To a similar degree Nuuk, Greenland, could provide an amazing natural canvas upon the which the athletes could add splashes of colour. Admittedly the sea temperature in both locations could prove a deal-breaker.
The recent growth of triathlon in Morocco suggests that North Africa could be a pivotal region for the sport in the near future. With that in mind, Cairo, Egypt, could be a future host of an elite international triathlon. Racing with the Pyramids of Giza in the background would make for some fairly spectacular viewing.
In addition, taking a world-level event to Lagos, Nigeria, could be a way of inspiring the growth of the sport in Africa. Over the past few decades the city has ballooned into a cultural and economic hub of the continent. Indeed it is a massive metropolis, bigger than cities like London and Istanbul. Among plenty of other choices, it could be the kind of location that launches triathlon into Africa beyond its traditional outpost of South Africa.
For a quieter alternative, Suva, Fiji, is one idea. However, as the island has previously hosted elite triathlon events in Nadi, it felt a little like bending the rules given the size of Fiji. Instead, Cebu in the Philippines would offer similar natural beauty , with beaches and corals to spare.
Going back to the start of the article, as a counterpoint to Berlin, Ho Chin Minh City in Vietnam would be a cool place to take the sport. South East Asia is a growth region for triathlon and the city has history, culture and tourist facilities to spare. A little further west, India and Sri Lanka offer several choices. Perhaps Colombo could be worth looking into.
The next suggestion is not a city per se, however Yosemite in California would be hard to beat if the course could be figured out.
Finally Ushuaia in Argentina would be a unique destination for the sport. Commonly known as the southernmost city in the world, the tag line for that event practically writes itself.
