Athletes wishing to race as an elite triathlete/ duathlete or off-road triathlete in any USAT sanctioned event must hold a USAT elite license in their respective category. Elite annual membership will be available to certain qualified, highly competitive, and experienced athletes who meet the qualifications respective to their license category as outlined below. Only athletes holding an elite license are eligible to compete in the elite wave of any USAT sanctioned event that offers a minimum prize purse of $5,000. The term "elite" and "professional" are used interchangeably but USAT prefers that these athletes be referred to as "elites" because in order to align with
ITU and USOC.
Please note the elite qualification standards have changed. Background information on the AAC submitted, Board approved Resolution supporting
this change can be found here.
If you are applying for an elite license for the first time or have allowed your license to lapse for more than two years, please be sure to submit the New Elite License Applicant Form along with the Elite License Application.
Elite License Information (PLEASE READ BEFORE APPLYING)
2009 Elite License Application
Elite Eligibility Expiration Dates (for current elites)
2009 New Elite License Applicant Form (1st year elites)
2009 Elite License Eligibility Extension Form (current elites with expired eligibility)
Click here for an up-to-date list of USAT licensed elites (updated 10.20.08)
Important Information
You MUST present proof of elite status at all USAT-sanctioned events; therefore you must carry your license to all events. If you have lost your license, you may print a temporary card at the membership section of the USAT web site or contact the National Teams Program Manager for proof of your status.
Unlike the amateur license, an elite license is based on a calendar year. It expires on December 31st, regardless of when the license is purchased.
Depending on qualification criteria met, athletes must submit proper documentation (ex: race results, copy of elite UCI license, copy of national federation elite license) to the USAT National Office along with the elite license application. A printout of the actual race results must be provided with the application. A race resume, e-mails with race web site links or race results that have been cut and pasted are not acceptable. You only need to print out the first few pages of the results, but make sure to note the number of total finishers, the web site address and date of event at the top of the first page.
Once an elite license expires, an athlete can choose to go back to amateur racing but only when that card has expired.
Once approved as an elite, athletes must resubmit race results that extend their eligibility expiration date for two years from December 31 of the year they were approved.
Application and race results must be received at least 14 days before the event at which the athlete wants to compete as an elite. Once an athlete has submitted paperwork, it is their responsibility to contact the USAT National Office for proof of their new status.
Amateurs must consider elite finishers when calculating their finishing place if the elite field raced the same course and format as the amateurs. For instance, if the elites are not drafting and racing the same race course, an athlete may have been first among the amateurs, but 11th when comparing their time with the elites of their gender.
Athletes registered as elite/ pros CAN compete in events with less than $5k prize purses but:
USAT recognizes five classifications within its elite licensing program:
*Please click on the above links for qualification information for each category.
Triathlete License
This license is for athletes wishing to race as an elite in any USAT sanctioned event at any distance (from sprint to ultra) and format (triathlons, duathlons, off road events, winter events, etc.). This license costs $100 and expires December 31 of the year in which it was issued.
Qualification criteria: Any athlete who chooses to compete as an elite triathlete must meet at least one of the six (6) criteria listed below:
CRITERIA A:
Finish within 8% of the winning elite time (onsame course as elites) in three USAT sanctioned events that offer an elite/ pro prize purse.
CRITERIA B:
Finish top- 10 overall and within 8% of the winner's time at ITU Age Group World Championships.
CRITERIA C:
Finish top- 10 overall in the amateur field at Ironman World Championship.
CRITERIA D:
Finish top-5 overall and within 8% of the winner's time at the USAT Age Group National Championships.
CRITERIA E:
Finish top-5 overall and within 8% of the winner's time at USAT Collegiate Natinal Championships.
CRITERIA F:
Finish top-3 overall in the amateur field at an Elite Qualifying Race. The list of Elite Qualifying Races is determined by the AAC each year and published on USAT's website. Please find the list below.
Elite Qualifying Races for 2009:
· Columbia Triathlon
· Memphis in May Triathlon
· Wildflower Triathlon– Olympic and Long Distance only
· Chicago Triathlon- International distance only
· St. Anthony's Triathlon
· Lifetime Fitness Triathlon- Intermediate distance only
· NYC Triathlon
· Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon
· Boulder Peak Triathlon
· 5430 Long Course Triathlon
· Hy Vee Triathlon
· Pacific Grove Olympic Triathlon·
· All Ironmans on US soil (must be Ironman trademarked events)
· All 70.3s on US soil (must be 70.3 trademarked events)
· The Capital of Texas Triathlon
· Philadelphia Triathlon ·
· Dallas Triathlon (Toyota US Open)·
Duathlete License
This license is for athletes wishing to race as an elite in any USAT sanctioned duathlon. Athletes approved for this license remain amateur in triathlon events.
This license costs $80 and expires December 31 of the year in which it was issued.
Qualification criteria: Any athlete who chooses to compete as an elite duathlete must meet the following criteria:
Finish top-10 overall and within 10 percent of the overall winner's time, according to gender, in at least two (2) USAT sanctioned duathlons that occurred within the past 12 months and had at least 200 participants.
Special consideration to the above criteria will be considered by a three-person committee made up of two elite duathletes (approved by the Athlete Advisory Council) and one member of the AAC who will consider an exceptions if the applying athlete meets at least one of the below criteria:
CRITERIA A:
Finish top-four overall and within 7 percent of the overall winner's time, according to gender, in at least one (1) USAT sanctioned duathlons with at least 200 participants that occurred within the past 12 months OR
CRITERIA B:
Finish top-two overall and within 7 percent of the overall winner's time, according to gender, in at least one (1) sanctioned duathlon with a minimum of 125 participants and a maximum of 200 participants that occurred within the past 12 months.
Off Road License
