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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Nearly 60 age-group multisport athletes are slated to represent the United States on Wednesday at the 2011 ITU Aquathlon World Championships in Beijing, China.

Aquathlon Worlds will be the first of many events over the span of five days in Beijing, which also will host the ITU World Championship Series Grand Final on Sept. 10-11. More than 250 Americans are scheduled to be in action over the course of the week, which also features sprint and Olympic-distance age group triathlon world championships, as well as paratriathlon, junior and under-23 events. Visit usatriathlon.org for full coverage of each event.

The aquathlon event will feature a 2.5-kilometer run, followed by a 1,000-meter swim and a second 2.5-kilometer run. Visit triathlon.org for more on the week’s events from ITU. 

Wednesday’s event will be the first of two races next week for 21 U.S. athletes. Eleven athletes are competing in both the sprint-distance triathlon and aquathlon events. Ten more will tackle both the aquathlon and Olympic-distance world championships. Click here for a complete roster of the U.S. athletes slated to compete in Beijing.

Ten members of Team USA earned national titles at the 2011 Aquathlon Nationals on May 21 in Longmont, Colo., and will aim for world championships in Beijing:

• Julianna Batizy-Morley (40-44, Centennial, Colo.)
• Pieter deHart (30-34, Lexington, Va.)  
• Brent Demarest (16-19, Charleston, S.C.)
• Meg Flanegan (35-39, Boulder, Colo.)
• Taylor Fogg (16-19, Colorado Springs, Colo.)
• Susan Griffin-Kaklikian (55-59, Castle Rock, Colo.)
• Judge Jones (60-64, Billerica, Mass.)
• Amanda McCracken (30-34, Boulder, Colo.)
• David Robinette (70-74, Centennial, Colo.)
• Tyler Volz (20-24, Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Additionally, five world medalists from 2010 in Budapest will be in action, including Griffin-Kaklikian, the defending 55-59 aquathlon world champion. Silver medalist Gary Burnett (70-74, Monrovia, Calif.) and bronze medalists deHart, Peggy McDowell-Cramer (Santa Monica, Calif.) and Marshall Wakat (Charleston, S.C.) will look for another podium finish.    

Team USA is comprised of amateur athletes that represent the United States at each ITU world championship event.

About USA Triathlon
Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon – one of the fastest growing sports in the world – as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. USA Triathlon sanctions 3,500 races and connects with more than 140,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including ITU World Championships, Pan American Games and the Summer Olympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the International Triathlon Union and the United States Olympic Committee.