Today, in an email to professional athletes, Challenge Family announced the elimination of professional prize purses from several Challenge Americas events. These races will no longer be offering any prize money to professional triathletes:
- Challenge Quassy
- Challenge Atlantic City
- Challenge Pocono Mountains
- Challenge Maine
- Challenge Cedar Point
In addition, they announced that Challenge Williamsburg and Challenge Florida will offer a reduced prize purse of 15,000 Euros paying 5 deep. It was originally slated to be 25,000 Euros.
Furthermore Challenge St. Andrews and Challenge Penticton, two Canadian races, are “in the process of revising their respective prize money allocation”. That announcement will be coming in the next few days according to the email.
Challenge Knoxville, Challenge San Gil, Challenge Maceio and Challenge Florianopolis will continue to offer prize money of 25k Euros paying 10 deep on the Half distance.
Why?
The email cited a “lack of interest and urgency from the professional field” and the fact that only a “a small handful of professionals have registered for multiple events, with overall commitments remaining quite small.”
If half the pro’s who were sad that @REV3TRI canceled prize purses committed to race in 2 @Challenge_Amer races, they’d still have prize $
— Accelerate3 (@accelerate3) May 8, 2015
In addition, Challenge cited that “professional registrations are coming in last minute, which precludes any pre-race marketing opportunities and value.”
Looks like it is almost time to find a new ‘job’. Totally makes sense that it’s the pros fault that @Challenge_Amer cancels prize money..
— AJ Baucco (@irunshirtless) May 8, 2015
“This is not a decision we’ve come to lightly, and we are well aware of the impact this will have on those of you that have, in fact, stepped up to support our series in a significant way. We hope that we can help redirect you to the races that will continue to offer prize money, as we greatly value your involvement and remain committed to supporting you in turn.”
@TheRealStarky follow-up story: "pro triathletes ditch shitty apartments and Ramen noodles for tents and foraging"
— Nathan Dressel (@natedresseltri) May 8, 2015
