ITU Triathlon World Cup
The ITU Triathlon World Cup is an annual series of triathlon races staged around the world. The series is organised by the International Triathlon Union (ITU), the world governing body of the sport. Following the 2008 series the number of races in the World Cup were reduced as the ITU shifted focus to the reformatted World Triathlon Series. Since the reformat, points earned in World Cup racing are applied to the World Triathlon Series rankings.
Events
World Cup events are located at venues in various affiliated International Triathlon Union countries. The number of World Cup events, prior to 2009, ranged from 10 to 20 events per year. The number of annual World Cup events since 2009 has since been reduced, typically numbering less than 10.
Each World Cup event in the series involves a standard (Olympic) distance triathlon race. The swim begins with a mass start in open water followed by a draft-legal segment on the bike. The race distances are 1500 m swim, 40 km cycle, 10 km run. A total of 300 points are distributed amongst the athletes based on their finish position in each race and contribute to the overall point totals for the ITU Triathlon World Championships. The points achieved at each World Cup event, within the designated time frame leading up to an Olympic Games, also contribute towards the qualification for the Games. A prize fund of USD $100,000 is distributed equally between the men and women at each World Cup leg.