FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
14th September 2020
London, England: The Professional Triathletes Organisation today announced that it will provide a €15,000 prize purse for the Pushing Limits Race taking place on September 20th in Germany. The professional race will be held on the Olympic distance and can be followed via the Pushing Limits YouTube channel.
Sebastian Kienle, currently ranked World No. 3 in the PTO World Rankings, is grateful and excited for such a race to be organized in Germany even if he won’t be able to race himself: “After many setbacks in 2020 that led to race cancellations and terminations, all professional athletes are looking for opportunities to show their current performance. The Pushing Limits Race is a great opportunity to involve fellow professionals. We are all grateful that the PTO is supporting so many professionals in this difficult environment. First, they paid out over $2,500,000 to PTO Professionals to help us survive, and now they are supporting our efforts to work with our local triathlon community by providing prize money. The PTO is truly an athlete-led organisation that has the interest of professionals and the triathlon community as its core mission. With their help, triathlon fans at home will be able to follow a strong field of athletes and an exciting race in the livestream on September 20th!”
The media platform Pushing Limits is responsible for bringing the athletes together as well as for the organization and media support of the race. Niclas Bock from Pushing Limits explains the origin of the event, which is being held for the first time this year due to the current circumstances: “All we had to do was to contact the German professional athletes and inform them. Almost all of them signed on immediately. I have rarely experienced so much passion and idealism, because at the beginning there was no prize money at all – only the chance to take part in a race.”
The idea for the professional race was offering German professional triathletes one of the very few opportunities this season to compete against each other and to showcase themselves and their performance. A free live stream will increase public interest in the race.
After the athletes had committed to participate, promising a world-class field that is virtually unique for this year, contact with the PTO was easily established. Niclas Bock describes the cooperation as enriching and valuable: “The feedback from the PTO and the support to provide the best possible assistance to all professionals came with the same idealism, passion and sporting spirit that we had already experienced among the athletes. We can only overcome this crisis together by supporting each other. Therefore, we are very proud to cooperate with the PTO, our event sponsors Bestzeit and hep, the triathlon professionals and hopefully as many media partners as possible.”
Charles Adamo, Executive Chairman of PTO commented: “PTO Professionals from around the globe continue to unite and work with local organisers and members of our great triathlon community to support our sport in these difficult times. With travel restrictions severely limiting many international events, our PTO Professionals have joined with grassroots organisations like Pushing Limits that are truly triathlon’s lifeblood. Triathlon may be suffering but we are not defeated. PTO Professionals once again have put on display the fortitude and spirit for which our sport is so famous. The PTO is grateful for all the efforts of our PTO Professionals and groups like Pushing Limits and for the opportunity to support them and the triathlon community in this challenging environment.”
Anna-Lena Pohl, whose hopes to race CHALLENGEDavos were ruined by poor weather, demonstrates how much strength and fighting spirit is needed in order to overcome disappointments and to seize new motivation. She is all the more optimistic now in the lead-up to the Pushing Limits Race: “I have gone through so many ups and downs this year because without a race it is difficult to keep focused on your own goals. It’s very cool that Pushing Limits gives us this chance for a great race with such a strong field. The fact that the PTO now also supports the race and the professionals is an important sign and motivates me immensely. All in all, it will be a great event, and demonstrates the power of professionals coming together!”
Contacts:
Professional Triathletes Organisation
Jane Hansom
Marketing Director
Jane.hanson@protriathletes.org