Checking in with Cody Ford of USTriSports, we discuss the iconic Daybreak triathlon, the status of our local tri scene in 2019, and break a little news going down in 2020!
Daybreak has been a mainstay on the local calendar for a decade now – in your opinion what is it that consistently draws people to this race?
I think there are a few things that set Daybreak apart from most other races and draws athletes to this event.
1) The venue is the most spectator friendly venue in the state, allowing spectators to view their athletes from the swim start, along the swim course (point to point swim), while they transition, along the run course and then at the finish line. Athletes love to race with family and friend support and this venue is exceptionally accommodating for that.
2) Daybreak is in the heart of the Salt Lake Valley, making it very convenient for athletes to get to along with spectators.
3) The race is well organized and the finish line environment is electric.
4) Here is an event overview video covering more details about why The Daybreak Tri is so popular.
By being in the top 10 in participation (#7), once again Daybreak has earned a spot in the Utah Triathlon Championship Series (UTCS), with the Daybreak Olympic being the distance you chose as the official series race. What are your thoughts on the UTCS now that it’s entering year 2?
It is great to see the local triathlon scene embrace the idea of a state championship and have an additional level of competition and bragging rights. I see this growing each year and will be something that a lot of athletes talk about throughout the season.
Participation at Daybreak was up close to 10% in 2018 vs. 2017 and is approaching the 400 mark. Do you think there’s still potential for this race in terms of size, or is there a limit to how many the course can support?
There is still potential to grow this race and get it back to levels we consistently saw in the early years. Over the last decade, we have seen more triathlons and other fad races pop up that all competed for athletes and their money. We are starting to see these races lose popularity and even discontinue and I think some of the established races will benefit as a result.
The Daybreak area continues to expand… do you foresee this causing additional changes to the course in future years?
I don't anticipate a lot of changes in the future. Some development may change a couple of small sections of the bike but for the most part, the course should remain consistent.
You were an early supporter of the UTCS, and following TriUtah in 2018 (Brineman - Olympic) and RaceTri this year (Salem - Sprint), Daybreak will be hosting the 2020 state championship race – that’s a ways away, but is there anything you’d like to say about it now?
We are super excited about this. There are still some details to be worked out, but we are looking forward to hosting the state championship!
Your TriathaMom event is also very popular – anything you’d like to say about it for people not in the know?
I love TriathaMom. This is an event where we welcome triathlon experts but definitely encourage beginners. Our goal is to take the intimidation out of doing a triathlon and introduce the sport to new and aspiring athletes. This event turns into a celebration (complete with a carnival-type atmosphere for spectators and kids) and is used by so many of our TriathaMoms to prove to themselves that they can do hard things. As athletes cross the finish line, we celebrate all who do and share some of the stories of overcoming challenges that the athletes shared. So inspiring! Here are a few more things to love about TriathaMom:
It was great to see participation up virtually across the board last year. From your perspective what’s the current status of triathlon in our state?
I think we are starting to get back to a healthy number of races in our state. As I mentioned previously, I think we had too many races over the last number of years which provided a lot of scheduling flexibility for triathletes but ultimately watered down the race experience because of limited participation. I think everyone enjoys participating in events that are well run and that have an energy and excitement about them that is a natural byproduct of participant volume. We have the luxury of having multiple clubs here locally (SLTC, BAM, SUTC) that do a great job of supporting their athletes and really helping to expand the sport. It is awesome being able to partner with these clubs through volunteer efforts, clinics, and general participation.
How can local triathletes best support RD’s?
I strongly encourage local triathletes to join a tri club. Even for the casual athletes who only participate in 1-2 races a year, a tri club membership can be so beneficial, not only for the social/community aspect, but also for race discounts. These clubs do a great job of volunteering their time to give back to race directors and also building up the triathlon community.
Anything else you’d like to share?
As a triathlete myself, I understand what the expectations of athletes are and we work hard to try and produce high quality, exciting events. We would love to have you come out and race with us at Daybreak or TriathaMom and see what all of the buzz is about. You can register for Daybreak here and TriathaMom here.
Related Posts
UTAH TRIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES 2019 DETAILS --> SEE POST HERE !!
Below are links to all the races in the 2019 Championship Series:
Below are links to all Challenger Races:
We started a Patreon account (link below) with the hope of raising a few bucks towards awards & swag for athletes of all abilities in our tri community. We've given out a lot over the past 2 years, but would like to continue to expand our offerings & the volume we can do.
Below are links to all the races in the 2019 Championship Series:
We started a Patreon account (link below) with the hope of raising a few bucks towards awards & swag for athletes of all abilities in our tri community. We've given out a lot over the past 2 years, but would like to continue to expand our offerings & the volume we can do.
If you enjoy Utah Tri Buzz and would like to pitch in, any amount would be greatly appreciated... (there may be something in it for you as well!)
We're also always grateful for talented people who contribute in terms of time... let us know if you'd like to be part of the Utah Tri Buzz team.
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