ROCKWALL/HEATH, TX (August 13, 2014) Pacific Sports LLC and the USA Triathlon South Midwest Region today announced that the October 12 U.S. Open Triathlon in Rockwall will serve as the 2014-15 SMW Collegiate Regional Series Championship event for collegiate triathletes in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Defending regional series champion is Texas A&M University, with Keith Kotar from Oklahoma State University and Alison Smyth, Texas A&M, last year’s individual champions. Kotar has since graduated from OSU and is serving his second term as USAT SMW collegiate commissioner.
“We are extremely pleased to be selected for the regional championship,” said Jack Caress, president of Pacific Sports and co-race director of the U.S. Open Triathlon. “We wanted a strong collegiate event from the very beginning and had included all the surrounding colleges and universities in our outreach. When Morgan [Johnson] asked if we wanted to bid for the event, we quickly said ‘yes’.”
The U.S. Open Triathlon (USOT) is hosted by the cities of Rockwall and Heath, TX, adjacent to the Dallas Metroplex. In addition to Olympic, Sprint and Super Sprint distances; relays in the Olympic and Sprint distances; the USAT SWM Regional Collegiate Championship, and two youth courses; the event will also launch the U.S. Open Tri Club Championship. The USOT starts with a swim in the calm waters of Lake Ray Hubbard in the marina at Rockwall Harbor. The bike course will travel through rolling terrain incorporating the roads of Rockwall and Heath, and the run course will be in the Rockwall Harbor area with the finish immediately adjacent to host hotel, Hilton Dallas/Rockwall Lakefront.
“The U.S. Open has been the biggest draw of our series the past two years outside of our championship event, so it made sense to reward it with the championship for the 2014-2015 school season,” said Kotar. “The venue is fantastic and provides us with an open water swim event that is in a central location for the schools in our conference.”
For a collegiate triathlete to be eligible for the Regional Championship they must fit into USAT’s eligibility guidelines as of the next Collegiate National Championship and must be an official member of their university’s USAT collegiate triathlon club.
For more information about and to register for the U.S. Open Triathlon: usopen-triathlon.com
About Pacific Sports
Founded in 1983 and based in Orange, CA, Pacific Sports LLC is a premier sports consultation firm, specializing in event production, management, and corporate sports marketing development. Having produced more than 300 sports events in the United States, including the 1996 Triathlon World Championships and 12 U.S. Championships, Pacific Sports LLC is dedicated to helping participants in all its events live an active lifestyle through the creation, development and management of participant and endurance sports including those of running, swimming and cycling. Pacific Sports produces 10 lifestyle events around the country including the Long Beach Triathlon (Aug. 17), Herbalife Triathlon (Sept. 21), Newport Beach Triathlon (Oct. 5), the inaugural U.S. Open Triathlon (Oct. 12), the inaugural Brooklyn Triathlon (Oct. 26), L’Etape du California, Cleveland Triathlon, Triathlon Eugene (OR), Rose Bowl Half Marathon, and the Brooklyn 15K.
About the USAT South Midwest Region
The South-Midwest Collegiate Triathlon Conference is comprised of all universities in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. The conference membership has grown to more than 20 universities and works to continue the development of collegiate triathlon. In 2013, the SMWCTC hosted the first ever USAT-sanctioned collegiate-only draft-legal event, putting it at the forefront of collegiate triathlon.
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