Five Top Triathlon News Stories Of 2011

5. Swimming Deaths Spark Safety Concerns

Triathlon made national news for all the wrong reasons in July when two swimmers tragically died during the swim portion of the Nautica New York City Triathlon. These incidents—although rare—were not isolated: There were two ensuing deaths in the swim at Ironman Louisville and at a sprint triathlon in Maine. As a result, USA Triathlon spearheaded a committee on swimming safety, and the organizers of the NYC Triathlon will now require all participants to sign an open-water swimming waiver indicating that they have swum at least a half-mile in open water prior to race day.  “We want this to be fun, but this also requires training,” NYC race director John Korff recently told Bloomberg News. “Before you go out and try to be Superman, don’t forget to put on your cape.”

These are just five of our picks for the top stories of 2011. Head over to our Facebook page and tell us what you think was the top news story of the year.

FILED UNDER: News TAGS: best of 2011 / Lance Armstrong Triathlon