Manufacturers

The bike and running sectors each have industry and advocacy organizations. Until now, triathlon has not. Nevertheless, the category of multisport has grown, has resisted economic downturns, and continues to thrive. No one knows when the line on the graph will flatten. Those manufacturing in the triathlon space have often found themselves scrambling to follow the latest trends. The multisport category space is now too large to continue to operate in this fashion.

Through Triathlon American manufacturers now have both the ability, and can exercise the responsibility, to lead rather than to follow, and to participate in making the decisions that form the trends in multisport. As regards rules: Bike and wetsuit manufacturers have been impotent bystanders during the rule making processes, because there has been no organized vehicle for input. Apparel manufacturers do not know from one year to the next what signage or styles will be allowed in competition, or at the retail level what styles are in vogue. Triathlon America cannot directly make the rules of competition, but can (and will), through committee, recommend rules to technical committees at IFs and NFs in a process the hallmark of which is forethought and transparency.

As regards commerce: While there may be in excess of ten thousand specialty run and bike shops in North America, perhaps five hundred are the trend setting retailers in triathlon. Triathlon America brings those key influencing retailers together with manufacturers in a less formal, non-sales setting. Triathlon America places manufacturing executives together with these key influencing retailers, aiding manufacturers in getting in front of the curve, rather than in the often traditional posture of catching up.