In the last part of our 2023 Aquabike Season Review we take a look at the races with the smallest and biggest winning margins. Last year we saw some quite impressive performances with comfortable victories and also races with only a few seconds between first and second place. We show you the closest and clearest wins in aquabike races during the last racing season.
The statistics in the second part of our season review already showed a significant growth of aquabike racing all around the world. This also becomes clear when you look at the starter numbers for the biggest races in 2023. Out of the ten biggest races in the history of aquabike racing no less than four took place last year. Other than in 2022 the world championships were the biggest races of the year, both with more than 300 finishers. We also had quite big fields of aquabike athletes at the US and European Championships. But there were also impressive numbers in some non-championship races around the world.
In part two of our 2023 season review we saw quite a few record numbers regarding numbers of races and athletes competing in aquabike races worldwide. But there have also been some pretty impressive new records on the individual level. Can you imagine competing in 15 races in one season? Or completing a racing distance of more than 1.000 km within a year? Some athletes were pretty active during the 2023 aquabike racing season – and also quite successful. In the third part of our season review we would like to honor these dedicated aquabike athletes.
In 2023 we had 1,053 aquabike races taking place worldwide. That´s 16% more races than in 2022. The majority of races – not very surprising – took place in the United States, with a total number of 648 races (82 more than in 2022). In the first part of our season review I mentioned that aquabike racing is still growing in the UK. Unfortunately this did not apply to the number of races in 2023. After 127 races in 2022 we had 5 races less last year. However, despite having less races to choose from the number of GB athletes who finished an aquabike races still grew by 5.7% compared to 2022. The dropping number of races in the UK was the big exception though.
2023 started with the transition from Aquabike.Events which was focused on Europe only, to Aquabike.World – the worldwide platform for the aquabike community that we have today. Maybe we could contribute a little bit to the development of this beautiful multisport discipline. Because in 2023 we had more than 1.000 aquabike races worldwide – 1.053 to be precise – in no less than 30 different countries.
You will see some more record-breaking numbers in the second part of our season review. In this first part we´ll take a look at how the champoinship races and some other big races of the season went.
At least for those who plan to participate in a world championship.
Yesterday USA Triathlon announced their new membership plans. To be able to “compete internationally with Team USA” – which applies to aquabike athletes if they want to participate in the long or standard distance world championships – you have to become a Platinum Member for $400 a year. Yes, there are also some other benefits for Platinum Members. But honestly… I wouldn´t have any use for those. And reading the comments in the US triathlon facebook groups I´m not the only one.
Today World Triathlon announced that the World Triathlon Championship Finals will take place in Wollongong, New South Wales, to finish the 2025 season. For a few years now the finals are also hosting the standard distance triathlon and aquabike world championships for age group athletes.
Exactly one year after our worldwide launch we had another big update on the 4th of January. We now offer a premium membership which not only gives you the chance to enjoy Aquabike.World without all the annoying ads, but also gives you access to pretty cool new features. But of course, we are also working hard to improve our free accessible content.
This week the organizer of the 2024 Long Distance World Championships in Townsville, Australia released the course details for all the races at the multisport event. The first look at the page for the aquabike race might give a slightly misleading impression though.
But before the good swimmers get a bit too excited: No, the bike leg is not only 30 km. And no, the picture with a bunch of cyclists does not mean that the race will be draft legal.
After the latest statement which followed the PTO’s premature announcement for the 2024 European Championships, Europe Triathlon kept their word to announce date and location for the 2024 European Multisport Championships a week later. They will be held on the 23rd of June in Coimbra, Portugal.