HISTORY IN THE MAKING

There was a lot on the line. More than $1-million and the reputation of the Professional Triathletes Organisation with its promise to beam hours of Sunday afternoon multisport entertainment to a global audience. “The greatest triathlon field ever assembled” was billed, and the mood music was set for the greatest tri show ever.

Daytona International Speedway in Florida might be more familiar with Ford Mustangs tearing up the 31-degree banking at 200mph, but despite Covid cases in the state soaring and arch-rivals Ironman cancelling everything until the end of the year, Challenge and the PTO were determined to get some rubber on the road for the PTO Championship 2020 at Challenge Daytona.

Now the dust has settled, was it money well spent? Will it fast-track professional triathlon into the mainstream sporting consciousness? Or leave it stalled in the pit lane? Here’s what we learnt.

1 SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE

One British pro reported Florida’s attitude to Covid as a little “laissez faire”. But not at Daytona, where it looked as if Challenge had commandeered every elasticated face covering in the state. Along with on-site temperature checks, it seemed to do the job. With no outbreaks