Triathlon’s Triple Crown 1985
The Triple Crown wasn’t an official series. Just something made up by the magazine to stir some interest. But it does remind me of a time when top athletes needed to be able to race often and across all distances.
The usage was probably borrowed from The Triple Crown of Surfing. Three of the biggest events in that sport that take place in November and December.
The Triple Crown of Surfing has been held annually in Hawaii since 1983 and includes the Hawaiian Pro (formerly the Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship)at Haleiwa Ali'i Beach Park, the World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach and the Pipeline Masters at Ehukai Beach Park.
In 1985 the top-end of the sport was definitely still US-centric. Even though the European Triathlon Union had just held their first three championship races. At short, middle and long distance. But not many people would have argued that Nice, Hilton Head and Hawaii were the three races with the season’s best fields. I certainly wouldn’t.
Encouraged by their television partners both Nice and Hawaii were self-proclaimed “World Championships”. Hilton Head was an Olympic Distance race and the USTS Final. They’d held it in Bass Lake in 1983 and 1984.
“Hilton Head, Nice and Kona typify our sport at its grandest. Hilton Head brought out the best age-group and pro triathletes in the United States to race amidst its genteel Southern ambience. Just a couple of weeks later the French Riviera hosted pros from around the world.
Then there was Kona and the Ironman. Top amateurs and pros from around the globe - Japan, Australia, South Africa, Europe and America - came not for money but the satisfaction of competing in the most legendary endurance contest ever contrived.
The triathlons were gratifying, surprising, heartbreaking - they were great. Welcome to the Triathlon Triple Crown”
In 1985 USTS Hilton Head was on September 29th. Yesterday I wrote a brief history of the USTS. Nice was on October 13th and Kona on October 26th.
Here are 1985 Nice Triathlon and 1985 Hawaii Ironman videos uploaded to YouTube by former-race commentator Steve King.
Scott Tinley was the only athlete to go top 10 in all three races. Although a lot of top athletes missed Hawaii to protest the lack of prize money. Karl Kupferschmid also became the first European athlete to podium in Hawaii. And there was a young Michael Pigg down in 7th.
