Lack of funds sees Cape Town 2020 Triathlon World Cup leg scrapped

Cape Town - The ITU (International Triathlon Union) World Cup will not return to Cape Town in 2020.

The event, which was scheduled to take place in February 2020, has been postponed to 2021 due to lack of sponsorship.

Discovery were the headline sponsors in recent years.

"Despite our best efforts and close collaboration with the International Triathlon Union and Triathlon South Africa to secure a new title sponsor after our contract with the event title sponsor had come to an end in 2019, the tough economic climate was simply too big a challenge to overcome," says race director Gary Marescia of World Sport South Africa.

"While we are disappointed we cannot bring this world-class event to Africa, South Africa and the Mother City for the seventh year, we are already putting renewed energy into finding a new event partner for 2021."

The ITU Triathlon World Cup Cape Town has been a popular fixture on the Cape Town triathlon scene over the past six years.

It served as the official ITU World Cup and global calendar season opener to the world's best triathletes, and saw over 2 000 triathletes participate in a series of short-course races on an annual basis.

2019 also marked the successful introduction of the African Junior Challenge, attracting the continent's top junior triathletes.

The event's return in 2021 will have further significance, as it will support the ITU Science and Sport Conference, which was awarded to Cape Town at the end of 2018.

- International Triathlon Union