The Collins Cup
28 AUGUST 2021
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Samorin, Slovakia
A head-to-head showdown in Samorin among the world’s greatest athletes will determine who rules triathlon
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About
The best of best competing against each other
A first of its kind global annual competition in which teams of professional triathletes from EUROPE, INTERNATIONAL & US will compete to determine which region dominates the sport of Triathlon.
Passion.
Power.
Pride.
36
Men & Women Pro’s
The best 8 athletes in the region will automatically qualify for their teams through the CC qualification protocol. The remaining 4 athletes, 2 men and 2 women will be chosen strategically by Team Captains.
Watch
Broadcast Information
How to Watch Beyond Human
Beyond Human gives an unprecedented look at some of the greatest triathletes in the world as they gear up towards the biggest triathlon event this year, The Collins Cup. Follow the journey as they battle to qualify and prepare to go head to head with the best triathletes on the planet.
How to Watch The Collins Cup
Stay tuned for details of how to watch The Collins Cup live and on demand in your country – more details to follow
Discovery+ and Eurosport
Full live and uninterrupted coverage of The Collins Cup across Eurosport 2 and the Eurosport app in 20 languages. Highlights across Eurosport 1
- Beyond Human 2-part Documentary streaming via Discovery+ and Eurosport
- Exact schedules to be confirmed
The Teams
The Captains and athletes
2 Captains
Normann Stadler
Natascha Badmann
Athletes
EUR Athlete A
EUR Athlete B
EUR Athlete C
EUR Athlete D
EUR Athlete E
EUR Athlete F
EUR Athlete G
EUR Athlete H
EUR Athlete I
EUR Athlete J
EUR Athlete K
EUR Athlete L
4 Captains
Lisa Bentley
Simon Whitfield
Athletes
INT Athlete A
INT Athlete B
INT Athlete C
INT Athlete D
INT Athlete E
INT Athlete F
INT Athlete G
INT Athlete H
INT Athlete I
INT Athlete J
INT Athlete K
INT Athlete L
2 Captains
Mark Allen
Karen Smyers
Athletes
US Athlete A
US Athlete B
US Athlete C
US Athlete D
US Athlete E
US Athlete F
US Athlete G
US Athlete H
US Athlete I
US Athlete J
US Athlete K
US Athlete L
History
How it all started
The Collins Cup is inspired by and named after Judy and John Collins, who 40 years ago were instrumental in establishing the sport of triathlon by inaugurating a long distance event on the idyllic shores of Hawaii, where they were stationed while John was a Commander in the US Navy. Inspired by their recent experience in short distance triathlon in California, they designed a long distance, around-the-island event in Hawaii, by adding a long bicycle leg to existing swimming and running events. The winner was to be considered the best all-round athlete.
“It is quite incredible really. It is hard for us to believe that our endurance event started in Hawaii in the 1970s, with only 15 participants, has now inspired a global spectacle with professional teams from the US, Europe and the Internationals competing for a trophy named after us. We are humbled and want to thank the Professional Triathletes Organisation for honouring us in this way.” John & Judy Collins
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Collins Cup?
The Collins Cup is a unique broadcast-friendly triathlon race, modelled after golf’s Ryder Cup, which brings together the world’s greatest triathletes in a team competition to do battle to see who dominates the sport. The format of USA vs. Europe vs. The Internationals will add a whole new level of competition and pure excitement to triathlon.
How is the Prize Money distributed?
The $1,500,000 prize purse will be distributed to the 36 athletes who participate in The Collins Cup. The distribution is based on the relative order in the PTO World Rankings of the 18 male and 18 female athletes who contest the Collins Cup. It ranges from $90,000 each for the top ranked man and woman to $20,000 each for the 18th ranked man and woman. Click here for prize money.
If athletes are guaranteed these large payments regardless of their performance, how are you sure they will give it their best?
We will be polite here (OK, maybe not). The suggestion that our professionals will not give it their best is pretty offensive and disrespectful. They are PROFESSIONAL TRIATHLETES, when the gun goes off, they can’t stop themselves from competing their hardest. This is also THEIR EVENT; they own and operate it, so they will support it with their fullest efforts. Finally, we note that professional golfers get paid exactly zero to play in The Ryder Cup, and they practically kill each other on the course to win.
What is the PTO World Rankings™ system and how does it work?
The PTO World RankingsTM System is an objective system to identify the finest triathletes in the world who are best qualified to represent their team in The Collins Cup. Click here for PTO World Rankings™.
When will the cut-off date for qualifying for The Collins Cup be?
The date on which the final PTO World Rankings are tallied to determine the athletes who automatically qualify for The Collins Cup teams will be announced in due course.
When and how will the “Captain’s Picks” be decided?
The Captain’s Picks will be decided by the non-athlete members of the PTO Board with the advice of the Teams’ Captains on a date in advance of the event and will be announced in due course.
Who among the Top Pros have already agreed to race The Collins Cup?
ALL OF THEM. They will be battling for a place on their respective teams, and the competition will be fierce.
What is the Athleta Emeritus Honouree?
Each year the PTO has determined that The Collins Cup race will honour an individual who has distinguished themselves in the sport of triathlon by recognising them as the Athleta Emeritus Honouree. For the inaugural Collins Cup, it has been decided that there would be no better person upon whom to bestow this honour than Dave Scott. You can find out more about Dave’s immense achievements by clicking on the Athleta Emeritus Honouree.
How does The Collins Cup help the sport grow?
By adopting a proven format like the Ryder Cup with its nationalistic intensity, and having a points system that creates drama throughout the race, The Collins Cup is designed to be a compelling live TV event that appeals not only to the fans of endurance sports, but also to the general sports enthusiast. The result of this exposure to a larger audience is that more people will come to see and appreciate the challenge and fun of our sport and begin to dabble in triathlon. Then they enter local events, join associations, move to larger events, buy kit, etc. and become members of the community, which benefits everyone!
Is The Collins Cup a key focus for the PTO?
It will be a MAJOR focus for the PTO to ensure The Collins Cup is a massive celebration where the world of triathlon comes together for a weekend in a festival type environment, with healthy banter about which region is the best in the world and a competition to decide it!
What is next?
The PTO is focused on making The Collins Cup a huge success – enjoyable to all who participate and a springboard to help the sport grow and assume its place alongside other major sports. For the PTO it is just the beginning as we embark on an exciting journey. Our sport has been blessed with so much history and so many fantastic people. It has grown from humble origins 40 years ago into the exciting sport it is today. This type of growth is not without some growing pains, but we are all part of a community that is greater than ourselves and if we are all patient with each other we can achieve great things. As our motto states: Dum Spiro, Spero (Whilst I Breathe, I Hope.) We are still breathing and hoping!
No doubt there will be many more questions as we roll out The Collins Cup and we will be providing as much information as we can when it becomes available.
Who do you think could battle their way into contention before the deadline?