ITU today announced that its Global Financial Services Partner, Threadneedle Investments, will activate its sponsorship via the naming rights of the elite World Triathlon Series rankings ahead of the season opening race in Auckland this weekend. The Threadneedle Rankings will take the leading global investment company’s ‘out-think, out-perform’ investment philosophy to the heart of elite triathlon competition.

“We are thrilled how Threadneedle demonstrate a real understanding of the sport by introducing new innovations into the World Triathlon Series,” said Marisol Casado, ITU President and IOC Member. “The 2014 season promises to feature an exciting Series and I cannot wait for it to get started.”

Earlier this year, ITU announced that for 2014, athletes will be able to score points towards the Threadneedle Rankings at five of the seven World Triathlon Series events in addition to the Grand Final. As in previous years, the amount of points awarded for each race will remain at 800 points, with the Grand Final again offering 1200 points. 

The leader of the Threadneedle Rankings will be awarded the new Threadneedle Rankings Leader Trophy, which will first be presented at the season opener this weekend.

In a first for the ITU World Triathlon Series, the male and female leader will also be awarded a special bike number and transition area so they will be recognised on the course by spectators and athletes alike.  This will first be visible at the second event of the season, in the inaugural World Triathlon Cape Town, 26-27 April. 

Gary Collins, Head of EMEA Sales, Wholesale for Threadneedle, commented: “As the Global Financial Services partner of the ITU World Triathlon Series, Threadneedle is delighted to be supporting the Ranking, recognising exceptional performance across the season.”

Entering its sixth year in 2014, the ITU World Triathlon Series will showcase eight first-class events starting off in Auckland, New Zealand, followed by events in Cape Town, Yokohama, London, Chicago, Hamburg, Stockholm and will cap off the season with the World Triathlon Grand Final in Edmonton, Canada.

All elite women’s and men’s races will be broadcast live to an international TV audience in more than 160 countries, as well as streamed online. Each stage will also feature age-group races, enabling participation from triathletes on a global scale. 

For more on the 2014 World Triathlon Series, click here.