World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), best known for its worldwide Ironman and Ironman 70.3 races, announced it was moving into short-course racing. It plans to add 13 U.S. triathlons to its 2011 lineup covering only 31.9 miles, which is the distance used for triathlons in the
Summer Olympic Games.

World Triathlon will name its new series 5150, a
reference to the 51.5-kilometer length of the Olympic race.

Starting
in 2011, the 5150 Series will be the largest international distance
triathlon series in the world and will be the first non-drafting
international race series of its kind, offering a competitive platform
for professional and age group athletes, the company said in a statement. The 2011 event schedule will
offer 13 domestic events as well as a handful of international races.
The Hy-Vee Triathlon will host the 5150 U.S. Championship, offering
professional athletes the opportunity to compete for $1 million in prize
money. Additional international race locations in Europe and
Asia-Pacific will be announced soon.

The Wall Street Journal noted that the expansion comes two years after Providence Equity Partners, a private-equity firm, purchased World Triathlon for an undisclosed amount, and is looking to generate more  revenue on the Ironman name. Only a small percentage of triathletes ever attempt to complete a full Ironman race, which comprises a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and a marathon-length run of 26.2 miles. And the shorter races are helping the sport boom. The number of racers grew to 1.2 million U.S. triathletes in 2009, an 11% jump from 2008 and a 50% jump from 2007, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association.

“When you look at a sport that is growing 30% a year, the fact is that we have an incredible amount of demand,” Ben Fertic, World Triathlon chief executive, told the Journal.

On the downside, the Journal article noted that the move to races less than 25% the distance of a traditional Ironman triathlon risks diluting the brand. The new shorter races also puts it in competition of existing organizers of such races.

The race schedule follows:

2011 5150 Series (United States)

March 13 Miami International Triathlon (Miami, Fla.)

May 1 St. Anthony's Triathlon (St. Petersburg, Fla.)

May 15 5150 New Orleans (New Orleans, La.) 

May 22 Memphis in May Triathlon (Tunica, Miss.)

June 19 Washington D.C. Triathlon (Washington, D.C.)

June 25 5150 Provo (Provo, Utah)

July 10 Boulder Peak Triathlon (Boulder, Colo.)

August 7 Nautica New York City Triathlon (New York, N.Y.)

September 4 Hy-Vee Triathlon/5150 U.S. Championship (Des
Moines, Iowa)

September 11 5150 Lake Lanier (Gainesville, Ga.)

October 2 5150 Lake Las Vegas (Henderson, Nev.)

October 23 5150 Galveston (Galveston, Texas)

November 12 5150 Clearwater/5150 Series Finale
(Clearwater, Fla.)

2011 5150 Series (International)

June 5 5150 Frankfurt (Frankfurt, Germany)

June 12 5150 Klagenfurt (Klagenfurt, Austria)

July 9 5150 Zurich (Zurich, Switzerland)