Editor's Note: I served on the Board of Directors of USA Triathlon for four years beginning in 2000. At that time the membership was at 21,000 members. By 2004 it had more than doubled to roughly 50,000 members. At that time most of us thought that we were at the peak of USAT's growth and the rate couldn't be maintained, but In the same time span USAT's membership has doubled again to 100,000. Is 200,000 members possible by 2012? It seems very unlikely, but so did 100,000.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (September 6, 2007) -- USA Triathlon is pleased to announce that its membership has reached 100,000, marking the first time the organization has hit that milestone in its 25- year history.

"Reaching the 100,000 plateau is truly symbolic for two reasons. One, it legitimizes our belief that the multisport lifestyle is one of the fastest growing segments of our society. This is a sport that can be embraced by the young and old, by the quick and the slow and by any person who has the internal drive to test their athletic capabilities," said USAT Executive Director Skip Gilbert. "Triathlon and all of the disciplines that surround multisport is just not Ironman anymore, it's for every man and every woman. Reaching 100,000 also places us as one of the larger sports within the Olympic family. Only a handful of NGB's have a larger membership base and given the popularity of multisport, I don't see an end of our growth in sight."

The amazing growth has been steady since the sport was introduced as an Olympic sport in 2000. At that time membership was 21,341. But the most remarkable growth has occurred over the past three years, where the rate has hit 22 percent. Membership was just 58,073 at the end of 2005 and grew to 84,787 by the end of last year.

Why the recent surge in interest in the sport? It continues to be appealing to people of all age groups, men and women, those from all sporting backgrounds, and those with little or no competitive sports experience. Many choose the sport due to its health benefits, while many, including baby boomers, are at a stage where participating fits their lifestyle.

Triathlon has become more accessible to the average person. More and more races in communities across the nation make it easy to people to find an event near their hometown. An increase in sprint distance events means less stress and fewer training hours for people not overly confident in their ability and those with little time to train. Also, an increase in charity- based races is a draw to those looking to give back and support a cause, and women-only races have been a big draw to that demographic.

Recent years have also brought more media attention to the sport, more certified coaches and training opportunities, and websites and books devoted to the sport.

Membership Services Director Jennifer O'Day and her staff have been working tirelessly over the past few months as the milestone became within reach. "Each month we kept inching closer and closer to the 100,000 mark. In mid-August it looked like it would in fact become a reality by the end of the month," said O'Day. "The Membership Services staff was working hard to make this happen entering as many hard copy applications as possible, and ultimately it was an online renewal that pushed us over the edge. It was a great feeling for us, especially in the context of how far we've come. When I started with the organization just over three years ago we only had 50,000 members. I don't think any of us could have predicted such tremendous growth so quickly."

USAT staff is planning a celebration at its national office in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Two Members Recognized
Jeffrey Lucy was just renewing his membership. Little did he know that he would be playing a key role in a momentous occasion in USA Triathlon history.

Lucy, 23, of Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, officially became Mr. 100,000 when he submitted his membership renewal on August 28 and as a result earned a great prize package from USAT and several of its sponsors.

The package includes:
1. Choice of: (Both options include round-trip airfare for one person and two nights lodging)

A. Weekend in Colorado Springs and VIP Day with USAT
· Spend time at the Olympic Training Center
· Train with members of the National Team
· Spend some time at the USAT office for photos and an interview
· Enjoy the sites of Colorado Springs

Or

B. Complimentary entry to a 2008 USAT-owned National Championship (event qualification standards must still be met, if applicable)

2. Product totaling $1,200 from USAT Partners, including:
3. One year USAT bronze membership from the date of next expiration
4. $25 gift certificate to USAT store

Douglas Sham, 25, of Silver Bay, N.Y., also got in on the fun by correctly guessing the date that USAT would reach 100,000. He actually was among five members to guess August 28, but he won on the tiebreaker when he was the only one to correctly guess the 100,000th member would be a male. That guess earned Sham a free one-year USAT bronze membership, a USAT-logoed wetsuit, and a swag bag of additional products from USAT partners valued at $750.

Close to 1,400 members entered the "Guess the Date" contest.