Courtesy: USAT

Responding to increasing insurance costs among other issues, the USA Triathlon Board of Directors voted Saturday to raise the costs of USAT annual and one-day memberships.

The cost of an annual membership will go from $25 to $30 per year. The cost of a one-day membership will increase from $7 to $9. The change will take effect Jan. 1, 2003.

The cost of a pro/elite license will go up from $75 to $90.

USA Triathlon has not changed the cost of an annual membership since 1993, when the price dropped from $32 to $25.

Some membership costs will be staying the same. The cost of a silver membership will remain $100 and the cost of a gold membership stays at $200. A youth annual membership is still $15 and a youth one-day is still $3.

The increased costs reflect a predicted 30-percent rise in USA Triathlon's insurance premiums for 2003. USA Triathlon provides its members with health insurance coverage over and above their own, should they be injured during a USA Triathlon-sanctioned race. Annual members are insured for the year. One-day members are insured for the day.

USA Triathlon also provides liability insurance for events. Event liability insurance protects race directors, venue owners, athletes, sponsors, spectators and volunteers. It is comprehensive and is the principal tool that allows race directors to their events.

The fee increase will also help fund new USA Triathlon initiatives, such as the hiring of a duathlon coordinator to help that discipline prosper. The organization will also be hiring a full-time risk manager to monitor race safety, which can help prevent future insurance and membership cost increases by decreasing the number of accidents and injuries.

"I have made no secret of the fact that, as president, I want our federation to become more of a service organization rather than just a governing body," said Ray Plotecia, president of the USA Triathlon Board of Directors.

"With continuing growth comes an expanded requirement to provide service. The duathlon coordinator and risk manager were necessary to provide that support."