Today at its 21st Congress in Madrid, a new President, Secretary General and Executive Board of the International Triathlon Union (ITU) were elected.  Marisol Casado of Spain ran unopposed and was elected new President, just the second in ITUs history.  Canadian Loreen Barnett was uncontested as the new Secretary General, making ITU the only Olympic International Federation to have women as President and Secretary General. 

It is not an envious task to follow in the footsteps of one who has done such an outstanding job over so many years.  It is even more difficult to try to step right up and suggest a series of improvements, said Casado in her acceptance speech.  I view my prime challenge as accepting this legacy of unheard-of accomplishments that has been bestowed on me and then hopefully enhancing it even further.

Four Vice-Presidents were also elected including Australian Bill Walker, former ITU Secretary General, Antonio Alvarez of Mexico, Kyung-Sun Yu of South Korea, and Sarah Springman, President of the British Triathlon Federation.  Tom Carrasco of The Philippines ran unopposed for Treasurer.

ITUs founding President Les McDonald of Canada retires this year and accepted the position of Honourary President, however, only after consulting with ITUs existing Honourary President Gunnar Ericsson of Sweden. 

Juan Antonio Samaranch appointed (Gunnar) to help me put triathlon into the Olympic Games and I made him the Honorary President and so I would not accept this as long as Gunnar Ericsson is there because he was the father I never had, said McDonald.

Ericsson said he wanted to stand together with McDonald as Honorary Presidents for half a year, then Ericsson would step down on his 90th birthday.  To that, McDonald responded, I said okay.  Some people in life you like to fight but you dont fight people like Gunnar Ericsson because without him we would not be here.

Another resolution was passed to name Chiharu Igaya of Japan an Honorary ITU Member after stepping down as ITU Vice-President.  Igaya, also an IOC Vice-President, is considered incredibly important to triathlons inclusion onto the Olympic programme.

The election for ITUs Executive Board was so competitive, it required two additional rounds of voting.  The new members of Executive Board are (in alphabetical order):

Ria Damgren Nilsson (SWE)
Anatoly Korobov (RUS)
Xin Li (CHN)
Melissa Merson (USA)
Shin Otsuka (JPN)
Mario Rodriguez (GUA)
Terry Sheldrake (NZL)

ITUs new Executive Board will meet less than 24 hours after being elected on Sunday afternoon.  Members of ITUs six committees were also elected during the election.
Technical Committee:
Jamie Cadaval (MEX)
Joyce Donaldson (USA)
Jasmine Flatters (GBR)
David Markham (CAN)
Jun Qi (CHN)
Enrique Quesada (ESP)
Kiriyo Suzuki (JPN)

Medical Committee:
Dr. Joao Paul De Almeida (POR)
Dr. Doug Hiller (USA)
Dr. Toshihito Katsumura (JPN)
Dr. Jon King (AUS)
Dr. Sergio Migliorini (ITA)
Dr. Lothar Schwarz (GER)

Constitution Committee:
Gale Bernhardt (USA)
Patrice Brunet (CAN)
Jin Ho Kim (KOR)
Patricia Petty (BER)
Bernard Saint-Jean (FRA)

Credentials Committee:
Alicia Garcia (ESP)
Sheila O’Kelly (CAN)
Goran Vrbanac (CRO)

Duathlon Committee:
Brian Hinton (AUS)
Christopher Kitchen (GBR)
Juan Rodriguez (ESP)

Click here for a review and photos from ITUs Gala on Friday night

ITU Congress
Congreso de la ITU

From L-R: Vice-President Kyung-Sun Yu, Vice-President Bill Walker, President Marisol Casado, Secretary General Loreen Barnett, Vice-President Sarah Springman, Vice-President Antonio Alvarez and Treasurer Tom Carrasco
De Izquierda a derecha: Vicepresidente Kyung-Sun Yu, Vicepresidente Bill Walker, Presidenta Marisol Casado, Secretaria General Loreen Barnett, Vicepresidenta Sarah Springman, Vicepresidente Antonio Alvarez y Tesorero Tom Carrasco

ITU President Marisol Casado gives a passionate acceptance speech
La Presidenta de la ITU Marisol Casado dio un apasionante discurso investidura

Hoy se han elegido, en el 21 Congreso de la ITU en Madrid, la Presidenta, la Secretaria General y la Junta Directiva de la Unin Internacional de Triatln (ITU). La espaola Marisol Casado no ha tenido ninguna oposicin y ha sido elegida nueva Presidenta, segunda en la historia de la ITU. La canadiense Loreen Barnett ha sido elegida indiscutiblemente como nueva Secretaria General, convirtindose la ITUen la nica Federacin Internacional Olmpica que como mujeres a la Presidenta y a la Secretaria General.

No es una tarea sencilla seguir los pasos de alguien que ha hecho un excelente trabajo durante tantos aos. Pero es an ms difcil intentar dar un paso a delante y sugerir una serie de mejoras, dijo Casado en su discurso de investidura. Considero que mi principal reto al aceptar este legado que se me ha otorgado es seguir mejorando an ms los logros ya conseguidos.

Tambin se han elegido cuatro vicepresidentes, el australiano Bill Walker, antiguo Secretario General de la ITU, el mejicano Antonio lvarez, Kyung-Sun de Corea del Sur y Sarah Springman, Presidenta de la Federacin Britnica de Triatln. El filipino Tom Carrasco no tuvo oposicin en el puesto de tesorero. 

El Presidente fundador de la ITU, el canadiense Les McDonald se retira este ao y ha aceptado el puesto de Presidente Honorario, tras haber consultado con el Presidente Honorario existente, el sueco Gunnar Ericsson.

Juan Antonio Samaranch design a Gunnar por ayudarme a llevar el triatln a los Juegos Olmpicos y le hice a l Presidente Honorario, por lo que no aceptara esto siempre que Gunnar Ercsson est ah porque l fue el padre que nunca tuve, dijo McDonald.

Ericsson coment que quera desempea junto con McDonald el puesto de Presidente Honorario durante medio ao y que despus renunciara en su 90 cumpleaos. A eso, McDoald respondi, Me parece bien. Sin l nosotros no estaramos aqu.

Se aprob la resolucin de nombrar al japons Chiharu Igaya como Miembro Honorario de la ITU tras dimir como Vice-Presidente de la ITU. A Igaya, Vicepresidente tambin de la IOC,  se le considera sumamente importante en la inclusin del triatln en el Programa Olmpico. 

La eleccin para la Junta Directiva de la ITU fue tan competida, que fueron necesarias dos rondas de votaciones. Los nuevos miembros de la Junta Directiva son (en orden alfabtico):

Ria Damgren Nilsson (SWE)
Anatoly Korobov (RUS)
Xin Li (CHN)
Melissa Merson (USA)
Shin Otsuka (JPN)
Mario Rodriguez (GUA)
Terry Sheldrake (NZL)

La Nueva Junta Directiva de la ITU se reunir en menos de 24 horas despus de ser elegidos el domingo por la tarde.

Comit Tcnico:
Jamie Cadaval (MEX)
Joyce Donaldson (USA)
Jasmine Flatters (GBR)
David Markham (CAN)
Jun Qi (CHN)
Enrique Quesada (ESP)
Kiriyo Suzuki (JPN)

Comit Mdico:
Dr. Joao Paul De Almeida (POR)
Dr. Doug Hiller (USA)
Dr. Toshihito Katsumura (JPN)
Dr. Jon King (AUS)
Dr. Sergio Migliorini (ITA)
Dr. Lothar Schwarz (GER)

Comit de Constitucin:
Gale Bernhardt (USA)
Patrice Brunet (CAN)
Jin Ho Kim (KOR)
Patricia Petty (BER)
Bernard Saint-Jean (FRA)

Comit de Credenciales:
Alicia Garcia (ESP)
Sheila O’Kelly (CAN)
Goran Vrbanac (CRO)

Comit de Duatln:
Brian Hinton (AUS)
Christopher Kitchen (GBR)
Juan Rodriguez (ESP)

Pulse aqu para repasar y ver las fotos de la Gala de la ITU del viernes por la noche