In its fifth appearance on the World Triathlon Series circuit, Kitzbühel will debut what might be the one of most demanding and innovative triathlon courses ever set. While Hahnenkamm Mountain is famous for hosting what is considered the hardest downhill ski race in the world, triathletes will be challenged to climb its sister peak, the Kitzbühel Horn mountain.

Many cities lack the landscape for tough courses, but the Austrian Alps provide the opportune background to host a testing course that is largely uphill. The 2013 race will break from the traditional sprint or standard distance that athletes are used to seeing in ITU races. After completing a 750m swim, triathletes will cycle through the village and then begin an ascent of 867 meters over 11.5km of hairpin mountain roads before facing another 136-meter incline on the 2.5km run.

Amateur athletes who enter the age-group race will have the opportunity to tackle the same 1km total climb and compare their times against the best elite athletes in the world.

“ITU is committed to holding events in iconic cities where we can bring the sport of triathlon to as many people as possible,” ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado said. “Together, with Upsolut and our event partners, we are also focusing our efforts on implementing contemporary and challenging courses wherever possible.”

After the highly popular and successful debut of the World Triathlon Series in the birthplace of triathlon, San Diego returns in 2013 as the second host city on the WTS calendar. Next year, portions of the age-group bike courses will intersect with the site of the world’s first-ever triathlon on Fiesta Island.

Age-group triathletes will ride past world-renowned Sea World before finishing up with a run along the Mission Beach boardwalk. Age-groupers have the option of competing in Olympic-distance, sprint-distance, Olympic-distance relay or aquabike events.

The 2013 ITU World Triathlon San Diego elite course remains unchanged from the memorable debut event in 2012. With its beautiful beaches, agreeable climate and triathlon enthusiastic community, sunny San Diego is an idyllic location for an event.

Click here for more information and for the course videos on Kitzbuhel and San Diego.