Chris McCormack, IRONMAN World Champion in triathlon and co-founder of Supertri, now wants to make trail running a huge global deal as he takes on a major new role in the sport.
The 52-year-old Australian – twice the king of Kona – has been appointed President of Global Strategy & Performance for One Hundred Sports Group as it looks to make a unified 100-mile and 100km trail running series reality.
A four-time triathlon World Champion and one of the most influential voices in modern endurance sport, McCormack’s wealth of expertise in co-founding global ventures makes him an intriguing choice.
Macca’s new role
In his new role, will shape the ongoing evolution of the One Hundred Endurance Trail World Championship – now entering its third season.
The series spans iconic global locations including Portugal, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Costa Rica, and India, culminating in a spectacular Grand Final in Brazil with an elite prize purse of USD $50,000 – one of the biggest ever offered in one of the world’s fastest-growing mass participation challenges.
Clearly the brass at One Hundred are hoping that McCormack’s strategic vision and leadership qualities will enable them to build a premier global platform.
He said: “Ultra trail running has drawn ever more runners not only toward tackling rugged and formidable courses around the globe, but into the hardy and adventurous lifestyle and community that sets this sport apart.
“Our vision is to honour that heritage while providing a more structured and consistent global framework through this series and help ratify this sport – to allow the world’s best athletes to compete against each other on iconic, demanding courses under a unified set of principles and guidelines.
Building great events, and stars
“By doing so, we can elevate the stars of the sport, build a series of world-class events and showcase the true spirit and grit of the ultra-endurance trail running community.
“The sport’s exponential participation growth is testament to the timing that this has to be done now.”
McCormack’s impact on endurance sport has arguably been just as huge post-retirement as it was when he was winning his IRONMAN titles in 2007 and 2010.
He was instrumental in the launch of the Super League Triathlon racing series – a short-form, made-for-TV, championship which has grown in stature and become a firm favourite for racers and fans alike. Now we will find out if he can work some ‘Macca’ magic on the trail scene.
