The sport of triathlon continues to experience growth that rivals the dot-com boom of the 1990s. Each year, there are more triathletes, new races and upstart triathlon clubs. Have you tried to sign up for your favorite events yet this year? Good luck-the hottest ones fill up in mere hours. It seems that all is well in the triathlete's world right now, but what about the future? Will the popularity of our sport continue to grow at exponential rates? What does the next generation of triathletes look like?

I am happy to tell you that as of this moment, the future of our sport looks very bright. Youth triathlon, while still in its infancy, is gaining in popularity just like "grownup" triathlon. Each year, thousands of kids pull on their swim caps, pump up their tires and lace their Nikes to toe the line at their first triathlon. Almost every triathlon club out there hosts a youth race these days, and most of the bigger events, like the St. Anthony's Triathlon in St. Petersburg, Flordia, and the Accenture Triathlon in Chicago, have a companion race for the kids as part of the weekend's multisport activities. And why not? If mom and dad are racing, it makes sense that the kids want to get in on the action too. And if you break the sport down to its most visceral level, what do kids do all summer? They swim, they bike, and they run. Triathlon is a natural fit for them. Put it all together with a transition area and a finisher's medal and you have a youth triathlon.

But what exactly is "youth triathlon"?

When most of us hear that term, we think of the local grassroots races that allow kids to "try a triathlon." It's very easy to find these races almost anywhere in the country. The distances are typically very un-daunting, the swim is often in a pool and any bike will do. You're just as likely to see a pink Schwinn with a basket on the handlebars as you are a mini Felt racing frame. This type of kids' triathlons are an important part of the landscape in our sport, providing a youth-friendly environment that allows kids to participate in and finish a triathlon. The racers all take it seriously, and there are undoubtedly some fast kids who will turn in impressive performances. But no matter the age, the racer competes, finishes and more often than not feels great about it. That's the whole point of these races-it may seem grueling to the young triathletes at times during the race, but practically every kid crosses the finish line and finds his or her way to the post-race food table proudly sporting the finisher's medal and flashing body markings. Hopefully, the experience and sense of achievement will have been great enough to bring these kids back to race again.

These kids' triathlon events have their roots in the IronKids race series, which has been around for more than 20 years. Founded in 1985 and sponsored by Sara Lee and IronKids bread, the series has hosted various luminaries of the sport, including Olympic triathlete Nick Radkewich and national champion swimmer and elite triathlete Sara McLarty. Perhaps the most famous alumnus of this race series is Lance Armstrong, who finished second to Radkewich in the series' inaugural national championship in 1985. The IronKids series is still alive and well and stages six races around the country each year. With its motto "Every finisher is a winner," the IronKids races remain a model for youth triathlon events everywhere.

But what if a young man or woman becomes committed to the sport of triathlon, continues to develop as an athlete and has the potential to someday compete with the best in the country, if not the world? Young runners and swimmers often race with Olympic dreams dancing in their heads-what about the boy who pretends he is Hunter Kemper or Jarrod Shoemaker or the girl who races to the imaginary finish line ahead of Barb Lindquist? What about the kid who rides with the local cycling club, exhibiting drafting and bike handling skills that rival the best riders in the group? The local youth triathlon is not really the right venue at which these athletes can test themselves or hone their skills.

When triathlon made its debut at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, it did so without a unified youth movement supporting it. Unlike swimming or track, there were no youth triathlon teams in existence. High school triathlon teams or clubs were unheard of. And the concept of a development program for up-and-coming young triathletes was just that-a concept waiting to become a reality. Further, the Olympic triathlon event does not look like most of the triathlons run in the U.S. In our country, age groupers compete in races in which drafting on the bike is not permitted, and is even penalized. In the Olympics (just as in all International Triathlon Union-sanctioned events), the bike portion of the race is draft legal and typically raced on a course consisting of multiple loops, making it more spectator friendly. Additionally, the swim begins with a dive start into the water off a platform. Overall, ITU events are faster than the typical age-group race and they demand superior cycling skills, including a mastery of drafting. Even the run requires a different mindset-the elite ITU athletes tend to run in a pack, hanging on until that final, ungodly fast kick to the finish.

Fast forward to the 21st century. USA Triathlon put together the Junior Elite Cup and the Youth Elite Cup races and suddenly there was an organized race series for the serious young triathlete. These races are run according to ITU rules, just like a world cup race. Last year, the Junior Elite athletes (ages 16 to 19) and the Youth Elite athletes (ages 13 to 15) competed at spectacular venues including the Hy-Vee Triathlon in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Pittsburgh Triathlon. The ITU-style finish line with the blue carpet, potted plants and banners was breathtaking and provided a backdrop unlike any previously seen or experienced by most of the young athletes. The national championships for both age groups were held in Longmont, Colorado, at the Great Colorado Triathlon. Not only were these great races that provided unparalleled competitive opportunities for these athletes, but they also showcased the young talent that exists in the U.S. There are some really fast teenagers out there, and the key to their development will be the continued sustenance of elite ITU-style races by our governing body, USAT.

These races also provided the young triathletes in the 16-19 age group an opportunity to compete for spots in the ITU world championship, which was held in Hamburg, Germany, in 2007, and will be in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in 2008. Additionally, USAT puts together and supports a Junior National Team and a Junior Development Team, providing equipment, training opportunities and financial support to a small number of athletes who are selected for these squads.

Some of these kids competing in the USAT series will probably make the Olympics someday-maybe London in 2012. If we want the U.S. to compete with the best in the world (and don't we always want that?), then the triathlon community as a whole needs to commit to continuing race series like the USAT Junior Elite Cup and the Youth Elite Cup. We need to ensure that these events, and other races that provide qualifying slots to the ITU world championships, are open to as many young competitors as possible and that we are doing all we can to identify the best young athletes in our sport. We need to expand the number of opportunities for inclusion available on the USAT development teams and continue to come up with new and innovative ways to encourage our young elite triathletes to continue in the sport of triathlon. If we do not, we will certainly lose some of our future superstars to NCAA Division I swimming, track or cross-country scholarships.

There are new youth teams forming all the time, and established teams are becoming more sophisticated in their training, coaching, equipment and sponsorship. The young ITU-style racer is a part of the youth triathlon movement, just like the 10-year-old newbie who is racing his heart out in the local "try a tri." The challenge for our sport will be to find ways to support both of these athletes so that they continue their development as triathletes and not leave our sport when they get older for more established, traditional and better-funded sports programs.

Mike Kanute is one of the many TrainingBible coaches providing service to athletes based on the concepts formed by Joe Friel's extensive coaching experience and his vast knowledge of scientific literature. For more information on how you can take advantage of TrainingBible expertise, please visit TrainingBible.com.