Chris Mosier to Present Keynote at Endurance Exchange, Slate of Speakers Added

Chris Nikic, Katie and Tommy Zaferes, Grace Norman and Andrew Messick to speak at virtual industry conference from Jan. 21-23

Chris Mosier, the first transgender athlete to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials in the gender with which they identify and the first transgender member of USA Triathlon’s age group Team USA, was today announced as a keynote speaker at Endurance Exchange, a virtual endurance sports industry conference hosted by USA Triathlon from Jan. 21-23, 2021.

In addition, history-making IRONMAN finisher Chris Nikic; U.S. Olympian and world champion Katie Zaferes and her husband, World Triathlon photographer Tommy Zaferes; U.S. Paralympic gold medalist Grace Norman; and IRONMAN CEO Andrew Messick have all been added to the speaker lineup for the virtual event.

The inaugural Endurance Exchange was held in January 2020 in Tempe, Arizona, drawing more than 600 attendees, including coaches, race directors, brands and retailers, triathlon clubs, media outlets and other members of the multisport industry. The 2021 edition will be held virtually to offer greater flexibility, reduce costs and eliminate the need for constituents to travel in order to attend. All content will be recorded, and attendees will be able to view sessions live or on-demand — offering options to accommodate any schedule.

In addition to Mosier, other keynotes at Endurance Exchange include Gwen Jorgensen, 2016 U.S. Olympic triathlon gold medalist and Tokyo 2020 Olympic 10k hopeful; Olympic speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno; accomplished neuropsychiatrist Dr. John Ratey; and triathlon’s legendary "Big Four" — Mark Allen, Scott Molina, Dave Scott and Scott Tinley.

Chris Mosier to Present Keynote

Mosier is a trailblazing endurance athlete, coach, and the founder of transathlete.com. In 2020, he made history by becoming the first transgender athlete to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials in the gender with which they identify, in the sport of racewalking.

Prior to that, in 2015 he became the first openly trans man to earn a spot on USA Triathlon’s age group Team USA, via his performance at the USA Triathlon Duathlon National Championships. Following the national championship race, he was instrumental in getting the International Olympic Committee’s policy on transgender athletes changed. He went on to compete at the 2016 Aviles ITU Duathlon Sprint World Championships and the 2017 Zofingen ITU Powerman Long Distance Duathlon World Championships. He has been called "the man who changed the Olympics" by the BBC and New York Magazine.

Mosier advises on policy for the inclusion of transgender athletes and travels the world sharing his story as a barrier-breaking athlete and thought leader in inclusion in sport. He is a member of USA Triathlon’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access Advisory Council and has been instrumental in USA Triathlon’s Together We Thrive initiative. Follow his training and his work on social media at @TheChrisMosier.

"I look forward to sharing my personal background at Endurance Exchange, but more importantly, using my story as a launchpad to offer ideas and key takeaways to create change at the grassroots level," Mosier said. "While no two people’s experiences are the same, I am also proud to represent the LGBTQIA+ community at this event as we work together to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and access in multisport and reach new audiences as a result."

"Chris Mosier is a history-maker, role model and one of the most groundbreaking activists in endurance sports," said Rocky Harris, USA Triathlon CEO. "We are proud to welcome Chris to Endurance Exchange to share the firsthand experiences of a transgender athlete, while informing and educating attendees — so that we, as a community, can improve our understanding of transgender inclusion in sport and work to create safer, more welcoming training and racing environments."

Mosier’s keynote is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 23, and will be presented as a Q&A with Megan Ritch, USA Triathlon’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access and Team USA Manager. The conversation will center around finding oneself and a sense of belonging, creating community and inclusive environments, and how all of us can create change in the world starting in sport.

Dynamic Speakers Added

Endurance Exchange continues to attract some of the most accomplished athletes and influencers in triathlon and endurance sports. The following speakers were added to the schedule this week:

Chris Nikic made history Nov. 7 at IRONMAN Florida, becoming the first athlete with Down syndrome to complete an IRONMAN triathlon. He, along with coach Hector Torres and father Nik Nikic, will speak in a Q&A format about that record-breaking day, Nikic’s "1% Better" approach, and his mission to bring awareness to Down syndrome and Special Olympics. Grace Norman, 2016 U.S. Paralympic gold medalist and Tokyo Paralympic hopeful, will co-present a "Paratriathlon 101" session with Shana Harrington, PT, PhD. Norman will share her experiences with coaches, athletes and race directors on competing as an elite paratriathlete, and how individuals can create more accessible and inclusive training and racing environments. Katie Zaferes, 2019 World Triathlon Champion, 2016 U.S. Olympian and Tokyo Olympic hopeful, will appear in a Q&A session along with husband Tommy Zaferes, World Triathlon professional photographer and elite triathlete. The duo will speak about their life following the World Triathlon circuit around the globe, Katie’s rise to world champion and her goals for the Tokyo Olympics. Andrew Messick, IRONMAN Group CEO, will present organizational updates on IRONMAN, share the brand’s approach to safely returning to racing in the COVID-19 era, and outline his vision for 2021 and beyond. Register Today

Registration for Endurance Exchange is $175 for General Attendee All-Access, $225 for Medical Professional All-Access and $50 for Athlete Insider Access. The Athlete Insider track includes all keynote presentations, general sessions, guided virtual morning workouts and the virtual expo, as well as select content focused on the inner workings of USA Triathlon and the age-group Team USA experience.

Endurance Exchange attendees have the option to purchase a discounted $35 USA Triathlon Annual Membership or renewal (extension of 12 months from current expiration date) as part of registration — a $15 discount from regular membership pricing.

More information about Endurance Exchange, including the most up-to-date schedule, speaker lineup and virtual networking opportunities, can be found at enduranceexchange.com. For sponsorship inquiries and other questions related to Endurance Exchange, please email info@enduranceexchange.com.

As a service to our readers, Around the Rings will provide verbatim texts of selected press releases issued by Olympic-related organizations, federations, businesses and sponsors.

These press releases appear as sent to Around the Rings and are not edited for spelling, grammar or punctuation.

25 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only