Federations Focus -- Oakley, Triathlon Ink Deal; 2018 Commonwealth Games Bids; Biathlon Worlds

Triathlon Signs Oakley for One Year, Wants More

The International Triathlon Union tells Around the Rings its new partnership with Oakley is "for now" a one-year deal.

"They see the world championship series as a property that’s expanding and has a lot of momentum," said ITU marketing director Paul Coleman.

"They see it as the first step to a longer term relationship."

Coleman, also managing director of the seven-stop series, would not disclose financial terms but did say the sponsorship is a cash deal.

The third Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series kicks off in April and wraps up Sept. 10-11 in Beijing.

Though Oakley’s partnership with triathlon is yet to include a London 2012 component, the sunglass giant will have a presence at this year’s official test event, also the penultimate series stop.

"[Triathlon] is a very attractive marketplace for Oakley to be involved in," Coleman told ATR.

"They see the world championship series as the premiere series in the world where the best athletes participate and which the greatest number of TV audiences."

The series has 100 million viewers spread across 140 countries worldwide, according to Coleman.

2018 Commonwealth Games Pitch Bids in Mexico

Bid teams from Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Gold Coast, Australia are in the Mexico resort of Veracruz this week to press their case for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The venue is a meeting of the Central American and Caribbean Sports Organization. CACSO includes 14 voting delegates in the Commonwealth Games Federation.

The CGF selects a 2018 host city Nov. 11 at its assembly in St. Kitts.

FIFA Awards Canada 2015 Women’s World Cup

Canada is set to be named host of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup later this week after Zimbabwe withdrew from the two-horse race.

Zimbabwe was always the outsider following admissions by the country's football leaders thatits stadia and transport infrastructure would only just be capable of staging the prestigious event.

FIFA's executive committee will confirm Canada as the 2015 host at a meeting Thursday. The Ex-Co will also decide the hosts of five other age-group tournaments.

Germany is staging the Women's World Cup this summer. Nine stadia will host matches during the June 26 to July 17 tournament.

Deep Field, No Favorites in Biathlon Mixed Relay

The stakes are high at the biathlon world championships just underway in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia.

International Biathlon Union president Anders Besseberg opened the two-week event Wednesday night in a ceremony laced with fireworks and attended by more than 5,000 spectators as well as a couple of reindeer.

Competition kicks off Thursday with the mixed team relay, a race the IBU is billing as one of the year’s most competitive as well as perhaps its most important.

The relay is on display for the last time before IOC president Jacques Rogge singlehandedly decides next month whether to add the event to the Olympic program in time for Sochi 2014.

Besseberg explained to Around the Rings earlier this winter that because countries with weaker biathlon programs usually have less trouble fielding a team with two strong men and two strong women than a team with four strong men or four strong women, the mixed event often proves particularly competitive.

More than 20 countries will enter Thursday’s race. Germany, Norway, Sweden, France, Russia, Italy and Ukraine are all expected to vie for medals.

Written by Matthew Grayson.