USA Pentathlon has announced that the international governing body for the Olympic sport of Modern Pentathlon, the Union International de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM), has selected Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida as the host of four major Pentathlon events. The events include three World Cup competitions including the World Cup Final in 2014 and 2016, and the World Cup #1 first round competition in 2015.  In 2016, Sarasota-Bradenton will also host the United States Pentathlon Olympic Team trials.

"The Pentathlon world is delighted to be coming to Sarasota-Bradenton, and looks forward to bringing the global Pentathlon family to the United States," UIPM President Klaus Schormann said in announcing the UIPM Executive Board's choice.  "The United States continues to play an important role in the Olympic Movement, and we support newly-elected IOC member and US Olympic Chairman, Larry Probst in his efforts to showcase all Olympic sports in his country."

"For the first time in over 40 years, the international championship for one of the oldest and grandest Olympic sports will return to the United States," USA Pentathlon Executive Director Rob Stull said. "Sarasota-Bradenton's cohesive vision and exceptional presentation secured World Cup events in each of the next three years; an amazing feat and a significant opportunity for the growth of Pentathlon in the United States and throughout North America.

UIPM selected Sarasota-Bradenton from an elite group of cities who bid to host Championship Pentathlon events; including Cairo, Egypt; Frankfurt, Germany; Acapulco, Mexico; Rome, Italy; Budapest, Hungary; Minsk, Belarus; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Cheng Du, China.

The 2014 World Cup Final will showcase the top 36 male and 36 female Pentathlon athletes from around the world.  For the following consecutive three years, the Sarasota-Bradenton will be an important part of the athlete's preparation for the 2016 Olympic Summer Games.

According to USA Pentathlon organization, "the Modern Pentatholon was designed by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic movement, and combines five sports: equestrian show-jumping, fencing, swimming, running and pistol shooting. This selection of disciplines was based upon the legendary tasks of a nineteenth century military courier, which could involve virtually anything necessary to deliver a message successfully, such as procuring the first available horse and jumping over an array of obstacles; defending from enemy attacks with a pistol and sword; swimming across intervening bodies of water; and running on foot.

Olympic Pentathletes ride an unfamiliar horse (drawn by lot) over a jumper course, fence other participating athletes with an épée sword, swim freestyle for 200 meters, and shoot a laser pistol while running a half-mile course (4 x 800 meters).  General George Patton was the first American Olympic competitor in this event, competing in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics."

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Sarasota County and The Bradenton Area are located on the West Coast of Florida, 45 minutes from Tampa and just one and half hour's drive from Orlando. The area has beautiful, white sand beaches, wildlife and a string of unspoilt natural islands, comprising what many refer to as 'hidden Florida'.

For further press information contact: Antonia Robinson, Gosh PR, Tel: + 44 (0)20 7367 6745, antonia@goshpr.co.uk