Ironman Triathlon interested participants. In 1990, with the help of Lew Friedland, Dr. James P. Gills acquired and purchased the Hawaii Triathlon Corporation, owner of the Ironman brand, for $3 million from Silk. With the Ironman brand, Gills established the World Triathlon Corporation with the intention of furthering the sport of triathlon and increasing prize money for triathletes. A number of non-WTC full distance triathlons have been held since the mid-1990s. The limited number of WTC-sanctioned events, and the limited number of entries available per race, have combined with a growth in the sport that has created demand for these non-trademarked events.
USA Triathlon annually since 1982. In 2014, the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, drew 5,700 registered participants. USA Triathlon's mission is to grow and inspire the triathlon community. USA Triathlon's vision is to provide the resources required for all in the triathlon community to reach their full potential. USA Triathlon is a member-based organization founded in 1982. At the end of 2013, USA Triathlon reached a record-high 174,787 annual members, up 5.5 percent from year-end 2012. USA Triathlon has seen steady membership growth since 1995, impacted greatly by the addition of triathlon to the Olympic Games in 2000.