Channel 4 has won the broadcast rights to new athletics tournament the British Triathlon Grand Prix.

The tournament groups together the UK's established triathlon events into a six race series, devised by the British Triathlon Federation, IMG Mass Participation Sports and Human Race. The prize series aims to attract international athletes and to serve as a warm-up for UK athletes ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games.

It kicks off on 18 May with the Reading Corus Elite Series at GreenPark and will continue until September.

Cirencester-based production company Dreamteam Television will package highlights of each race in a 6 x 60-minute series, to air on C4 over the summer.

“This is an exciting time for Triathlon and there has never been a better time to work with these partners on the creation of this series,” said C4 deputy editor of sport Deborah Poulton.

“With the Olympics coming to London in 2012, interest will peak in our home grown talent and I hope that viewers will tune in to support some great triathlon action on C4.”