Five Continental Championships are due to take place in 2016 ©Getty Images

A stand-alone Para-triathlon World Championships and five Continental Championships are scheduled to be held in the forthcoming year after the International Triathlon Union (ITU) confirmed their complete calendar.

Each of the Championships and the World Para-triathlon Events are set to play a major role in qualification for Rio 2016, where the sport will make its Paralympic debut.

Para-triathlon was added to the sport programme at the International Paralympic Committee Governing Board meeting in Guangzhou, China, ahead of the 10th Asian Para Games in December 2010.

The first Continental Championships is due to be held in Devonport, Australia, where the top Oceanian competitors will compete for medals from February 20 to 21.

Bloemfontein will host the African Championships on March 12, with competition in the South African city to take place the day before Sarasota stages the North American continental event.

The European Championships are scheduled for Kalkar in Germany from April 16 to 17, while Hatsukaichi will stage the Asian event, with competition to take place in the Japanese city between April 29 and May 1.

Additionally, the stand-alone Para-triathlon World Championships is also due to be held next year with Rotterdam, in The Netherlands, hosting the competition between July 23 and 24.

“Next year is very important for ITU, as our athletes turn their attention towards Rio in hopes of making their Olympic and Paralympic dreams come true,” said Marisol Casado, ITU President and International Olympic Committee member.

“This calendar of events will offer opportunities to realise those dreams, as well as grow the sport around the world.”

Rotterdam will host the Para-triathlon World Championships from July 23 to 24
Rotterdam will host the Para-triathlon World Championships from July 23 to 24 ©Getty Images

Meanwhile, the 2016 World Para-triathlon event series is set to get underway on March 19 in Buffalo City, South Africa, with Penrith in Australia hosting the second event from April 23 to 24.

The Japanese city of Yokohama will be the next stop on the calendar from May 14 to 15, with another World Para-triathlon leg due to be held in Aguilas, Spain on the same weekend.

Strathclyde, Scotland, will then host its first-ever World Para-triathlon event on June 4 and 5, with Besancon, France also due to stage a leg on those dates.

The series will conclude in Iseo, Italy on June 25 and 26.