Edmonton ready for the most intense weekend of the year: WTS, WPS and Mixed Relay, all in one event!
The 2018 World Triathlon Series has reached its sixth destination of the season as the elites pack their bags and make their way to North America for the 2018 ITU World Triathlon Edmonton. For the first time Edmonton will feature elite racing in the early evening, promising a showcase that will delight spectators on the sprint distance course which backdrops on the stunning river valley in Edmonton. The two days of racing begins on Friday with Paratriathlon, the elite women and men and finishes with Mixed Relay on Saturday.Elite Women Review
The elite women lining up to race includes plenty of past WTS Edmonton podium winners including number one ranked Katie Zaferes (USA), who is holding steady in the top spot after a recent third place finish in WTS Hamburg. Zaferes has twice finished in third place in Edmonton, earning bronze medals in 2016 and 2017.
Behind her in the rankings are contenders Rachel Klamer (NED) and Vicky Holland (GBR) who will be looking to earn valuable points towards that golden number one slot. Holland was victorious in Edmonton in 2015.
Having been on the WTS circuit for many seasons means plenty of past WTS Edmonton podium winners are in the line-up on Friday. Americans Taylor Knibb and Summer Cook will toe the line eager to have repeat podium performances. Two other women sporting the stars and stripes are Kirsten Kasper and Taylor Spivey, both sitting in the top ten and looking for solid showings. Kiwi Andrea Hewitt will hope to better her second place performance in the 2014 WTS Edmonton race that was also the Grand Final that year.
Canadian women who will be wearing red and white looking for hometown advantage are Joanna Brown and Amelie Kretz, who will be seeking the energy and support of the local spectators to help propel them to victory. Brown opened the season with a third place finish at the Commonwealth Games, and has been a regular in WTS racing.
Japan’s Yuko Takahashi and Yuka Sato are two to watch after a season of consistent performances. Great Britain’s Jessica Learmonth is sitting in the tenth spot and continues to be one to watch in the strong team which includes Holland, Jodie Stimpson, Georgia Taylor-Brown and Non Stanford who will also be on the sandy start line this Friday.
Click here for the full women’s start listElite Men Review
The man to watch will be Spaniard Mario Mola, hot off a win in WTS Hamburg that featured a blazing fast run time. He knows that he will still be the leader after this race no matter what happens this Friday, but he is eager to add another victory to his tally.
Fellow Hamburg podium athletes Vincent Luis (FRA) and Richard Murray (RSA) will be looking for top end speed on the short course. Murray has historically performed well in Edmonton, including a third place birth in 2016 and a big win in difficult conditions in 2015.
With calm waters in William Hawrelak Park, we will expect a smooth swim and a quick transition onto the bike. Super cyclist Norwegian Kristian Blummenfelt will look to hammer the pace on the lapped course and we expect to see Great Britain’s Jonathan Brownlee to match the pace. Brownlee will hope to better his fourth place finish a few weeks ago in Hamburg.
Norwegian Casper Stornes and Aussie Jake Birtwhistle will be two others to watch, as Casper strives for a repeat performance of his stunning win in Bermuda and Birtwhistle looks to improve on a couple of runner-up performances including last year in Edmonton as well as in Yokohama earlier this year.
Hoping for a boost from the host country crowd will be a trio of Canadians: Tyler Mislawchuk, Taylor Forbes and Matthew Sharpe. Mislawchuk is in the middle of a break out season with a top ten series ranking and a number of strong performances on the world stage. He will look to capture his first WTS podium on hometown soil.
Click here for the full men’s start listParatriathlon PreviewThe Canadian town of Edmonton plays host this Friday to the third leg of the World Paratriathlon Series, with more than 70 paratriathletes competing in the incredible Canadian prairie city. Read the full preview. Mixed Relay PreviewA total of 22 teams will line up for the third and final leg of the ITU Mixed Relay Series. Current World Champions, France, will have a serious battle against really strong nations, such as Australia -winners at the Commonwealth Games-, USA -the team who won the first leg of the Series- or UK, but also will have to keep an eye on teams like the Canadians, Kiwis or Germany, all performing really well in the last Relay races. Start lists with names of the athletes competing in the Mixed Relay will be public 24 hours before the race, on Friday night.
ABOUT THE RACE: Nine World Cups have been held in Edmonton since 2002. Edmonton also holds a special place in ITU history, having set a new standard for the triathlon world championships in 2001. In 2014 is was also the host city for the Grand Final and returned in 2015 as a World Triathlon Series race. In over 20 years of World Cup races only one race has ever had to be cancelled, which was in Edmonton in 2004. After Loretta Harrop (AUS) won the women’s race, a wintery blast hit the city and the men’s race was called off. This year Edmonton will have also the third leg of the Mixed Relay Series and the third stop of the World Paratriathlon Series. SCHEDULE: Paratriathlon Friday 27 July - 13:45 UTC/GMT -6 Click here for the time in your area Elite Women Friday 27 July - 17:36 UTC/GMT-6 Click here for the time in your area Elite Men Friday 27 July. 19.21 UTC/GMT-6 Click here for the time in your area Mixed Relay Saturday 28 July. 16.04 UTC/GMT-6 Click here for the time in your areaWEBSITES: http://edmonton.triathlon.org/
START LISTS: Click here for the women's start list Click here for the men's start list Click here for the paratriathlon start listsPRIZE MONEY: $150,000 USD (equal for men & women)
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow #WTSEdmonton and all the events live with timing and text updates, at triathlonlive.tv and on twitter at @triathlonlive. COURSE PROFILE: Swim (750m) – Athletes will have a beach start into a man-made lake for a one-lap swim. Bike (20km) – Athletes will head out of Hawrelak Park, over River Valley to Victoria Road before heading back to the Park for a total of four laps. Run (5km) – After transitioning back at the lake, athletes will run three laps out to Groat Road and back.PAST EDMONTON WINNERS
WOMEN MEN 2017 Flora Duffy (BER) Mario Mola (ESP) 2016 Summer Cook (USA) Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 2015 Vicky Holland (GBR) Richard Murray (RSA)
ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Edmonton 2014 Gwen Jorgensen (USA) Alistair Brownlee (GBR) ITU Edmonton World Cup 2012 Lauren Groves (CAN) Kyle Jones (CAN) 2011 Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) Bevan Docherty (NZL) 2007 Emma Moffatt (AUS) Bevan Docherty (NZL) 2006 Emma Snowsill (AUS) Hamish Carter (NZL) 2005 Emma Snowsill (AUS) Andy Potts (USA) 2004 Loretta Harrop (AUS) Race cancelled due to weather 2003 Barbara Lindquist (USA) Simon Whitfield (CAN) 2002 Siri Lindley (USA) Simon Whitfield (CAN) ITU Triathlon World Championships Edmonton 2001 Siri Lindley (USA) Peter Robertson (AUS)
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