Sydney to host world's best triathletes this weekend

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Monday, 04 April 2011 10:07

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World's best to start Triathlon ITU World Championship Series

It's the first race of 2011 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series and all of the world's best have come out to play. The top ten men in the world from 2010, including World Champion Javier Gomez (ESP), 2009 World Champion Alistair Brownlee (GBR) and 2008 Olympic champion Jan Frodeno (GER), are in Australia for the season opener this weekend. In the women's field, nine out of the top 10 women from 2010, plus 2008 Olympic champion Emma Snowsill (AUS) who is back from an injury-ravaged year, are ready to strut their stuff in Sydney.

Defending champions Barbara Riveros Diaz (CHI) and Bevan Docherty (NZL) are also in the mix in what is set to be a thrilling opening race-day. As 2011 is an Olympic qualifying season in which every race has qualifying points on offer, the competition will be fast and furious from the start.  Click here for full race preview

About the race: Sydney has played host to some important triathlon moments, but the biggest was the 2000 Olympic Games when triathlon made Olympic debut. Simon Whitfield (CAN) and Brigitte McMahon (SUI) were crowned the sport's first Olympic gold medallists. Sydney is the largest city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales and has a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million.

Emma Snowsill's 2011 debut - All eyes are set to be on Australian Emma Snowsill as the Beijing Olympic gold medallist makes her 2011 debut. Snowsill pulled out of the first ITU Triathlon World Cup of the season in Mooloolaba two weeks ago as a precautionary measure.  Sydney will be the first race since she decimated the field at the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Grand Final Budapest last year. Snowsill's 2010 season was littered with injury, putting her out of contention for the title, but this year she trained in South Africa in the off-season and will be after her place in history. Snowsill already has three ITU world titles, no other woman has more than two, but she could make it four.

Men's best do battle - The top ten ranked men from 2010 are all in Sydney to start the first race, as well as last year's winner Bevan Docherty (NZL). But the focus will firmly be on that magical three of Javier Gomez (ESP), Alistair Brownlee (GBR) and Jan Frodeno (GER). The respective reigning World Champion, 2009 World Champion and 2008 Olympic Champion haven't raced against each other since last year's Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Grand Final Budapest.  In that race, Brownlee won but Gomez claimed the world title while Frodeno fell away sharply, finishing 41^st and letting a podium place fall out of his reach for the second year in a row. It's always an intriguing battle between the three and it's rare to have it so early in the season.

The new faces on the tour - Canadian Paula Findlay was the surprise of the season last year as she won two races: London and Kitzbühel. She was the only female on the tour to do so and it was enough for a fifth place season ending ranking, which was even more amazing given she only raced in three races in total. About to enter her first full season in the Dextro Energy Triathlon Series, the 21-year old could push the Aussie Emmas all the way. Likewise in the men's field, Great Britain's Jonathan Brownlee and Portgual's Joao Silva are the youngsters to watch for. Both had impressive seasons last year as Silva finished fourth in the Grand Final to rocket to fifth in the final rankings.  Brownlee finished second in London, won the first men's ITU Sprint Distance World Championships and the 2010 ITU Triathlon Under23 World Championships and will make things interesting for the top contenders.

The Harbour Bridge climb - Each leg of the Dextro Energy Triathlon Series isn't all about the elite athletes as age-group competition allows triathletes of all shapes and sizes to compete. In Sydney, it's extra special as the world famous Harbour Bridge will be shut down from traffic and open for age-groupers on the bike.