Continuing to test its T100 stars in environments that offer different terrains and conditions, the professional course will start with a 2km sea swim in Mediterranean waters off Figueretas Beach, with 2 laps around off-shore buoys before heading back to the beach and T1. 

The 80km pro bike course will be made up of 3 laps: two of 31km – including a 3.1km link from T1 – that takes the athletes across to Santa Eulalia City and back, before a final lap of 14.9km. There will be a testing mix of climbs, technical sections and head-down TT sections, before a fast and flat run with 7 laps of a 2.57km course around the historic Ibiza Old Town. Weaving into the World Heritage area of the city before finishing on the Port front. To see the pro course, visit the T100 website here. 

Age Groupers taking on the 100km challenge will face a similar challenge, starting with a 2km loop around the island “Illa de Ses Rates”. The bike course takes a slightly different route across the island compared to the professionals, consisting of 3 laps of 25km with a 2.3km link from T1 and back to T2, before concluding the race on a similar run course. See it here. 

As well as the professional and amateur 100km triathlon, the PTO has also introduced a range of open water sea swims – in keeping with its desire to encourage and cater for participants of all abilities and make the most of the idyllic surroundings. More details of further amateaur races will be released soon. 

“We are excited to announce these courses,” said Sam Renouf, CEO of the PTO, who have continued to work closely with both the Spanish Triathlon Federation (FETRI) and Ibiza to build on last year’s successful event. 

“We had stellar start lists in Ibiza last year with three Olympic champions – Jan Frodeno (2008), Alistair Brownlee (2012 & 2016) and Kristian Blummenfelt (2020) – taking part in the men’s race, and then all of the world’s top 10 PTO-ranked female athletes. But we expect the athlete start lists this year to be even stronger, due to the contracted T100 athletes who will need to join the start line in this fifth race of the new T100 series. For example, the appearance of Spanish superstar Javier Gómez Noya will be very much anticipated by a fervent home crowd.”

Responding on behalf of FETRI, its president José Hidalgo said: “In the Spanish Triathlon Federation we are very pleased to continue our partnership with the PTO and hold their new T100 races in Ibiza and also include our Middle Distance Spanish Cup at the 100km distance.”

The amateur 100km race over the weekend will include two fields. An Open event that anyone can race in, and then the Middle Distance Spanish Cup for Elite and Age Group categories, which includes a prize fund of more than €15,000 for the top individual finishers as well as for the best represented clubs.

There are limited places left for all the amateur events due to high demand, so you’re encouraged to register as soon as possible.

-ends- 

For Further Information: 

Anthony Scammell E: Anthony.Scammell@protriathletes.org

Daniel Márquez E: daniel.marquez@triatlon.org 

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of eight T100 races during 2024 that will be competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and will feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October), Dubai (16-17 November) and at the Grand Final (29-30 November). There will also be racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at six stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and at the Grand Final. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.

About FETRI 

The Spanish Triathlon Federation is responsible for promoting the sport of triathlon and paratriathlon in the country. Throughout more than 30 years, it has achieved multiple successes for Spanish sport, including nine World Championships, a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games and more than 30 victories in the World Series, amongst others. https://www.triatlon.org 

The post New Pro & Amateur Courses Revealed for Ibiza T100 Triathlon appeared first on PTO.

The Australian star, who is now three-from-three at PTO Tour events this year – and $245,000 richer because of it – overtook home-country hope Taylor Knibb in the closing stages to secure another incredible victory. In doing so, Gentle has confirmed her status as the world’s preeminent 100km racer.

You can watch the full replay of the women’s race now on PTO+ in all territories outside Europe and the Indian Subcontinent, where it will be available 48-hours after the race ended.

PTO US Open – How It Played Out

As predicted, Lucy Charles-Barclay was soon at the front in the water, Taylor Knibb the only athlete to stick on her feet. With the rest of the field strung out behind them, the Brit and American came out of the water for the mid-way Australian exit with a lead of 31 seconds to a group including Holly Lawrence, Ashleigh Gentle, Flora Duffy, Paula Findlay and Lisa Norden.

By the end of the swim, that lead had only increased, with Charles-Barclay and Knibb leaving the water in 27:01 (1:21/100m) one minute ahead of the chasers. Charles-Barclay stole a march of around 15 seconds on Knibb through T1 while the chase pack was led onto the seven-lap bike course by Holly Lawrence, 1:05 after Knibb.

At around 8km into the 80km course, Knibb surged past Charles-Barclay and began to put time into everyone on the course. During lap two, Charles-Barclay, who had already lost her race nutrition bottle from the rear of her bike, had a brief stop to address an issue with her electronic shifting, which had apparently overheated under the Texan sun.

By halfway through the bike, Knibb’s buffer was 1:51 to Charles-Barclay. In turn, the Brit had a 1:12 gap to the four chasers who’d detached themselves from the rest: Holly Lawrence, Paula Findlay, Flora Duffy and Lisa Norden, some 3:03 off the leader.

By the start of the final lap, Knibb’s lead was up to 3:04, Charles-Barclay holding steady at 2:08 ahead of the chase pack and losing a more time – now 5:13 behind Knibb. Meanwhile PTO Canadian Open winner Ashleigh Gentle was leading the second chase group, 6:19 from the front and 1:06 from the podium contenders ahead.

Showing no sign of weakness, Knibb pushed on to T2 and after a controlled transition, started the 18km, five-lap run with a lead of 3:42 to Lucy Charles-Barclay. 2:25 later (6:07 behind Knibb), Findlay, Duffy, Lawrence and Norden began the run shoulder to shoulder. However, it wasn’t long before Duffy, the double Commonwealth Champion upped the pace to take a clear third place on the course.

Ashleigh Gentle, eighth off the bike and 6:52 off the lead, stormed onto the final leg, quickly establishing herself as the fastest runner on the course. Soon, Duffy faltered while the Australian seemed unphased by the heat overtaking within the first 5km.

From there, Gentle continued to hunt her prey, overcoming her deficit to Lucy Charles-Barclay by 10km. Initially, it seemed the Aussie would run out of road to catch Knibb, but the American was reduced to a walk over a couple of short sections as the conditions took their toll.

Making the pass just before the 16km mark, Gentle had 2km of running to soak up the fact she would be taking a second consecutive PTO Open victory worth another $100,000. She crossed the line in 3:37:17 after a 1:04:59 run, which was four minutes faster than any other woman.

Knibb held on for second and $70,000 with a 3:38:32 finish while Lucy Charles-Barclay completed the podium in 3:40:31 to earn $50,000.

Holly Lawrence paced herself perfectly to stay in the hunt for big money, coming fourth in 3:43:37 to claim $40,000. Lisa Norden’s 3:44:49 finish was worth $35,000, the Swede pipping Olympic Champion Flora Duffy to round out the top five.

Podium Quotes

“I’m getting all emotional now,” said a jubilant Ashleigh Gentle. “It’s been a really good year – it’s been a lot of fun. I’ve definitely been enjoying the sport again. Thanks to the PTO for putting this on and giving us triathletes the opportunity to race these world-class events against world-class athletes. It’s a privilege to be here and I am just absolutely in shock.” 

On the race in the Texan heat, the PTO World #6 said: “I had to dig to the depths of myself for that one – that was really, really tough.  Seeing the group ride away was a little depressing but I just tried to keep my head in the game and hope that I could run into a good position. I absolutely did not expect to have run into the win.

“I’ve been telling myself the last couple of days that it is not that hot but it is very hot and I just tried to manage my pacing well. I guess it paid off.”

Second-place finisher, Taylor Knibb, the PTO World #7, was in pole position for much of the race and takes home $70,000. The 24-year-old American said: “I’m just so grateful to go to get to the finish line. I don’t know how I made it… I was just dying, overheating. I couldn’t move any faster. Like that was. I don’t know how I made the finish line. And that’s pretty much all I can say.”

The third-place getter, Lucy Charles-Barclay, was first out the water, hung tough on the bike, and ran strongly to take the final podium position and $50,000. The British star and PTO World #5 said: “That was absolutely brutal out there. And to anyone who is finishing this in these conditions, these ladies are just hard as nails. That was incredibly tough conditions to overcome. And yeah, I’m just happy to make the finish line, to be fair.

“I had my fair share of nightmares out there. Unfortunately, I was stuck in the hardest gear for the first two laps. I think the battery must have died or overheated and the mechanic gave me a new battery. Once we got that sorted, I felt up and running, but I had lost my nutrition… this is not the environment where you want to lose your nutrition. So I just had to keep my head, try and get as much nutrition on board and tough it out on that bike psychologically.

“I had to dig deep and find something. I mean, I’ve trained incredibly hard. So, you know, this is the moment that you’ve been working for. And when things don’t go quite right, you’ve just got to tough it out. And I think I’ve gained a lot just from overcoming those things going into my next races.”

Next Up – PTO US Open Men’s Race

If you’re in Europe or the Indian Subcontinent, you can watch LIVE exclusively on Eurosport or GCN+. Highlights and race replays will be available 48 hours after the race in these regions via PTO+.

If you’re in the rest of the world, you can watch LIVE on PTO+ with pre-race coverage including countdown shows and press conferences also available on the same platform.

You can also watch live on a selection of regional television broadcasters. Check the full list of broadcasters here.

Men’s Pro Race – Sunday 18 September

• 14:30 CDT (Local)
• 12:30 PDT
• 15:30 EDT
• 19:30 UTC
• 20:30 BST
• 21:30 CET

The post Ashleigh Gentle Wins PTO US Open In Texas Heat appeared first on PTO.

As the inaugural year of the PTO Tour comes to a close at the PTO US Open in Dallas, there’s one last chance for the world’s best professionals to fight it out for one of the sport’s biggest prize purses of $1m. As invitation events where the top 40 PTO World Ranked athletes are offered slots – with roll-downs to the top 50 plus a handful of wildcards – even in their first year, PTO Tour events have made a huge impact on the landscape of pro triathlon.

As a selection of the world’s best descends upon Texas, here are 10 of the top-ranked athletes to look out for – as well as a certain Olympic Champion!

PTO US Open Women’s Race – Ones To Watch

In the women’s race, Kat Matthews (PTO World #4) is the highest-ranked starter. The Brit has had a spectacular year so far, coming second at the Ironman world champs in St. George and being the first woman to ever crack eight hours for the full distance at the Sub7Sub8 project. While she had an off day at the Collins Cup, 70.3 wins in Lanzarote and Swansea show she’s got the middle-distance goods too.

Lucy Charles-Barclay (PTO World #5) takes the next step in her comeback following her recent World Triathlon Long Distance Championship title. All eyes will be on the Brit in her first PTO Tour appearance and with the 2km swim, the Brit could do some real damage on the first leg. Don’t be surprised to see her hold that lead right to the finish either.

Ashleigh Gentle (PTO World #6) is coming off a big victory at the PTO Canadian Open and a strong match-winning performance at the Collins Cup. The Aussie seems to have found her niche at the 100km distance and is surely the athlete with the biggest target on her back in Dallas. If she’s anywhere near the front at the start of the run, she’ll likely bag the win here, too.

Taylor Knibb (PTO World #7) is another athlete on the comeback trail. With little racing since her win in Oceanside in April, the US athlete will have to work hard to command the field as she’s done in the past. That said, if she’s back to full fitness, Knibb could dominate here with a blistering bike and strong run.

Paula Findlay (PTO World #9) is an athlete in scintillating form this season. Happy and healthy, there are few who can match the Canadian, exemplified by her second place at the PTO Canadian Open – taking the pressure of a home-city race in her stride – and an emphatic match victory at the Collins Cup. Findlay has cemented her status as a star for the big occasions who could shine again at the US Open.

Holly Lawrence (PTO World #11) is a classy middle-distance specialist who possesses all the swim, bike and run power needed to fight for the win in Dallas. Sixth at the PTO Canadian Open and a match winner at the Collins Cup, the Brit looks fit, fast and ready for a top performance in Texas.

In a short space of time, Fenella Langridge (PTO World #13) has rocketed up the rankings by establishing herself as a fearless all-rounder, garnering great results across middle and long-distance races. Second at Challenge Roth in July but with a DNF at the PTO Canadian Open, if the Brit’s at her middle-distance best, she’s certainly a podium contender.

Jackie Hering (PTO World #15) is another middle-distance specialist lining up in Dallas. Having suffered a bout of Covid that stopped her from showing her best at the Collins Cup, the American will be looking to put in the powerful bike-run combo that has seen her take many a win.

A long-course specialist, Ruth Astle (PTO World #17) recently took her first middle-distance podium with second behind Kat Matthews at 70.3 Swansea and also clocked a top-five at 70.3 Elsinore. An uber biker if ever there were one, Astle could play a key role in pulling the race back together on two wheels.

Jocelyn McCauley (PTO World #18) is a long-distance weapon but that didn’t stop her from displaying a great performance over 100km at the Collins Cup – coming second to Holly Lawrence. A replication of her solid swim and rocketing bike split there could equate to a strong overall finish for the American on home soil.

Flora Duffy is a wildcard contender at the PTO US Open but with nine world titles and her Olympic win in Tokyo, no-one will be underestimating the Bermudian. Duffy didn’t excel over 100km at the Collins Cup but the lapped course in Dallas should be much better suited to this short-course legend’s skillset.

PTO US Open – Pro Women Full Start List

How To Watch

If you’re in Europe or the Indian Subcontinent, you can watch LIVE exclusively on Eurosport or GCN+. Pre-race coverage including countdown shows and press conference can be viewed free on PTO+. Highlights and race replays will be available 48 hours after the race in these regions via PTO+.

If you’re in the rest of the world, you can watch LIVE on PTO+ with pre-race coverage including countdown shows and press conferences also available on the same platform.

You can also watch live on a selection of regional television broadcasters. Check the full list of broadcasters here.

Live Event Timings

Pro Press Conference – Friday 16 September

• 11:00 CDT (Local)
• 09:00 PDT
• 12:00 EDT
• 16:00 UTC
• 17:00 BST
• 18:00 CET

Women’s Pro Race – Saturday 17 September

• 11:30 CDT (Local)
• 09:30 PDT
• 12:30 EDT
• 16:30 UTC
• 17:30 BST
• 18:30 CET

Men’s Pro Race – Sunday 18 September

• 14:30 CDT (Local)
• 12:30 PDT
• 15:30 EDT
• 19:30 UTC
• 20:30 BST
• 21:30 CET

The post PTO US Open Women’s Race Preview appeared first on PTO.

As the last PTO Tour event of the year, the inaugural PTO US Open in Dallas is a key race – both for athletes seeking to shore up their PTO World Rankings and those searching for a big payday before the season’s end.

The men’s race is stacked with stellar swimmers, standout cyclists and rapid runners, all set to do battle in the heat and humidity of Dallas. Here are 10 of the top-ranked athletes to look out for – as well as an Aussie wildcard who’s bound to feature!

PTO US Open Men’s Race – Ones To Watch

In the men’s race, Magnus Ditlev (PTO World #3) is the top-ranked starter – and with good reason. The Dane’s performance in winning Challenge Roth this year was just nine seconds shy of Jan Frodeno’s world best – and on a slower version of that course with a non-wetsuit swim. While he’s certainly long-distance focused right now, Ditlev’s more than seven-minute domination of his Collins Cup match-up shows he can still rock the 100k!

Lionel Sanders (PTO World #4) is a favourite at any race where he toes the line and Dallas will be no exception. With his modus operandi back to smashing the bike leg as hard as possible and engaging beast mode on the run, expect him to come through strong – just as he did in winning his Collins Cup match-up against Sam Long and Sam Laidlow.

Despite being in the final match at the Collins Cup, with tougher wind conditions and the win already secured for Team Europe, Daniel Baekkegard (PTO World #6) destroyed the competition to earn a full six points. Unable to race the PTO Canadian Open due to illness, expect the current 70.3 European Champion to feature from start to finish.

Florian Angert (PTO World #7) is a truly well-rounded athlete who will be up there from the gun. The German missed out on Collins Cup selection due to Team Europe’s domination of the top of the world rankings but secured second place at the World Triathlon Long Distance Championships in Samorin the same weekend showing he’s in stellar shape.

Sam Long (PTO World #11) is the top-ranked American on home soil. 2022 started well for Long before he come unstuck a little after being hit by a car just before St. George. There followed a less than dominant display around a selection of European races before coming back strong at 70.3 Gydnia and the Collins Cup, where he battled shoulder to shoulder with Sanders. Now thriving back in the US, don’t be surprised to see another Sanders-Long dual on the streets of Dallas.

Rudy Von Berg (PTO World #12) took his first full-distance win in France earlier this year but was bested by Ditlev to the tune of seven-plus minutes at the Collins Cup. The American will want to put that behind him and use his all-around swim, bike, run ability to secure a top finish at the PTO US Open.

Since winning IM Des Moines in June, Matt Hanson (PTO World #14) has struggled to fire at PTO events, coming 22nd in the PTO Canadian Open and being roundly beaten into second place at the Collins Cup – though, to be fair, that was by PTO World #2 Gustav Iden who’s yet to lose a middle-distance race. With the lure of becoming the first-ever PTO US Open Champion, watch for Hanson shooting up the order during the run – the question is whether he’ll run out of real estate to reach the front.

Jackson Laundry (PTO World #15) is another class performer in Dallas with something to prove. Having started the year strong – beating Lionel Sanders, Rudy Von Berg and Alistair Brownlee at 70.3 Oceanside – the Canadian didn’t show his true potential at either the PTO Canadian Open (19th) or the Collins Cup. After two sub-par performances, which Laundry admitted stung him, look for a big comeback at the PTO US Open.

In 100km racing, there’s little room for weakness and on paper, Ben Kanute (PTO World #17) has the swim, bike, run combo to fight for the top spot. That said, he’s another athlete who struggled at the PTO Canadian Open (28th) and came last in his match-up at the Collins Cup. That was against PTO World #1 Kristian Blummenfelt and Olympic Bronze medallist Hayden Wilde though, so he was certainly an underdog there and that could help him fly under the radar in Dallas.

Sam Laidlow (PTO World #19) was a stand-out performer in the PTO Canadian Open, coming fourth despite suffering cramps on the run. He had a torrid time at the Collins Cup with stomach issues and will want to prove that he deserves to be among this esteemed company. A strong swimmer, expect the Frenchman to play a part throughout the race.

Aaron Royle (PTO World #40) might not (yet) but a top-ranked athlete, but this recent short-course convert came third in the PTO Canadian Open and won his Collins Cup match-up. Seemingly already a specialist at the 100km distance don’t be surprised if the Aussie is standing atop the podium at the end of the day.

PTO US Open – Pro Men Full Start List

How To Watch

If you’re in Europe or the Indian Subcontinent, you can watch LIVE exclusively on Eurosport or GCN+. Pre-race coverage including countdown shows and press conference can be viewed free on PTO+. Highlights and race replays will be available 48 hours after the race in these regions via PTO+.

If you’re in the rest of the world, you can watch LIVE on PTO+ with pre-race coverage including countdown shows and press conferences also available on the same platform.

You can also watch live on a selection of regional television broadcasters. Check the full list of broadcasters here.

Live Event Timings

Pro Press Conference – Friday 16 September

• 11:00 CDT (Local)
• 09:00 PDT
• 12:00 EDT
• 16:00 UTC
• 17:00 BST
• 18:00 CET

Women’s Pro Race – Saturday 17 September

• 11:30 CDT (Local)
• 09:30 PDT
• 12:30 EDT
• 16:30 UTC
• 17:30 BST
• 18:30 CET

Men’s Pro Race – Sunday 18 September

• 14:30 CDT (Local)
• 12:30 PDT
• 15:30 EDT
• 19:30 UTC
• 20:30 BST
• 21:30 CET

The post PTO US Open Men’s Race Preview appeared first on PTO.

In the Collins Cup battle between Team Europe, Team US and Team International, it was the defending champions from Europe who prevailed on home soil. Winning eight of the 12 match-ups, Team Europe proved the continue to rule the sport of triathlon while a strong Team International passed the ignominious Broken Spokes trophy to Team US.

Team Europe got off to a stellar start with PTO World #1 Daniela Ryf, who, after racing while suffering shingles last, had the performance she was truly capable of to seal the fastest women’s time of the day, beating Olympic Champion Flora Duffy in the process.

Another key match-up was Kristian Blummenfelt’s domination – the PTO World #1 and Olympic, World Triathlon and Ironman World Champion adding the fastest time at the Collins Cup to his resume.

Much of the talk in the build-up to the 2022 edition of the Collins Cup race centred on the exchanges between Team Europe’s Sam Laidlow and Team US’s Sam Long – who had agreed to disagree as pre-match exchanges reached boiling point following the event’s Opening Ceremony.

That match provided compelling viewing as Sanders and Long wiped out a huge swim deficit to Laidlow on the bike before sealing the European’s fate on the run. From there, it was an epic shoulder-to-shoulder battle that could only be decided by an all-out sprint to the finish in which Sanders clinched victory for Team International.

The final scores were 53 for Team Europe, 38 for Team International and 22.5 for Team US. Team Europe took eight of 12 match wins with Team International coming first in the other four, meaning Team US failed to win a single match.

The 12 match-ups went head-to-head-to-head over 100km – a 2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run. Here is a rundown of how it played out in Samorin along with key quotes from the finish line.

Match 1

Daniela Ryf (EUR) vs Sarah True (US) vs Flora Duffy (INT)

After initially holding onto Flora Duffy’s feet, Daniela Ryf and Sarah True were left to swim together as Duffy motored away. That equalled a 25-second lead to Ryf and True out the water, a lead that extended to over 30 seconds thanks to Duffy’s swift transition.

Soon Ryf had Duffy in her sights while True couldn’t hold with the pace of the Team Europe athlete. By halfway through the bike leg, in classic Ryf style, the Swiss Miss was 1:39 ahead of the Olympic Champion with Sarah True almost three minutes behind. Ryf’s charge continued unchallenged, the PTO World #1 creating a seemingly insurmountable buffer of 5:37 to Duffy and 6:48 to True.

While Duffy did bite some time from her deficit at first, Ryf remained incredibly strong to win in 3:28:50, some 6:58 ahead of Duffy and 11:30 ahead of True to claim a full six points.

Score: EUR – 6 / US – 1 / INT – 3

Key Quote: Daniela Ryf

“It feels really amazing to be coming back after last year I could perform well in all three and feel like I’m a complete athlete again. When I got to the last km I heard it was 5s over 5 min so I pushed as hard as I could to try to get the max 6 points.

“Last year I raced while I was sick. I had blisters all over my legs, I had shingles and you obviously can’t race like that. This morning I went for a jog and my heart rate was about 30 beats lower than last year.”

Match 2

Laura Philipp (EUR) vs Chelsea Sodaro (US) vs Ashleigh Gentle (INT)

Mirroring Match 1, Ashleigh Gentle took the lead in the water with Chelsea Sodaro and Laura Philip tucked in closely behind. It wasn’t long before the Australian pulled ahead to create a margin of just over a minute after the 2km was done.

Philip had closed the gap to 40 seconds by 40km in, with Sodaro 3:12 behind. The German soon made the junction to Gentle and took the lead going on to press her advantage to 54 seconds by T2. Sodaro meanwhile was struggling at 10 minutes off the pace.

Gentle, winner of the recent PTO Canadian Open, quickly ran down the German and took back her lead. From there it was plain sailing for the Australian, going on to win in 3:30:51. Laura Philip managed to keep her deficit to 2:32 while Sodaro was over 15-minutes back.

Score: EUR – 3.5 / US – 1 / INT – 5

Match 3

Kat Matthews (EUR) vs Sky Moench (US) vs Paula Findlay (INT)

With Paula Findlay swimming to the front, Team International were once again leading in Match 3. The Canadian managed to eke out 21 seconds to Kat Matthews and a minute to Sky Moench. Findlay wasted no time on two wheels – piling on the pressure to create a gap to the chasers.

By halfway, Findlay had a lead of 2:03 to Matthews, who had Moench right behind her. That buffer continued to grow, Findlay running out of T2 with 4:22 in hand to Moench and 5:24 to Matthews, who appeared to be having less than her usual bike strength.

Findlay remained super strong throughout the 18km run to take the tape in 3:31:10, taking maximum points with a 6:46 lead to Matthews and 7:30 to Moench.

Score: EUR – 2 / US – 1 / INT – 6

Match 4

Nicola Spirig (EUR) vs Sophie Watts (US) vs Vittoria Lopes (INT)

With Lopes’ swimming pedigree, there was no doubt it would be pole position once again for Team International in the swim. The Brazilian came into T1 with a 25-second lead to double-Olympic medallist Nicola Spirig with Sophie Watts over two minutes behind.

In her last international triathlon competition, Nicola Spirig showed she wasn’t here to make up the numbers by charging to the front of her match and taking a lead of 2:24 to Lopes by halfway and 4:03 to Watts.

The Swiss superstar reached T2 with a lead of 4:49 to Watts and didn’t let up for a moment, rounding off her international career with a sensational win some 16:32 ahead of Lopes. Meanwhile, Watts was forced to withdraw.

Score: EUR – 6 / US – 1 / INT – 3.5

Key Quote: Nicola Spirig

“I was pretty nervous. I felt pretty good but didn’t know what to expect. I had the extra pressure from the team. I was nervous but came out of the water and was 25 seconds behind Lopes and knew I could make that.

“I was really keen to show I was the right pick and I deserved the spot and I’m really happy I’ve helped the team to have a good performance.

“I’m just happy to have a good performance in my last international race and it’s nice to go out like that.”

Match 5

Holly Lawrence (EUR) vs Jocelyn McCauley (US) vs Ellie Salthouse (INT)

Team Europe were first out of the water in Match 5, Holly Lawrence leading but with Team International’s Ellie Salthouse just six seconds behind. Team US’s Jocelyn McCauley – the second-fastest biker here last year – was only 1:04 down. The American continued to make inroads and took the lead just after the halfway mark. Lawrence managed to stick closely to McCauley, the pair dropping Salthouse convincingly.

Once on the run, it was Lawrence’s day. The Brit ruled the run to cross the line in 3:33:10, 4:33 ahead of McCauley and a massive 13:18 ahead of Salthouse, who had a tough race but pushed on to the end.

Score: EUR – 5.5 / US – 3.5 / INT – 1

Match 6

Anne Haug (EUR) vs Jackie Hering (US) vs Tamara Jewett (INT)

In perhaps one of the most evenly-weighted match-ups, there was nothing to separate Anne Haug, Jackie Hering and Tamara Jewett out of the water. That status quo remained throughout the bike, all three women entering transition within 15 seconds of one another.

From there Haug steadily moved away over the 18km, proving herself the sport’s best runner once again to cross the line in 3:33:57, 1:44 ahead of Jewett and 5:23 ahead of Hering.

Score: EUR – 4 / US – 1 / INT – 2.5

Key Quote: Anne Haug

“My main goal was to stick with the girls on the swim because I’m with them in T1 then everything is in my hands and it was. Jackie did a great job on the bike until the turning point and then I took control and then just wanted to run fast.”

Match 7

Kristian Blummenfelt (EUR) vs Ben Kanute (US) vs Hayden Wilde (INT)

With an expectation that Team US’s Ben Kanute would lead from the water, it was a little surprising to see Hayden Wilde right behind him and Olympic Champion Kristian Blummenfelt just five seconds behind.

While Kanute initially pushed the pace on the bike, he was never out of sight of his competitors. Blummenfelt took the lead around 50km in and didn’t look back, reaching T2 with a 1:45 buffer to Kanute and 5:05 for Wilde. Keeping the pressure on during the run leg, Blummenfelt’s lead ballooned while Wilde tracked down Kanute to move into second at around 8km in.

The Olympic Champion, Ironman World Champion and World Triathlon Champion stormed to victory in 3:09:19 setting a benchmark for the other men to follow. Wilde was over eight minutes behind with Kanute nearly 12 minutes back.

Score: EUR – 6 / US – 1 / INT – 2.5

Key Quote: Kristian Blummenfelt

“It’s tough to come from sprint distance to 100km but I knew that Hayden was one of the ones who could do it. That’s why I stayed behind until 50km or so on the bike because that’s when it starts to get hard and was super stoked with my run legs.

“The support out on the course was giving me a little bit more energy and it’s such a great place.”

Match 8

Sam Laidlow (EUR) vs Sam Long (US) vs Lionel Sanders (INT)

In a match that had courted controversy before even a toe was dipped in the water. Team Europe’s Sam Laidlow went out fast to immediately distance Sam Long and Lionel Sanders, scything through the water to create a lead of 3:17 after the 2km swim.

By halfway into the 80km bike, Laidlow was 2:37 ahead of Sanders who was sitting just in front of Long, the pair switching turns through. By 53km, the Frenchman’s lead was down to just 1:33 and still narrowing. By T2, Sanders and Long had Laidlow in their sights and indeed pushed past him in the first kilometer. From there Long and Sanders were running shoulder to shoulder as Laidlow was eventually forced to walk, clutching his stomach.

Long surged around halfway through the run to create a gap, but the elastic never truly snapped with Sanders getting back up to the American. In the end, it was a sprint finish between the pair that decided the match, Sanders outpacing Long as they entered the stadium to clinch the match in 3:12:25, Long just two seconds back.

Laidlow would eventually finish nearly 30 minutes behind, helped along by match 11’s Gustav Iden.

Score: EUR – 1 / US – 3.5 / INT – 4.5

Key Quote: Lionel Sanders

“Not bad for a couple of duathletes! It was deeply personal for me too. I told Sam, let’s put this guy in his place. I like Sam Laidlow but I think it got too personal, so I think we were on the same team on this one.

“This is totally next level. We were both here last year and it’s going in the right direction and we’re showing the world and people are excited about it.”

Key Quote: Sam Long

“I had absolutely no option but to back this up. The song in my head was Aretha Franklin R. E. S. P. E. C. T. When Lionel and I are working together the strategy is to inflict as much pain on each other as possible.

“Better just to do what you got to do and get the job done.

“I think he learnt his lesson here and think some respect is due but the race is done, we’ll have a beer and we’ll become friends and Sam will have to buy all of the rounds!”

Key Quote: Sam Laidlow

“I knew I’d come out with a lead on the swim but I got onto the bike and my stomach wasn’t taking on any nutrition. I don’t want to make excuses but it just wasn’t my day. Once I stopped for the toilet four or five times, towards the end I started to feel OK again so there’s still hope I guess!

“They beat me and were better today. There will be other races. I can’t predict how I would have done it if it wasn’t for that, they were just better guys today. I’m definitely hungry to have another shot, it’s just fuel to the fire. I’ll be back.

“I appreciated that [the embrace] and their respect. They’ve got more experience than me and achieved a lot more, so it was nice to share some kind words even after my failure.”

Match 9

Magnus Ditlev (EUR) vs Rudy Von Berg (US) vs Max Neumann (INT)

It was no surprise to see Aussie Max Neumann lead from the water with Team US’s Rudy Von Berg right behind. What was a surprise was the stellar swim of Team Europe’s Magnus Ditlev, the Danish superstar just 18-seconds adrift.

Ditlev was in the lead by 20km into the bike and had built a gap of 1:26 by halfway to Von Berg and 3:38 to Neumann. The Dane’s advantage was 3:49 at the start of the run, a lead that would only grow. By 9km in, Ditlev was over five minutes clear of the American with Neumann struggling more than 12 minutes back.

Continuing to stride towards the finish, Ditlev crossed the line in 3:13:31, taking maximum points 7:20 ahead of Von Berg and 11:20 ahead of Neumann.

Score: EUR – 6 / US – 3 / INT – 1

Match 10

Patrick Lange (EUR) vs Jason West (US) vs Aaron Royle (INT)

Aaron Royle was another Team International athlete to create a gap in the water, the Aussie besting Patrick Lange and Jason West by nearly two-and-a-half minutes. By halfway, that lead was still holding at 2:39 to Lange (who had a 10-second penalty due to crossing the bike mount line early) and 3:28 to West.

By T2, Royle had edged out his lead to Lange while West lost more time, coming off the bike more than six minutes down. Showcasing the talent that had bagged him a Captains’ Pick for Team International, Royle cruised ahead while Lange suffered, West gaining moving to second after halfway.

Royle stormed to a powerful win in 3:17:30, 4:52 ahead of West with Lange bringing it in – Team Europe’s victory confirmed – 6:24 behind.

Score: EUR – 1 / US – 2 / INT – 5.5

Key Quote: Aaron Royle

“I think especially for me I prefer a bit of a dynamic course where there are some hills so it made for a really hard day. I knew I had to swim hard which I did and when I put myself in that position I knew there’s no looking back now. At times it’s just playing with your mind that you’re starting to slow down or they’ll start catching you. And thinking they are catching you when you turn around on those long straights and seem closer than they are.”

Match 11

Gustav Iden (EUR) vs Matt Hanson (US) vs Jackson Laundry (INT)

Gustav Iden and Matt Hanson were neck and neck in the water, keeping Team US in the game. Meanwhile, Jackson Laundry was 1:27 behind – a rare slower swim for Team International. It didn’t take long for Iden to assert his dominance – 1:23 ahead at 20km, 2:21 at 40km and 4:57 by the dismount line.

On the run, he was imperious, his natural running style propelling him to maximum points. Along the way, Iden collected fellow Team Europe member Sam Laidlow, who’d rallied to hold with the Norwegian’s pace.

Iden took the tape in 3:11:32, the winning streak of his lucky hat intact, 7:46 ahead of Hanson and 21:16 ahead of Laundry, who fought valiantly to reach the finish line.

Score: EUR – 6 / US – 3.5 / INT – 1

Match 12

Daniel Baekkegard (EUR) vs Chris Leiferman (US) vs Braden Currie (INT)

True to form, Daniel Baekkegard put in a storming swim to give himself an advantage of 42 seconds to Braden Currie and 3:01 to Chris Leiferman.

From there, it was a solo day for the Dane, who ripped through the bike course to extend his advantage to 5:14 and 9:12 on the Team International and Team US athletes respectively.

There was no way back for Baekkegard’s competitors during the 18km run as the Team Europe athlete didn’t let up for a second to ensure maximum points in the final match. Baekkegard crossed the finish line to close out the Collins Cup in 3:13:52, 7:48 ahead of Currie and 10:49 clear of Leiferman.

Score: EUR – 6 / US – 1 / INT – 2.5

Final Results

Team Europe: 53
Team International: 38
Team US: 22.5

Watch Replay and Highlights

You can relive every moment of the Collins Cup via PTO+. Check out the full replay or highlights now.

The next leg of the PTO Tour will see the top-ranked PTO World Ranked athletes battling each other – and the elements – in the heat of Dallas, Texas, for the first-ever PTO US Open on 17-18 September.

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The inaugural PTO Canadian Open promised to take the sport to the next level and just as with the women’s race, the men’s event delivered all the action, thrills and emotion to take triathlon up a notch. With a $1m prize purse and $100,000 on the line for the winner, it was a hotly fought contest with the world’s best athletes fighting it out for victory.

How It Played Out

Henri Schoeman – a wildcard entry to this race making a bid for a Collins Cup slot – quickly formed the point of the spear in the swim. The South African broke away to lead a pack of six including Australian wildcard Aaron Royle (PTO World #100), the USA’s Ben Kanute (PTO World #18), GBR’s Alistair Brownlee, France’s Sam Laidlow (PTO World #20) and New Zealand’s Kyle Smith (PTO World #25).

Pre-race favourites Kristian Blummenfelt (PTO World #1) and Gustav Iden (PTO World #3) were in the second pack, over a minute behind by the end of the swim along with Frederic Funk (PTO World #28). Meanwhile, Canadian favourite Lionel Sanders mounted his bike with 4:06 to make up, having been dropped in the swim and putting in the day’s slowest transition.

Brownlee quickly found the front on the bike and began putting the chasers under pressure with Sam Laidlow the only athlete to hold with the Brit. By halfway on the bike, Laidlow and Brownlee had a lead of 47 seconds to Smith with Iden and Blummenfelt now sat in fourth and fifth at 1:32 back, beginning to eat into their deficit. Sanders had lost more time at 4:13 but having moved up from 34th to 20th on the course.

Iden continued to push the pedals hard in the bike’s closing stages, reducing the deficit to the leaders to 1:02 as he ran out of transition having brought Blummenfelt and Funk along for the ride, with Royle another 20 seconds back in sixth and Sanders in 11th with 3:19 to make up.

Laidlow began the run at a ferocious pace, immediately dropping the British double-Olympic champion. Behind, Iden and Blummenfelt were running shoulder-to-shoulder taking chunks of time out of the leaders. Before long, Alistair Brownlee was reduced to a walk as he grimaced holding his sides. The Yorkshireman would battle gamely on but end the day in 24th place.

After the Norwegian pair overtook Laidlow, the drama continued as early in the second lap as Blummentfelt suddenly stopped running holding a cramp in his hip. He would get going again but the world number one would lose around 1:30 to his countryman in the process.

Then, another victim of cramp – Laidlow was forced to hobble to the nearest Precision Fuel and Hydration station before being able to pick the pace up again.

Coming onto the final lap, Iden remained in the lead but a recovered Blummenfelt was running quicker, steadily closing the gap. Royle was in third, three minutes down, with Laidlow in fourth and Pieter Heemeryck in fifth ahead of Funk. Meanwhile, Sanders, off the bike in 11th, was up to seventh.

Hitting the finishing straight, Iden broke into a smile, high-fiving fans to take the tape only to collapse exhausted to the ground, $100,000 richer and the first-ever PTO Canadian Open Champion.

Blummenfelt was second, only 27 seconds behind – securing $70,000 and a Norwegian one-two. Aaron Royle took third and a $50,000 paycheck – a big statement to the Team Internationals Collins Cup captains. 

Laidlow hung tough for fourth and $40,000 while Funk’s late surge put him in fifth to take $35,000 ahead of Heemeryck’s sixth-place, $30,000 finish – all three attention-grabbing performances making selection tough for the Team Europe Collins Cup captains.

Sanders finished the day in seventh place, battling on through a less-than-perfect day to take home $25,000.

Remaining places and prize money 

• 8th – Max Neumann – $20,000
• 9th – Kyle Smith – $18,000
• 10th – Miki Taagholt – $16,000
• 11th – Collin Chartier – $14,000
• 12th – Sebastian Kienle – $13,000
• 13th – Clement Mignon – $12,000
• 14th – Matt McElroy – $11,000
• 15th – Filipe Azevedo – $10,000
• 16th – Pablo Dapena Gonzalez – $9,000
• 17th – David McNamee – $8,000
• 18th – Thomas Steger – $7,000
• 19th – Jackson Laundry – $6,000
• 20th – Jason West – $5,000

All other athletes – $2,000

Watch The Full Replay

You can watch the full race replay on PTO+ (available from Tuesday evening in Europe and the Indian Subcontinent.

The post Gustav Iden Wins First Ever PTO Canadian Open appeared first on PTO.

With one of the strongest women’s fields ever assembled, the PTO Canadian Open promised stellar performances and didn’t disappoint with Paula Findlay dominating the bike and Ashleigh Gentle smashing the run to take the tape ahead of the Canadian. Meanwhile, Chelsea Sodaro finished strong in a tightly-fought battle to claim the final podium spot.

How It Played Out

In the swim, Vittoria Lopes quickly found the front, creating a gap on the second pack including Sarah Perez Sala (PTO World #22), Lauren Brandon (PTO World #53), Julie Derron (World #48) and Ashleigh Gentle (PTO World #17). 

Continuing to push the swim hard, Lopes had a significant lead but accidentally cut one of the swim buoys meaning she incurred a 30 second penalty. Even so, the Brazilian had clear water behind her and headed onto the bike and out of transition in pole position after a 27:26 swim.

By the end of lap one on the bike, Paula Findlay (PTO World #10) had moved from 10th to second with Lopes in sight. Findlay, recent winner of the Canadian National Time Trial Championships, was soon leading and pushing hard to distance all competitors.

With 40km done, Findlay came through transition with a smile, her lead was 1:06 to Gentle, Ellie Salthouse (PTO World #23), Nicola Spirig (PTO World #15) and Lopes. Further back, PTO World #8 Emma Pallant-Browne, a pre-race favourite, was forced out of the race with a front flat tyre. Meanwhile, Jocelyn McCauley (PTO World #21) was riding alone 2:08 back with Laura Philipp (PTO World #3) at 2:40 behind Findlay.

By the end of lap three, Findlay was enjoying a lead of 1:34 to the same pack of chasers, McCauley and Philipp losing a few more seconds. As she returned to a cheering crowd at the end of the 80km bike course, the Canadian’s buffer was up to two minutes over Jocelyn McCauley, who bossed the bike to reach T2 in second.

Over the four-lap 18km run, Findlay held a strong pace but Ashleigh Gentle – in second by 1.3km – was the fastest mover on the course. While Findlay wasn’t slowing, Gentle was on a flyer catching the Canadian around 7km in.

Behind, Laura Philipp was up into third place but looked to be working hard. Meanwhile, Chelsea Sodaro (PTO World #20), 10th off the bike, was ripping through the field and came right up to Philipp’s shoulder by 14km in.

Gentle, looking imperious, continued to drive her advantage, coming home in 3:30:53 with a 1:03:17 run – the day’s fastest – to become the inaugural PTO Canadian Open Champion and claim the $100,000 first-place prize purse. Starting the race as PTO World #17, this historic win is sure to boost her standing and secure an automatic qualification spot on Team Internationals for the Collins Cup, which is set for 20 August in Slovakia.

Feeding off the home crowd, Findlay finished second in 3:33:16, high-fiving the roaring fans to secure second place and take $70,000 – far more than the win in virtually any other race. In doing so, the Canadian secured the one-two for Team Internationals – hinting that they could pose a bigger threat at this year’s Collins Cup than in 2021, when the team received the Broken Spoke for coming third.

In the final 500m, Sodaro put her track-running background to great effect in breaking away from Philipp to take the final podium spot in 3:34:56 and a cheque for $50,000. That superb run performance from the Team US athlete should also worry Team Europe at the Collins Cup!

Philipp finished fourth to earn $40,000 while short-course star Julie Derron came fifth – throwing her hat in the ring for a Team Europe Captains’ Pick at the Collins Cup and taking away $35,000.

Remaining places and prize money 

• 6th – Holly Lawrence – $30,000
• 7th – Vittoria Lopes – $25,000
• 8th – Ellie Salthouse – $20,000
• 9th – Sophie Watts – $18,000
• 10th – Nicola Spirig – $16,000
• 11th – Jocelyn McCauley – $14,000
• 12th – Jackie Hering – $13,000
• 13th – Tamara Jewett – $12,000
• 14th – Skye Moench – $11,000
• 15th – Rach McBride – $10,000
• 16th – Pamella Oliveira – $9,000
• 17th – India Lee – $8,000
• 18th – Lotte Wilms – $7,000
• 19th – Nikki Bartlett – $6,000
• 20th – Luisa Baptista – $5,000

All other athletes – $2,000

Pro Women On The Race

Ashleigh Gentle

“I just had the most amazing day today,” said Gentle. “It hasn’t been the easiest two or three years and I’m just grateful for all of the people that kept believing in me. I’m really proud of myself.

“I didn’t start the sport of triathlon because of money but I have bills to pay, I’m an adult and the opportunity that the PTO has given us here is one I’m incredibly grateful for.”

Paula Findlay

“Honestly racing at home I was more nervous than I’ve ever been, more nervous than the Olympics or anything because I had all this support behind me and I didn’t want to disappoint anyone,” said Findlay.

“I knew I was fit, I knew I was healthy but you never know what’s going to happen on the day… of course I wanted to win, but there couldn’t be a more deserving champion. Ash is such a classy runner and I’m just so happy I could hold on for second.

“Seeing all my family and friends on the course and my mom – putting this race on and how much work she’s done just to get all this together – is amazing. So thanks to Do North for setting this up and just having a safe race, PTO for putting this on – it’s such an honour to race at home and I had the most fun ever.”

Chelsea Sodaro

“For context, I have really struggled with my mental health, actually, since having my daughter 16 months ago,” said Sodaro. “I keep on thinking, ‘I’m good!’ and then I have these little moments where I realise I am human and it’s still something that I need to work on. 

“I had a full-blown panic attack during the first lap of the swim. I seriously contemplated dropping out during that lap and then I was like, ‘Just make it another lap, just make it another lap.’”

It was Sodaro’s run that really made the difference today. “This is the first time honestly I have felt like myself since giving birth while running. I used to be a pretty good runner and I just think it’s finally coming back so I am truly shocked that I am on the podium today… I hope that I made my little baby super proud today.”

Speaking about her motherhood and the PTO Maternity Policy, Sodaro added: “I found out about the maternity policy when I was five or six months pregnant… it actually made me quite emotional because it’s 2022 but we still have so far to go in the way that we support women.”

“But this initiative – it says that the PTO cares about women, it cares about female athletes, it cares about keeping us in the sport and seeing us through all the phases of our athletic career… Women peak in our mid to late 30s in this long stuff and so we need the opportunity to be able to stay in the sport and we shouldn’t have to choose between being world-class athletes and being moms – we can do both, we just need some support.”

Men’s Race – 24 July

You can watch the men’s race today at 12:30 local time (18:30 UTC). If you’re in Europe or the Indian Subcontinent, you can watch live exclusively on Eurosport 1, viewers around the rest of the world can watch directly on PTO+, which is available as an iOS or Android app or directly in your web browser.

The post Ashleigh Gentle Wins PTO Candian Open appeared first on PTO.

As in the women’s race, the men will fight it out for a chunk of the massive $1m prize purse. As Kristian Blummenfelt said in the Race Week video series – for the winner it’s 100k for $100k.

Live coverage of the race starts at 12:30am local time (18:30 UTC). If you’re in Europe or the Indian Subcontinent, the race will be broadcast live exclusively on Eurosport. For the rest of the world, you can watch either via desktop or app on PTO+. Check out our How To Watch page for full listings.

As well as deep competition with one of the best fields we’ve ever seen lining up, the race course itself will add a huge challenge on the bike once the athletes leave the water after 2km in Hawrelak Park Lake. Technical with four laps featuring tight turns, sharp climbs and fast descents, there isn’t a moment of let-up or the chance for athletes to get their heads down over the 80km course. On the run, it’s four laps again, the mixed terrain and wooded setting providing a beautifully fast finish.

The men’s race has an abundance of talent, all striving to clinch the first PTO Tour title in history. Here’s a run-down of some of the highest-ranked athletes to watch out for.

PTO World #1 Kristian Blummenfelt has almost conquered triathlon in just two seasons. The Olympic Champion, IM world champ and World Triathlon Champion will be seeking to add the PTO Canadian Open to his prestigious palmares.

Fellow Norwegian Gustav Iden (PTO World #3) is likely to be Blummenfelt’s biggest competition. The two-time 70.3 world champion and PTO 2020 Championship winner is undefeated at middle distance racing. “It’s not like you forget you’re friends out there,” said Iden of his training partner during the press conference. “But I think the will to win is quite strong in both of us. So I don’t think we’ll give each other too much slack towards the end of the race. I guess, at the start, maybe, but when things get really tough towards the last few Ks of the run, I think all logic just goes out the window and you just want to finish first.”

Lionel ‘No Limits’ Sanders (PTO World #5) might be Canadian but he trains ‘Norwegian style’ under coach Mikal Iden (brother of Gustav). He was clear what beating Iden and Blummenfelt would mean to him: “These guys to my right – and Brownlee as well, obviously – are the best guys in the world, truly. So it would mean more than anything I’ve accomplished in my career, most definitely.

“It’s not that fun finishing second, I’ve got lots of seconds. I would like to be gunning for the win so there’s only one way to do it and it’s to absolutely destroy the bike. Yes the back-half of the run gets extremely painful because of it, but that’s part of the game plan.”

Matt Hanson moved up to PTO World #10 after a sensation race at IM Des Moines where the US athlete showed he could bike with the best of them, taking the day’s fastest split. Add in the astonishing run pace he showed at the PTO 2020 Championship and Hanson is not one to be underestimated.

Jackson Laundry (PTO World #17) will be wanting to take the top spot and beat fellow Canadian Sanders into the bargain. He’s already achieved that feat once this season at 70.3 Oceanside, so the rest of the field is sure to watch him closely in this home-soil race.

Ben Kanute (PTO World #18) is one of the sport’s most versatile athletes and is sure to feature throughout the day. A veteran of World Triathlon competition – and the technical ability that goes with it – the course could suit Kanute perfectly making him a real threat.

The depth of field far from stops there with up-and-comer Sam Laidlow (PTO World #20) knocking on the door of a world-beating performance, plus the triple threat from down under of Australia’s Max Neumann (PTO World #23), Sam Appleton (PTO World #24) and Kiwi Kyle Smith (PTO World #25).

Viewers should also keep an eye out for South Africa’s Henri Schoeman – an all-around star with a super swim who’s also an Olympic medallist.

While he’s not highly ranked right now having not raced for a while, no-one will be underestimating double Olympic Champion Alistair Brownlee, who was a late entrant to the event. “I feel healthy, although maybe not that fit,” said Brownlee. “I’m absolutely delighted to be here. I’m happy to be injury free and looking forward to racing as hard as I can and just enjoying it. I also think it’s a great opportunity to support this first event of the PTO Tour, which I think is a fantastic project and I felt like it was important to be here from that aspect as well.

“I’ve been a triathlete since I was eight years old and when I was 16 I remember [being] sat in a careers class in school… you’re going along the table: I want to be a brain surgeon, I want to be a lawyer or whatever, and I said, ‘I want to be a professional triathlete,’ and the teacher said, ‘Is that even possible, boy?’ And I said, ‘I don’t know to be honest but I’m going to give it a go.

“Nearly 20 years later, I have managed to be a professional triathlete. But still, I think there’s a long way that triathlon can go in terms of commercialising the sport and providing opportunities for exposure and earning for elite athletes, especially in the long-distance side of it. There are some phenomenal athletes and I think there are great stories to be told, there are great athletes to watch and for fans to follow and there needs to be a format to do that. I think the PTO is bringing that and pushing up every other organisation’s game around it.”

That covers just a few of the men lining up in Edmonton with plenty more who’re sure to factor into race proceedings. Check out the full men’s start list below to see the full field vying to be called the PTO Canadian Open champion.

The post PTO Canadian Open: Men’s Race Preview appeared first on PTO.

With 32 of the world’s top-ranked women battling to earn a slice of the $1m prize purse – the winner will earn a cool $100,000 – plus the chance to take a historical first-ever PTO Tour title, there’s a lot on the line this weekend.

Live coverage of the race starts at 10:30am local time (16:30 UTC). If you’re in Europe or the Indian Subcontinent, the race will be broadcast live exclusively on Eurosport. For the rest of the world, you can watch either via desktop or app on PTO+. Check out our How To Watch page for full listings.

The race course is far from straightforward with laps, hills and sharp turns to contend with. After the three-lap 2km swim in Hawrelak Park Lake, it’s on to an unforgiving four-lap bike course that’ll test athletes’ ability to climb, descend, corner and maintain focus. With few chances to find a rhythm, we could see a different dynamic during the bike leg than is typical on less technical courses. The run is also four laps, the flat, out-and-back course giving chasers plenty of opportunities to judge their gains as they close on the leaders.

The women’s race boasts one of the deepest fields ever assembled. Here’s a run-down of some of the highest-ranked athletes to watch out for.

Topping the list is PTO World #3 Laura Philipp. Nothing short of an absolute racing machine, the German star set a new world-best time for the 70.3 distance in March and came achingly close to doing the same at the full distance in Hamburg last month. Forced to sit out the IM world champs due to Covid, Philipp is raring to take a big title and is certainly a race favourite.

Next up is PTO World #7 Skye Moench who races for the USA but actually began life in Canada. Though more attuned to the full distance, Moench’s sheer power means she remains a threat in any race.

Britain’s Emma Pallant-Browne (PTO World #8) is one of the best middle-distance athletes the sport has ever seen and has already clocked four wins this season. “It’s an incredible event, an incredible thing to be a part of the first one,” said Pallant-Browne during the Canadian Open press conference. “To win… I don’t think there are many words to describe it. The quality of the fields here – there’s so many people with so much potential and it’s going to make for a really exciting event.”

Jeanni Metzler (PTO World #9) proved herself a stellar racer with a savage run in 2021. The South African is on the comeback trail after striving to overcome mental health issues during the winter but that doesn’t make her any less a danger to the competition.

Paula Findlay (PTO World #10) hails from Edmonton – her mother, Sheila is the race director! – so this hometown hero has both the pressure and confidence which comes with that. “I’m trying not to let [the pressure] really get to me and try to use it more as excitement than nerves,” said Findlay at the press conference. “It’s really cool to be back in Edmonton… I know the roads really well and it’s really fun to see my face and Lionel’s face all over the city on the banners… and I’m just trying to use that to get me excited to race.

“I think it’s a really unique course. It’s very technical… it kind-of looks like a World Cup ITU circuit with lots of corners, lots of climbing, lots of descending. So I think it’ll make for an interesting race and no-one knows what to expect so it’s a cool course.” Indeed, Findlay’s background in short-course racing gives her even more of an edge this weekend.

Beyond these top-five-ranked athletes, the depth-in-strength just keeps rolling. There’s Fenella Langridge, up to PTO World #11 after a stellar second-place performance in Roth. 

Meanwhile, Jackie Hering (PTO World #12) will be gunning for the top spot but is keenly aware of the quality of field this first PTO Tour event has attracted. “I’m not going to lie, there’s an extremely intimidating list of people at this race,” said Hering. “I just think it’s amazing the amount of Olympians and champions… But it’s important for me to try not to think about that and just focus on my own race and controlling how I execute my race, which I do feel confident in doing, and just not worry about everyone else.”

Other athletes to contend with include Holly Lawrence (PTO World #13); double Olympic medallist Nicola Spirig (PTO World #15) and Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle (PTO World #17) whose recent move from World Triathlon racing to long course should make her one to watch in Edmonton.

That’s only the top-10 seeded athletes in the race and there are plenty more for whom a podium place wouldn’t be a surprise! Check out the full women’s start list below to see all the athletes ready to duke it out in Edmonton.

The post PTO Canadian Open: Women’s Race Preview appeared first on PTO.

Backing up an incredibly strong women’s start list for the PTO Canadian Open, the men’s field by no means disappoints with the upper echelons of the male PTO World Rankings ready to do battle in Edmonton!

On Sunday 24 July it will be the men’s turn to do battle for a share of the $1m prize purse on offer as well as a 10% PTO points bonus on offer – a factor that could prove crucial as the event is also the last qualifying race for this year’s Collins Cup. This year’s Collins Cup qualification could prove even more competitive than last year’s so every point is going to fought for tooth and nail. 

PTO World #1 Kristian Blummenfelt is the highest-ranked athlete set to start and will be joined by his Norwegian counterpart, colleague and competitor Gustav Iden (PTO World #2). This will be the first time that the two get to battle it out in a long-distance setting having previously chosen different races to each other or mechanical issues putting a stop to any all-out racing. 

The Norwegian pair will also have the likes of the lion Lionel Sanders (PTO World #3) to contend with over the 100km course and he is hungry to take the Norwegians down a peg or two. Then comes a flurry of European stars all of whom will be targeting a spot of Team Europe at The Collins Cup; Daniel Bækkegård (PTO World #5), Patrick Lange (PTO World #10) Magnus Ditlev (PTO World #11) and Joe Skipper (PTO World #13).

View full start list

Also joining the European party in Edmonton is none other than Sebastian Kienle (PTO World #33), in what will be his final year racing as a pro Sebi has chosen the PTO Canadian Open as one of his top priority races to go out with a bang!

Then in the US camp the likes of Matt Hanson (PTO World #8) Ben Kanute (PTO World #16), Rudy Von Berg (PTO World #18) and Jason West (PTO World #24) join the parade of stars and stripes in Edmonton all keen to make an impression on their next-door neighbours! 

Last and by no means least come the International athletes, including those Canadians who have the home turf advantage! Jackson Laundry (PTO World #15) joins Sanders in the lineup of Canadians who get to race at home, cheered on by their home crowds from the grandstands. Other International athletes include Sam Appleton (PTO World #22), Kyle Smith (PTO World #23) and Matt Trautman (PTO World #32) all of whom will be ready to show their strength on the day as well as to prove themselves worthy of a Collins Cup spot.   

History is ready to be made in Edmonton and it’s not too late to join the action and race in one of the age group races also being hosted as part of the first-ever PTO Tour Event. The age group races are held at different times to the professional races so you don’t have to miss any of the pro racing action! Find out more and register for the open water swim and triathlon races here.

The post PTO Canadian Open Men’s Field Announced appeared first on PTO.

With a veritable who’s who from the upper echelons of the PTO World Rankings set to do battle in Edmonton, the first PTO Canadian Open – which is also the inaugural PTO Tour event – is set to make history on all fronts. 

Come Saturday 23 July, not only will the women battle it out for a slice of a whopping $1m prize purse but there’s also a 10% PTO points bonus on offer – a factor that could prove crucial as the event is also the last qualifying race for this year’s Collins Cup. With competition for automatic Collins Cup qualification fierce, expect athletes vying for a spot on Team Europe, Team US and Team International to fight for every place right down the field.

So, who are some of the names you can look forward to seeing at the PTO Canadian Open?

PTO World #2 Laura Philipp of Germany is the highest-ranked athlete set to start but will face tough competition from the likes of the American duo Taylor Knibb (PTO World #6) and Skye Moench (PTO World #7), Britain’s Emma Pallant-Browne (PTO World #8), South Aftrica’s Jeanni Metzler (PTO World #9) and Edmonton hometown hero Paula Findlay (PTO World #10).

And that’s just the top 10! Other in-form contenders at the 100km distance include the USA’s Jackie Hering (PTO World #11) Britain’s Holly Lawrence (PTO World #12), American Chelsea Sodaro (PTO World #17) Canada’s Tamara Jewett (PTO World #18), Spain’s Sara Perez Sala (PTO World #20) and the Aussie one-two of Ellie Salthouse (PTO World #21) and Ashleigh Gentle (PTO World #24).

One other name to keep in mind is PTO World #3 Anne Haug, who’s playing her cards close to her chest ahead of her race at Challenge Roth this weekend. If she does make it to Edmonton, she’s surely one to watch.

In terms of the Collins Cup, the PTO Canadian Open could prompt movement in automatic qualifications, especially for Team US and Team International. With Heather Jackson not racing and Chelsea Sodaro and Jocelyn McCauley (PTO World #19) just a couple of points behind, one of them could nab that fourth qualifying spot for Team US.

For Team International, Jeanni Metzler just needs a race finish to solidifiy her top-place on the team but slots three and four – currently occupied by Tamara Jewett and Ellite Salthouse – could be threatened by strong races from Brazil’s Luisa Baptista (PTO World #23) and Ashleigh Gentle, who are just two points shy apiece.

For Team Europe, things are a little more set with the top four PTO World Ranked athletes holding the same positions for the Collins Cup. With the 10% bonus on offer in Edmonton, an absolutely stellar performance from Emma Pallant-Browne might just oust Kat Matthews but it’s a big ask!

Stay tuned for more on the PTO Canadian Open including the men’s field and wildcard athlete reveals!

The post PTO Canadian Open Women’s Field Announced appeared first on PTO.

Sub7Sub8

More than two years in the making, we finally got to witness Sub7Sub8, a human-powered challenge to see if it’s possible to go under the seven- and eight-hour barriers in a full-distance event for men and women respectively.

Four teams tackled the challenge, each made up of a triathlon superstar and backed by 10 pacers to be used across swim, bike and run.

For the men, PTO World #1 Kristian Blummenfelt and PTO World #12, Joe Skipper, would go toe to toe in Sub7 while PTO World #14 Nicola Spirig and PTO World #4 Kat Matthews would take on Sub8, starting one hour before the men.

The Women’s Sub8 Contenders

Like Sub7, the Sub8 teams didn’t have a smooth ride to the start line. 2012 Olympic Champion and 2016 Olympic silver medal winner Nicola Spirig crashed hard in February, coming off her bike to break her collarbone and some ribs as well as puncturing her lung. The gritty Swiss star put all that behind her to take on the challenge of Sub8 in her final professional year.

PTO World #5 and reigning IM 70.3 World Champion Lucy Charles-Barclay was initially slated to face off against Spirig but a stress fracture of the hip meant giving way to fellow Brit, Kat Matthews, in April. Matthews, second at the Ironman World Championship in May and perhaps the long-course world’s preeminent bike-runner has had a rapid rise in the sport, boasting a ferocious 2:49:48 Ironman marathon best.

The Sub8 Race

Both women opted for two swim pacers and after initially leading, Spirig was overhauled by Matthews in the closing stages. By the end, the pair finished the first leg only seven seconds apart after 3.8km in the water, just shy of 55 minutes.

Matthews and her team quickly made time on the bike, but the gap to Spirig didn’t balloon too far, settling in just below four minutes. That buffer eventually came down to around three minutes as Matthews’ pace lowered in the closing stages of the 180km course around the Dekra Lausitzring track.

With a 2:37 marathon PB, that was a deficit many thought Spirig could erase – and initially, that looked to be the case. Slowly reeling in Matthews, Spirig made the catch with around 14km to go but the Brit kept the Swiss superfrau in her sights and kept her cool to repass 3km later and build a convincing lead.

Matthews remained metronomic in her pace, holding strong for a 2:46:09 marathon time and an overall finish of 7:31:54 – within a minute of her goal time. Spirig dug deep to clock a faster marathon time than the Brit – 2:45 – and crossed the line in 7:34:19.

While pre-race pundits postulated that the Sub8 barrier would be the easier to take down – Chrissie Wellington’s iron-distance world-best at Roth standing at 8:18 – the margin by which both women smashed that mark was astonishing and inspiring in equal measure.

The Men’s Sub7 Contenders

When the idea for Sub7Sub8 was announced, there were many raised eyebrows about the inclusion of Blummenfelt, who, at the time, was yet to complete an iron-distance race. A couple of seasons on, the Norwegian took to the start line of Sub7 in Germany as world number one, World Triathlon Champion, Olympic Champion and Ironman World Champion, proving doubters wrong at every turn.

A six-time full-distance champ, Skipper joined Sub7 just eight days from the race start after dual Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee bowed out due to a stress reaction injury. In gamely jumping in, the Brit certainly gained some new fans while cementing his position as the ‘junkyard’ underdog.

The Sub7 Race

Each with a single swim pacer in Lars Botellier for Blummenfelt and Alistair Brownlee for Skipper, the Norwegian drew first blood, besting the Brit by five minutes out of the water. Once on the bike though, the power and discipline of the team put together by Brownlee – including former hour-record holder Alex Dowsett – shone through.

Storming past Blummenfelt, Skipper gave the Olympic champ his trademark junkyard dog bark, the team going on to an astonishing 3:16 bike split, some eight minutes quicker than Blummenfelt’s squad and clocking over 55kmph average. There was also a hairy moment for the world number one along the way when a touch of wheels in the group nearly sent them down like a pack of dominoes.

On the marathon, Skipper put in an exceptional effort but even a stunning 2:36 run wasn’t enough to hold off the Norwegian’s advance. Woofing back at Skipper as he passed around 17km in, Blummenfelt steamrollered to victory with a 2:30 marathon, crossing the line in 6:44:25 while Skipper came home in 6:47:36 – both comfortably under the seven-hour mark.

While Sub7Sub8 might not result in any new official records, it was certainly one of the most compelling and entertaining triathlon events of recent years. Let’s hope we get to see more athletes take on similar challenges in the future to push the barriers of human performance.

Meanwhile, we know what Blummenfelt is up to next as the Norwegian powerhouse confirmed his intention to race at the PTO Canadian Open on 24 July. There’s just a month to go to enter the event yourself – so you can race an iconic course, then hit the grandstand to see Blummenfelt do his thing!

Laura Philipp Makes A Statement In Hamburg

Going into last weekend, we thought all the references to Chrissie Wellington’s world-best iron-distance time of 8:18:13 would be reserved for Sub8 but while Matthews and Spirig were being paced around a race track, PTO World #3 Laura Philipp was putting together a devastating performance at IM Hamburg.

A quick check on previous years’ results at IM Hamburg showed a women’s course record of 8:54:30 – set in 2021 by Laura Zimmermann – where the AIT (Adjusted Ideal Time) was 8:43:19. With that in mind, it seemed unlikely that we’d see super-fast times despite Philipp’s pedigree and the event’s European Championship status. How wrong we were!

Finding the feet of iron-rookie Chelsea Sodaro (now moved up 13 places to PTO World #17), Philipp and the American left the water together just ahead of France’s Manon Genet (PTO World #32). Once on the bike, Philipp pushed hard to gap Sodaro – and had to, as the US star chased hard over her maiden 180km and would only lose four minutes by T2. Philipp posted a staggering bike split of 4:31:14, one of the fastest ever seen in the sport.

Leaving transition, Philipp showed zero after-effects of the tough Covid bout that kept her from the IM world champs in St. George. Simply sensational throughout the run, German bounded around the course to a mind-blowing 2:45:38 marathon for an 8:18:20 finish. That’s just seven seconds shy of Chrissie Wellington’s world best time with a run split that bettered Kat Matthews’ Sub8 attempt.

Sodaro came home with an impressive first iron-distance time of 8:36 while Genet rounded out the podium in 8:52.

The result is a huge score of 115.08 PTO World Rankings Points for Philipp, which, with the addition of a 10% bonus for her single best iron-distance performance of the year, put her score at 126.59 meaning she jumped two places in the rankings up to PTO World #2.

This sets the stage for the rest of the season with Philipp yet to face PTO World #1 and recently crowned Ironman World Champion, Daniela Ryf – a matchup we could see at the PTO Canadian Open in July before the pair are likely to join forces for Team Europe at the Collins Cup in August!

Banner image credits: Kat Matthews – James Mitchell, Kristian Blummenfelt – James Mitchell, Laura Philipp – Phillipp Seipp

The post Blistering Full-distance Times At Sub7Sub8 And IM Hamburg appeared first on PTO.

The inaugural PTO Pro Am showcased the sizzling speed and spectacular strength of PTO professionals, Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) athletes and amateur special guests with Team Sanders coming out on top ahead of Team Baekkegard and Team Long. There were plenty of spine-tingling moments as the athletes moved through swim, bike and run from Venice Beach to Downtown.

You can watch the full race replay below or scroll on to read the race highlights.

How The PTO Pro Am Played Out

The swim was dominated by three-time Paralympian Chris Hammer (Team Jackson) and 2019 World Para Swimming Championships silver medallist Ahalya Lettenberger (Team Chura), the two trading the lead over the 1500m swim. It was Hammer who made the tag first, passing to Heather Jackson with Haley Chura leaving T1 close behind. Haven Shepherd put in a fantastic swim to minimise the deficit, giving Lionel Sanders just a couple of minutes to make up to the women. Emily Gray was next back to the beach, giving Sam Long a shot to chase down his rival. Next, Allysa Seely passed the baton to Daniel Baekkegard before Jamal Hill tagged in Skye Moench.

Jackson hung tough at the front but the catch from Sanders, reigning Canadian Hour Record holder, was an inevitability. There wasn’t even a glance to his competitor as Sanders passed, full of determination. Ripping through the 40km bike course, the reigning Canadian Hour Record holder had extended his lead by the time he reached Downtown LA and T2. 

With Sanders tagging former UFC star Paul Felder into the action at the front of the race, Daniel Baekkegard caught Sam Long just before transition, meaning Modern Pentathlon Olympic silver medallist Heather Fell (Team Baekkegard) and five-time Paralympic medallist Rudy Garcia-Tolson (Team Long) started the run just steps apart. Further back, Team Jackson was out of the race after Heather Jackson suffered a blown tyre on the bike.

At the front, Felder was gunning for a new 10km PB, storming up the hills and pushing right to the line to ensure Team Sanders’ victory and the first-ever PTO Pro Am title. Despite a wrong turn between run laps, Heather Fell showed fantastic form – no-doubt honed by a never-ending stream of GTN challenges – to secure silver for Team Baekkegard. Rudy Garcia-Tolson, classy as ever, completed the podium for Team Long. That put Team Chura in fourth after an anchor leg from Roderick Sewell and Team Moench in fifth, Dr Kent Bradley taking it to the line.

Winner’s Quotes

Interviewed by new PTO presenter Rachel Stringer, Team Sanders were clearly buzzed by the event and their victory.

“I knew they had assembled a strong team because we were going to dominate this event from start to finish,” said Sanders. “Haven got us a big lead and then I just tried to hang on to it and then Paul brought it home so it was a lot of fun… It was a full-blown competition. I knew I’d be out here trying to compare my bike time to the pros and to Sam Long and to Daniel [Baekkegard] so I rode as hard as I can and I’m excited to go look at the results and see where I stacked in the bike portion of the race.”

“I would definitely say this is the greatest way to go into your late teens,” said Shepherd “I’d just turned 18 years old going into my Olympic Games and then being asked to do this triathlon with these guys… I was very thankful that they chose me to be on their team… I wanted to go out really nice and smooth but I definitely booked it on the way back to shore!”

“I didn’t do any course preview… the hills were for real out there. When you were going up that thing it was steep so I knew – OK, I could get sub-40… I ran hard and I got to run out there with all the pros and I had such a good start with these guys kicking it off for me so it was awesome.”

Elite Race Results

With $100,000 of PTO prize money up for grabs in the elite race, a fast swim and a strong bike legs from the USA’s Eric Lagerstrom and South Africa’s Jamie Riddle put these two at the front of the race by T2 with just over a minute’s lead to Australia’s Steve McKenna. Pushing the pace towards the finish, it was Riddle who kicked ahead to score the victory with Lagerstrom second and McKenna third.

In the women’s race, Brazil’s Vittoria Lopes was first out the water, first off the bike and first across the line to claim the win. New Zealand’s Amelia Watkinson was next off the bike ahead of the USA’s Amy Sloan in third, positions that reversed to put the American in second and the Kiwi third by the finish.

The post Team Sanders Wins Inaugural PTO Pro Am In Los Angeles appeared first on PTO.

The PTO Pro Am will see six of the world’s top-ranked PTO professionals racing an Olympic-distance triathlon alongside Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) athletes and special guests including former UFC star Paul Felder and Olympic silver medallist Heather Fell.

What’s The PTO Pro Am Format?

The day will begin at Venice Beach with full focus on the CAF athletes as they take on a 1500m swim in LA’s warm sea waters.

From there, PTO pros will be tagged in to smash their way through a 40km time trial that will see them arrive at T2 in Downtown LA, right by the Crypto.com arena. Expect fireworks – the pros have been eyeing up the competition and are determined to show themselves the strongest on two wheels without the worry of wrecking their legs for the run.

From here, another CAF superstar, or one of our special guests, will complete the 10km anchor-leg run of the race to close out this first-ever PTO Pro Am event… but who will cross the line first to claim the inaugural title?

What Are The Pro Am Team?

We’re thrilled to be working so closely with the Challenged Athletes Foundation at the PTO Pro Am and celebrate the power of sport in everyone’s life.

1. Swimming and track runner Haven Shepherd, PTO World #3 Lionel Sanders and former UFC star Paul Felder.
2. Swimmer and para climber Emily Gray, PTO World #8 Sam Long and swimmer and para-triathlete Rudy Garcia-Tolson.
3. Para-triathlete Allysa Seely, PTO World #4 Daniel Baekkegard and GTN presenter and Olympic silver medallist Heather Fell.
4. Swimmer Ahalya Lettenberger, PTO World #65 Hayley Chura and swimmer and para-triathlete Roderick Sewell.
5. Swimmer Jamal Hill, PTO World #7 Skye Moench and influencer and Herbalife Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kent Bradley.
6. Para-triathlete Chris Hammer, PTO World #14 Heather Jackson and para-triathlete, cyclist and marathoner Willie Stewart.

Meet The PTO’s New Broadcast Team

Broadcast live, and for free, around the world, the PTO Pro Am will introduce our new broadcast team line-up.

UFC commentator, John Gooden will be lead commentator and will be joined by triathlon broadcasting stalwart Barrie Shepley. In front of the camera will be the presenting talent of motorsports and athletics presenter, Rachel Stringer will present the coverage alongside Olympic bronze medallist Vicky Holland.

John Gooden joins the PTO team as both a triathlon fan and competitor as well as a seasoned commentator thanks to his time calling fights for the UFC. He’ll be joined in the commentary box by Barrie Shepley, a true legend of triathlon commentary with over 30 years’ experience.

Another new addition to the PTO team, Rachel Stringer is Pit Lane Reporter for British Superbikes on Eurosport and World Athletics reporter, providing passion for all-things sport. Stringer will be joined in front of the camera by Vicky Holland, who returns to presenting after her sensational turn at the Collins Cup. The Olympic bronze medallist’s enthusiasm shines through with every moment of expert insight!

How To Watch The PTO Pro Am

The PTO Pro Am will be streamed live for free around the world thanks the PTO website, our YouTube channel and Facebook page. The Pro Am will also be available via a selection of other broadcasters including Eurosport Player (Europe), Discovery+ (Europe, some exclusions apply), GCN+ (global, some exclusions apply), OutsideTV (global),  BeIN Sport (USA and Canada) and CBC Sport Digital (Canada).

Following the event, PTO Pro Am highlights documentary will also be broadcast on Eurosport in Europe and Asia.

Head to our Watch Live page for full details on where you can watch in your region.

The post PTO Pro Am Los Angeles – How To Watch Live appeared first on PTO.

It was a day of epic racing over the full distance in St George and winners Daniela Ryf and Kristian Blummenfelt were truly next level. With any point score above 100 signalling an extraordinary performance, these two champions smashed the competition to earn the highest scores so far in 2022.

Daniela Ryf – Back To Her Best

Unwell at Kona in 2019 and having struggled with immune system issues through lockdown, Daniela Ryf put together as perfect a long course performance as we’ve ever seen to score a whopping 124.6 points. Triathlon fandom was united in awe as the Angry Bird returned to her best with a goosebumps-raising exhibition of dominance.

Fourth out the water, Ryf was soon in the lead on the bike and stuck to the gameplan that had seen her take four IM world titles going into St. George – ride hard and then, when everyone else’s legs are burning, ride even harder. Leading by seven minutes at the start of the run, a sub-three-hour marathon created an almost nine-minute margin of victory to second place Kat Matthews and 12 minutes to defending world champ, Anne Haug.

With an Adjusted Ideal Time (AIT) of 08:54:42, Ryf’s 8:34:58 finish was certainly worthy of her colossal points score, which saw her regain the lead in the PTO World Rankings.

Meanwhile, Kat Matthews’ second place saw her score 113.59 points to move up three places into PTO World #3. Anne Haug also moved up three spots, her 109.56 score seeing her move up into PTO World #2 just above Matthews.

Skye Moench (fourth in St. George) moved up one place to PTO World #7 while Lisa Norden jumped five spots to PTO World #12. Ruth Astle was the biggest mover, moving up 16 places to PTO World #15. Fellow Brit Fenella Langridge improved by three places to take the PTO World #19 slot.

Of interest for the Collins Cup, the top five women in the world are all from Team Europe, putting the defending champions in the driving seat for Samorin in August.

Kristian Blummenfelt – GOAT In The Making?

With his win in St. George, Kristian Blummenfelt becomes the first reigning Olympic Champion to win an Ironman world title. The win came courtesy of a dominating run performance, the Norwegian clocking 2:38 on a challenging course in tough conditions.

Running at a fearsome pace, Blummenfelt took first around 28km into the marathon and victory looked assured from there. His finish of 7:49:15 – compared to that AIT of 08:00:02 – was worth 114.98 points. With that, Blummenfelt had a third high-scoring race to his name, seeing him rocket 41 places up the rankings, overtaking countryman Gustav Iden to take the coveted PTO World #1 spot.

Braden Currie, third on the day in St. George, moved up 10 places to become PTO World #6 as well as take the second spot for Team International men in the Collins Cup standings.

Florian Angert improved by four places to sit one place behind Currie as PTO World #7 while Leon Chevalier‘s breakthrough performance saw him move 16 places to PTO World #11. Chris Leiferman jumped 25 spots to PTO World #13 and become second in the Team US standings for the Collins Cup. Sam Laidlow improved his ranking by 17 places and is now PTO World #16 with Ben Hoffman climbing six places to PTO World #18 – now fifth in the Team US rankings, just one spot from automatic qualification.

With lots more racing to come this season, there is still plenty of time for the rankings to move around, for athletes to secure Collins Cup qualification and to earn a bigger slice of the PTO’s $2,008,000 end-of-year bonus pool!

The post Ryf And Blummenfelt Move To #1 In PTO World Rankings appeared first on PTO.

The stage is set for the ‘Battle of Champions’ at the Ironman World Championships in St. George, Utah. This is the first time that the race will be held outside the island of Hawaii and provides a brand new and challenging course for the athletes to contend with.

The strength of both the men’s and women’s fields is seriously impressive with Olympic champions, multiple Kona winners, young blood and experienced veterans creating a plethora of athletes who could contend for the win or reach the podium.

However, the lack of athletes including Jan Frodeno, Patrick Lange, Joe Skipper, Laura Philipp and Lucy Charles-Barclay – unable to race due to injury or illness – will no doubt shake up the race dynamics as triathlon looks to crown its first IM world champ since October 2019.

Men’s Race

The Norwegian Hype

Since transitioning to long course racing, superstars Gustav Iden (PTO World #1) and Kristian Blummenfelt (PTO World #42) have left a clear mark on the sport, with many suggesting they are now the ones to beat. 

This will be Blummenfelt’s second ever full distance race, having previously only raced IM Cozumel where he set the world-best time over the distance. Iden has also only ever raced one full-distance race previously, IM Florida. Astonishing performances from both Norwegians in their first full-distance efforts made the triathlon world sit up and pay attention.

The Norwegian pair will both likely come out of the water either at the back of the first swim pack or the front of the second and try to bridge up to the lead bikers early on. Even if either of them is 5-10 minutes back coming off the bike, their run prowess – having clocked 2:35 marathons on debut – will mean they are very much still in for a chance of the win. 

The Great Dane

With a podium finish at the 70.3 World Championships last year and a proven track record over the full distance, Daniel Bækkegård (PTO World #4) is undoubtedly a strong podium contender. As a strong swimmer, Bækkegård will be able to stick with the front swim pack and set himself up to be in the mix at the front of the race. 

The only possible question mark over Bækkegård in regards to his chances of winning is his run. Bækkegård’s best marathon to date is 2:45 (by no means slow), however, with the likes of Blummenflet, Iden as well as Jan Van Berkel all having clocked sub 2:40 marathons, the Dane would likely require a significant gap going into the run to hold them all off. 

Alistair Brownlee

At 70.3 Oceanside a little over a month ago, Alistair Brownlee proved that his longstanding injuries have been put to bed. Brownlee was expected by to wipe the floor with the competition in California but that certainly did not end up being the case. After leading for most of the run, Brownlee came home in a disappointing fourth behind a sensational Jackson Laundry and that epic sprint finish between Rudy Von Berg and Lionel Sanders. 

Brownlee put it down to not being over a recent illness, so we can only hope that he has been able to recover fully so we can see him at his double-Olympic winning best. The Brit’s overall swim, bike and run prowess mean that if he is showing up healthy and measures his efforts accordingly he can absolutely be counted as a contender for the win. 

No Limits Lionel, Yo Yo Yo Sam Long and Catch me if you Cam Wurf 

Lionel Sanders (PTO World #3), Sam Long (PTO World #5) and Cam Wurf (PTO World #31) are three athletes who are sure to provide excitement no matter the final race outcome.

In classic Cam Wurf fashion, it was still unclear until yesterday’s appearance on Breakfast with Bob if he would be racing due to commitments to pro cycling team Ineos Grenadiers. 

We can all say that we are thrilled to see Cam being able to make the race, including Sanders and Long who have both said how happy they are to have Wurf’s firepower on the bike. Wurf was always known to be one of the best cyclists in triathlon but over the past two years he has proven these credentials in pro cycling. Only last week Wurf could be seen leading out over the famous cobbles of Paris Roubaix, setting up an incredible win for his team. 

Sanders, Long and Wurf have all historically had similar swim abilities and have needed their strong bikes to allow them to bridge the gap to the lead group. This will be the case once more, though it will be fascinating to see what gains both Sanders and Long have been able to make in the swim having both focused heavily on improving this discipline.

For Sanders and Long it is about being amongst the lead group coming off the bike if they are to have hopes of winning. Though it is possible to make up some deficit on the run to some athletes, it would be a serious challenge to make inroads to the Norwegian duo with even a small deficit.

On paper, Sanders is the better runner and also has form in St. George having won the 70.3 there in May last year by outsprinting Long. On the other hand, Long took second at the 70.3 world – also in St. George – last September.

Sebi’s Looking To Surprise Himself

Another athlete who could be in the mix with the chasing bike pack, Sebastian Kienle (PTO World #36) is the only previous IM World Champion on the men’s side who has made it to the start line (with Lange and Frodeno both injured). Kienle announced he will retire at the end of 2023, making this his penultimate chance to bag another IM world title.

Though Kienle is in the latter stages of his career, this absolutely does not rule him out of podium contention. For Kienle, it will be important to minimise his deficit on the swim and then get to work on the bike, likely being surrounded by fellow uber bikers Sanders, Long and Wurf. 

Kienle has struggled with injury on and off for the last couple of years so we can only hope that he is fully healthy coming into this race and if he is able to come off the bike with or near the front of the race, there is absolutely no reason to rule him out of winning it all!

Other Contenders  

Already mentioned for his run abilities, Jan Van Berkel (PTO World #30) could very well be one of those athletes we see working their way through the field late in the race and could very well have podium chances depending on what is happening around him. 

The USA’s Ben Hoffman (PTO World #24) has form at IM World Championships having clocked four top-10 finishes including second back in 2014. Hoffmann is also coming off a fantastic win at IM Texas two weeks ago, a performance that saw him rise a whipping 57 places in the PTO World Rankings.

Braden Currie (PTO World #16), one of those athletes who loves the big stages and has previously been able to achieve fifth place finish in the world champs. Perhaps he will be able to improve on it this Saturday. 

Then there is Kyle Smith (PTO World #22), actually picked as one of Jan Frodeno’s favourites to be on the podium once everything has been left out on the course. Smith and Frodeno are training partners so if anyone has the inside track on the form that Smith is bringing into the race, it’d be the German star.

Check out the full start list here and let us know who you think will win the men’s race by heading over to Instagram and getting involved in the comments. 

Women’s Race

Daniela Ryf – Queen of St. George?

With four Ironman world titles Daniela Ryf (PTO World #3) is known by many as the Queen of Kona, but will she also be crowned monarch of St. George this weekend? Ryf has won four IM World Championships, five 70.3 world titles and has dominated the sport for years. However, in recent months Ryf has had some disappointing performances (some would say out of character) where she would have typically been expected to dominate.

There is no doubt that if Ryf is firing on all cylinders then she is undoubtedly one of the favourites to take the win. Her game plan is sure to be the same as in her other victories – 

catching the leaders on the bike and then riding away from them to establish a large enough gap to hold off faster runners. If the likes of Haug, Matthews or anyone who can put in a strong run are level with Ryf at the start of the run then Ryf’s chances of victory will be significantly lowered. 

Haug’s Title Defence

After two years since the last IM World Championship, Anne Haug (PTO World #5) is finally able to defend her title. The German has banked strong and consistent results over the last year despite battling with Covid-induced diabetes during 2021. Unlike many of her fellow athletes, she managed to stay injury-free, however.

In her most recent race at IM 70.3 Lanzarote in March, Haug finished second, four minutes behind Kat Matthews. Likely not the result that she would have wanted in her main build race going into St. George against one of her main competitors. 

Haug did say in her Breakfast with Bob interview this week that she had experimented with coming straight from an altitude camp to the Lanzarote race and could still feel the effects of altitude and the sluggishness in her system. Haug took this as a learning and adjusted the timing of her altitude camp leading into St. George – hopefully to good effect. 

If Haug is to take the title, she will need to ride smart and run at her best. Making up a deficit on the run to most athletes is well within Haug’s ability but if the German gives away too much time to Matthews on the bike, closing on the fleet-footed Brit will be a big ask.

Kat Matthews’ Debut Champs

Kat Matthews (PTO World #6) has taken the triathlon world rather by storm since turning pro in 2019, impressing with podiums and wins including IM Florida in 2020 and IM UK in 2021 before winning 70.3 Lanzarote in March. Though Matthews has form across all three disciplines, it is her bike-run combination that is her true weapon. 

This will be the first IM World Championships for Matthews and she has lofty ambitions of wanting to take the win. This is not at all outlandish though, looking at her track record Matthews has the goods to back this up. 

Matthews can be expected to exit the water amongst the second pack of swimmers and will want to bridge to the front (and potentially ride away) as quickly as possible. To give Matthews the best chance of victory over Haug, she will be looking for a buffer after the bike given the two being closely matched on the run. With that talent for running, Matthews can be confident that if she comes off the bike with anyone other than Haug, she could comfortably see them off. 

US Hopefuls 

At the top of the list of strong female contenders who are racing on home soil are Skye Moench, Jocelyn McCauley and Heather Jackson. 

As the top-ranked US athlete on the start line, Skye Moench (PTO World #8) goes into St. George as the favourite among the Americans. This long-distance specialist had a strong and consistent 2021 and came fifth and sixth at 70.3 St. George and the IM 70.3 worlds in St. George respectively last year. That being said in Moench’s final IM of 2021 – Florida – it was Heather Jackson who beat her to the top step. 

In an interview with Triathlon Mockery, Moench said Heather Jackson is one athlete she would like to bark at like a junkyard dog as she passes, so perhaps we’ll see these two fighting it out throughout the race for the top US-finisher accolade.

The most recent victory for Heather Jackson (PTO World #13) was that race against Moench at IM Florida at the end of 2021. Having had a difficult season until that point, the result was surely a confidence boost showing training was working – boding well for this race. However, Jackson’s only race to date this year yielded her a DNF at Oceanside. That said, Jackson often rises to the occasion – as shown by her four top-five performances in Kona.

Like Ben Hoffman, Jocelyn McCauley (PTO World #15) is coming into St. George having raced and won IM Texas two weeks ago. This certainly shows that McCauley is in great form but the question is whether she’s been able to recover from this effort. Racing a full distance race within two to three weeks of the World Championships is a risky tactic but could it pay dividends for an iron-distance specialist like McCauley?

Other Contenders

Lisa Nordén (PTO World #17) hasn’t quite fullfilled the promise of her Olympic-silver winning performance since stepping up to long course, but there’s no doubt she’s one of the strongest cyclists in the sport. A good swimmer, too, Norden could push the pace alongside Ryf on the bike to try and hold off swifter runners.

Fenella Langridge (PTO World #22) impressed on her IM debut last year, coming second at Coeur d’Alene and third in Roth. Her first world champs, this great swimmer might just share the limelight with Haley Chura at the front of the race. She’s got the bike chops too so could feature well towards the finish line.

Ruth Astle (PTO World #31) took two Ironman titles late last year, clinching victories in Mallorca and South Africa. Her strong bike legs could play a role in St. George leading a chasing pack to cut swim deficits but she’ll need a much improved run to factor in the overall – the question is whether the Brit has made those gains over winter.

Joanna Ryter (PTO World #43) might not be the biggest Swiss name in the women’s field, but she’s one to watch. After four top-five Ironman finishes last season, Ryter came third in Texas a fortnight ago. Her 94% run ranking tells you all you need to know – look out for her making up places on the marathon.

At PTO World #73, Maja Stage Nielsen’s palmares don’t match the cream of the crop in St. George, but solid performances in Kona – 12th, 15th and 11th over the last three editions – along with podiums in Lanzarote and Cozumel show she can handle the heat. This was proved recently at Clash Miami, where the Dane took third place. If attrition in St. George is anything like that race, Stage Nielsen could be the one to profit.

Check out the full start list here and let us know who you think will win the men’s race by heading over to Instagram and getting involved in the comments. 

The post Ironman World Championships St. George Preview appeared first on PTO.

Here at PTO HQ, we’re getting seriously excited about our latest announcement – the full line-up of events at this year’s Collins Cup – and how this five-day smorgasbord of multisport goodness will be the ultimate triathlon festival.

Running from 18 to 21 August and held at the x-bionic sphere near Bratislava in Slovakia, the centrepiece of the festival is the second edition of the game-changing Collins Cup. This race for triathlon glory will see Team Europe trying to defend their title against Team USA and Team International. 

Attend the festival and you’ll get to sit in the grandstand to watch the action unfold live alongside three massive screens showing the live broadcast. 12 of the world’s best pro triathletes per team, backed by tri legend team captains, will make up 12 hotly fought one-vs-one-vs-one match races. To the winners, the Collins Cup trophy and the next chapter in Collins Cup history. To the losers, the Broken Spokes trophy – a year-long motivator to fight back harder next year.

But outside of this Superbowl of triathlon for the professionals, there’s a whole host of other races and activities to satisfy your appetite for triathlon racing and fandom. Check out our welcome guide with an intro from Alistair Brownlee and read on to learn more.

Collins Cup Age-Group Race

First up, there’s the Collins Cup age group race: held over 100km, it’ll challenge you to redefine your limits of speed and endurance. Hold strong form over the 2km swim, eke out bigger watts during 80km bike then straddle that redline to beast the 18km run. You can also race as a relay if you want to focus on one or two of the disciplines along with friends or family.

We’ve made the entry fees as affordable as possible with no additional Active fees while our industry-leading refund policy is in place to allay fears of possible cancellation or potential non-attendance due to covid, injury or even pregnancy. Learn more and enter on our Collins Cup race page.

World Triathlon & Aquathlon Championships

If you’re in the hunt to don your national colours, the Collins Cup is also the place to race… and not just in triathlon either. Working in partnership with World Triathlon, the sport’s global governing body, the Collins Cup will host the 2022 World Triathlon Long Distance World Championship. 

Held over the same distance at the open Collins Cup age-group race, this event will give you the chance to earn an age-group world championship title alongside the elite, under-23 and junior divisions. There’s also the World Triathlon Aquabike Championship (2km swim, 80km bike) and the World Triathlon Aquathlon Championship – an opportunity for swim-run specialists to strut their skillset over a 1km swim, 5km run format.

Entry to these World Triathlon events is via your national triathlon governing body only, so if you’re interested in racing get in touch with them directly to state your interest, check qualification criteria and see if you’re eligible.

If you’re coming to watch the pro race rather than take on 100km yourself, but feel inspired to get your heart beating, there will also be a Fun Run. This relaxed 5km dash will help you get into the spirit of competition – and burn the calories required to take full advantage of all the delicious food on offer.

The post Full Line Up Of Collins Cup And World Triathlon Events Announced appeared first on PTO.

From short to long-course, there are few accolades that Spirig does not have to her name. Olympic gold from the 2012 London Olympic Games – where she beat Lisa Nordén in a historic sprint finish – is one of those absolutely stand out achievements.

Spirig also secured Olympic silver at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in a throwdown run battle with Gwen Jorgensen. That was on her way to another Olympic appearance in Toyko, giving her an astonishing record of representing Switzerland at the Olympic Games an incredible five times over the course of 17 years!

Since transitioning to long-course racing Spirig has been equally as impressive, using her dominating bike and run to great effect. In the 11 long-course races she has taken part in, Spirig has finished on the podium every single time. Whatsmore, in 2021 Spirig won every long course race she lined up for.

This leads us to 2022, which is to be Spirig’s final year racing as a professional and has saved perhaps the biggest challenge for last! Spirig is one of the two female athletes who will be taking on the Pho3nix Sub 7/8 Project where athletes will attempt to break eight hours for the women and seven hours for the men over the full (ironman) distance. Athletes will have tools at their disposal not typically allowed in competition, with the event set to be an ‘Ineos 1:59’ style show of human endeavour.

Spirig is confident that she will be able to break the ambitious target despite a recent injury setback. We join tri fans around the world in feverish anticipation and cannot wait to see her exhibit her triathlon prowess on this incredible stage before signing off on her professional career, which will come to a close with some events in a ‘farewell tour’ of sorts.

Finally, it cannot be overlooked that Spirig has achieved these great heights in triathlon alongside becoming a mother to three children. All mothers will know the momentous challenge of returning to fitness following pregnancy, indeed it’s a situation that would end careers in many professional sports. But each time, Spirig has come back to triathlon at the top of her game and inspired triathlete mothers everywhere to do the same.

This, along with her many years of promoting children’s physical activity, only highlights to an even greater degree the scale of her achievements and the legacy of her epic career.

That just leaves us to say congratulations on an incredible career Nicola! Good luck for your ambitious goals for the year ahead – and enjoy your retirement!

The post Nicola Spirig To Retire From Triathlon After 25 Years appeared first on PTO.

Ironman 70.3 Oceanside

Jackson Laundry’s Breakout Win and A Photo Finish For The Ages! 

After a tough swim and challenging bike course, Jackson Laundry left T2 in close succession with Ben Kanute, Rudy Von Berg and Ali Brownlee who had given up a few seconds to the other three leaving him 10-20m behind, which he quickly made up! 

Kanute was the first to fall behind, then Laundry the next to (temporarily) drop back, leaving Von Berg and Brownlee at the front until Von Berg too could not keep up with Brownlee’s hot pace in the early stages. 

It wasn’t long until Laundry made his way back to Von Berg, swiftly dispatching him to move into second. Laundry did not stop there though… It wasn’t long before Brownlee was in the Canadian’s sights with the gap growing smaller and smaller until it had disappeared altogether. Brownlee turned to Laundry as the two came level and was clearly less than pleased by Laundry’s presence. 

Ensuring the overtake would stick, Laundry ran swiftly away from Brownlee, building a confident buffer to stay away and take arguably the biggest win of his career so far. 

Meanwhile, Lionel Sanders, who left T2 approximately two minutes behind the leaders, had been hunting, running at 1:08 half marathon pace! In the closing kilometres of the run it became clear that Sanders had a good chance of catching third-place Von Berg and perhaps even an outside chance of claiming second ahead of Brownlee. 

Then everything boiled over! Within the final 500m, Von Berg passed a significantly slowing Brownlee, Sanders doing the same moments later before powering up to Von Berg’s shoulder. It was on! An all out sprint finish for second place saw both athletes refusing to give an inch and in the end, that’s what it came down to – a dead heat that could only be decided by photo finish. 

The sprint pace spiked at an eye watering 2:12 min/km as these monster athletes barrelled towards the line! Perhaps a repeat performance will be on the cards this August if both Sanders and Von Berg are pitted against one another at the Collins Cup.

View Full Results

Knibb Powers To First 70.3 Victory

In the women’s race it was Taylor Knibb’s day from start to finish. The young American took her first victory over the 70.3 distance and laid down another clear marker of her rising star in the middle distance world. After leading out the water, Knibb outrode the competition by over two minutes in her first race on a TT bike. 

The 24-year-old then posted a strong run, unchallenged, to take a victory that’s bound to shore up her #1 position for Team US.

It was also a strong day for Brazilian Luisa Baptista who had already shown early season form with two wins from two in 2022 so far. With a run split bettered only by fellow Team International hopeful Ashleigh Gentle, Baptista ran her way into second behind Knibb.

Baptista recapped her Oceanside race for us on Instagram which you can watch above. Brazilian Baptista found real benefit from the beach start given her swimming prowess and once it came to the bike she thought she’d roll the dice and try something different to maximise her podium chances.

This awesome performance will see the Brazilian take another jump up the rankings and also put her in the ballpark for Team International Collins Cup selection.

Holly Lawrence also had a stellar day in Oceanside. The California-based Brit was fourth over the swim and bike legs then rounded out the podium fighting through painful blisters on the run, having opted not to wear socks to save her valuable time in transition.

View Full Results 

Ironman South Africa

South African Men Sweep The Podium

The first full distance race of the season certainly did not disappoint with the racing action that unfolded. A swim shortened to 700m due to rough sea conditions saw the men and women through T1 and onto their bikes in well under 15 minutes. The challenges of the cold, wind and rain more than made up for the shortened swim. Making the podium would be down to not just which athletes boasted the strongest muscular endurance but those who could deal best with the conditions.

Joe Skipper, the men’s favourite going into the race, experienced a small mechanical issue during the bike leg that cost him some time. However, Skipper overcame this setback to ride the fastest bike split of the day and start the run in the leading group. 

Skipper was not able to maintain the pace of the South African trio of Kyle Buckingham, Bradley Weiss and Matt Trautman and dropped back to fourth. But was it over exertion after his mechanical on the bike or thoughts of saving himself for St George World Championships in a month’s time that saw him post ‘only’ a 2:45 marathon?

South Africa didn’t provide quite the same explosive finish as the Sanders/Von Berg sprint-off in Oceanside the day before but winner Kyle Buckingham and second place Bradley Weiss were separated by only 19 seconds. Weiss had geen gaining on Buckingham in the final kilometres and had his countryman in sight but Buckingham was able to force every remaining ounce of remaining speed from his body to take his first win since 2018. Keep this form up and Buckingham and Trautman could threaten to break into Team International. 

View Full Results

Bleymehl is Back

Daniela Bleymehl’s return to racing started with a disappointing DNF in Dubai, however, South Africa changed the tide for the German who did not race throughout 2020 and 2021 while she was on maternity leave.

Out of the swim in third and having rode away with a bike split nine minutes faster than the competition, Bleymehl’s closest competitors as the women started the run were World Triathlon Long Distance World Champion Sarissa De Vries and Susie Cheetham. After strong starts in the marathon both De Vries and Cheetham unfortunately faded and eventually retired while Bleymehl stayed strong to take victory.

Elena Illeditsch finished second, 10 minutes behind the winner, to make it a German one-two followed by South African Magda Nieuwoudt in third, making it a powerful day for South Africans at their home race across the board – and a signal of the nation’s strength for Team International’s captains to take notice of for the Collins Cup.

Challenge Salou

Challenge Salou’s swim, like South Africa, could not go ahead as planned but in this case the entire first leg of this Spanish event had to be cancelled for safety reasons. That left a 4km run, 90km bike and 21.1km run to contest in duathlon format.

Langridge Bags Early Season Win

In the women’s race after the fast and furious run in place of the swim, the trio of Lisa Nordén, Fenella Langridge and Els Visser established themselves as the front runners on the bike. Some narrow technical sections on the bike course had the three vying for position to avoid the surging that comes after bunching up around the tight turns. 

Once onto the run, Langridge put time into both Nordén and Visser, with Nordén falling significantly behind to eventually finish in fifth place. Langridge stayed strong throughout to take the win with Visser finishing second and India Lee rounding out the podium having run the fastest half marathon split of the day. 

View Full Results

Hogenhaug Runs To Victory

In the men’s race it was an equally, if not more, chaotic start with 57 male athletes jostling for the lead over the 4km run. With little to split them by T1, things were just as frenetic on the bike with everyone aiming for the front and no-one wanting to be caught out, meaning lots of surges putting athletes under pressure. 

Kristian Hogenhaug showed strong form, clocking the second fastest bike split – Robert Kallin outdid him by just 13 seconds. Hogenhaug led out of T2 and stayed away, taking the tape and his first win of 2022.

Spaniard Roberto Sanchez Mantecon ran the fastest half marathon of the day to finish second, 43 seconds behind Hogenhaug and only six seconds ahead of third place finisher Emil Holm.

View Full Results

The post Racing Wrap: 70.3 Oceanside, IM South Africa, Challenge Salou appeared first on PTO.

Here’s the lowdown on the biggest names who could swim, bike and run their way onto the podium.

Ironman 70.3 Oceanside

Always an early-season hit out for the cream of North American racing, Oceanside has even bigger prominence this year ahead of May’s Ironman World Championship in St. George.

Date: Saturday 2 April
Location: Oceanside, California
Local start time: 06:40

Men’s Race – Brownlee Is Back!

Top Ranked athletes:

Lionel Sanders (PTO #3)
Ben Kanute (PTO #8)
Rudy Von Berg (PTO #10)

Oceanside has seen many epic battles over the years – including an awesome showdown between Lionel Sanders and Jan Frodeno in 2018 – but one athlete who’s never raced in this stacked-field season opener is double Olympic champ, Alistair Brownlee.

That’s set to change on Saturday though. After his absence in the second half of 2021 following his attempts to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and a long recovery from ankle surgery, two-time Olympic Champion Ali Brownlee is back!

All eyes on Oceanside :ocean:@AliBrownleetri looks to lay down some solid performances to qualify for @TheCollinsCup :raised_hands: pic.twitter.com/fnRYxXmTHJ

— PTO (@protriorg) March 31, 2022

Brownlee will face none other than Lionel Sanders, whose race against Frodeno here in 2018 lit a fire within Sanders that still burns strong to this day. Sanders comes into the 2022 season confident having executed strong consistent performance at the end of 2021 under the guidance of new coach Mikal Iden (big brother and coach of Gustav Iden). 

Brownlee and Sanders have met before on three occasions (Challenge Samorin 2017, Kona 2019 and the PTO 2020 Championship) but on all occasions either one or both did not have strong days so have never had the chance to go toe-to-toe with one another. 

Having not seen Brownlee race since his Olympic qualification bid ended in a controversial DQ at WTCS Leeds back in June 2021, it could be reasonable to have a question mark hanging over Brownlee’s form upon return… However, word on the street is that Brownlee is stronger and faster than ever over the middle and long distance!

This would bode well for him in a year where he is also set to go up against Kristian Blummenfelt in the Pho3nix Sub7 Project. While both are aiming to beat the seven-hour mark, they are equally going to be battling to see who can go under seven hours by the biggest margin.

Brownlee and Sanders may be the headline names racing in Oceanside but you should never count out the likes of Ben Kanute, Rudy Von Berg, Jackson Laundry, Sam Appleton, Matt Hanson and so many more world class athletes all on the start list. 

Ben Kanute of course has won Oceanside on the previous two runnings of the race in 2021 and 2019 (the 2020 edition was cancelled due to COVID), beating Rudy Von Berg on one of those occasions in 2019 by just 12 seconds! There will certainly be a score to settle there.

Full start list

Women’s Race – Knibb vs. Ryf Reimagined!

Top-ranked athletes: 

Daniela Ryf (PTO #3)
Taylor Knibb (PTO #5)
Skye Moench (PTO #8)

The last (and so far only) time that Daniela Ryf and Taylor Knibb have raced one another was their match at The Collins Cup where Ryf was self-admittedly not on form and “arguably shouldn’t have raced but didn’t want to let the team down”. Knibb took an ‘easy’ match victory and was disappointed that she didn’t get to race Daniela on her best day. Now is Knibb’s chance to take on a refreshed Ryf, who’s back and stronger than ever with a new mindset to training, racing and life in general.

The women’s start list is equally as stacked as the men’s, meaning that if Ryf or Knibb let slip even just a little, there will be many fierce competitors ready to pounce on them for the win! Skye Moench, Paula Findlay, Holly Lawrence, Heather Jackson, Jackie Hering, Tamara Jewett and Chelsea Sodaro are all names that could be very much in the mix come Saturday. 

Don’t forget to watch out for former short-course athlete Ashleigh Gentle, who’s coming off a big win at Clash Miami. A few more races like that and she’s sure to shoot up the PTO World Rankings and become a shoo-in for the Collins Cup this August.

With such strength in depth, one can only hope that there will be some dramatic racing on show pushing one another to the limit! 

Full start list 

Challenge Salou

For those athletes staying in Europe, this weekend, the big half-distance race is Challenge Salou, which boasts a strong field looking to move up the rankings.

Date: Sunday 3 April
Location: Salou, Spain
Local start time: 08:00

Women’s Race – Haug vs Nordén

Top-ranked Athletes:

Anne Haug (PTO #4)
Lisa Nordén (PTO #16)
Fenella Langridge (PTO #21)

In the women’s race, Challenge Salou will make it two races in two weeks for Anne Haug and after a second-place finish in Lanzarote, behind Kat Matthews who scored an impressive 104.92 points, Haug will be eager to go one better and be standing on top of the podium. 

It will be by no means an easy win for Haug – she will have to overcome the likes of Lisa Nordén who won Challenge Salou in 2021. Nordén has recently been training with Laura Philipp, who just became PTO World #1, so perhaps Nordén will be in equally strong form and be able to make it two-second place finishes for Haug in two weeks.

The long list of other female challengers is topped by Fenella Langridge. The Brit will be taking her brand new Trek Speed Concept out for its first race, having been flaunting the wind tunnel testing she’s been doing on Instagram, so let’s see how slick she is on course! Then there’s Laura Zimmerman, Justine Mathieux, Elisabetta Curridori and India Lee… the list goes on! 

Full start list

Men’s Race – Third Time’s The Charm For Luis?

Top-ranked Athletes:

Kristian Hogenhaug (PTO #11)
Denis Chevrot (PTO #18)
Miki Moerck Taagholt (PTO #30)

Short course superstar Vincent Luis is set to further build his middle-distance resumé with Salou being only his third middle distance race. Luis’s previous middle distances exploits include a second-place finish at 70.3 Indian Wells in 2021 behind Lionel Sanders – an incredible result given that he was knocked off his bike by a car after being sent off course. 

Luis also finished eighth at the PTO 2020 Championship having received a two-minute penalty for drafting on the bike. That made his final gap to winner Gustav Iden, 2 minutes and 15 seconds. Perhaps we’ll get to see that sprint finish later in the season!

Luis will be lining up alongside Miki Moerck Taagholt, Kristian Høgenhaug, Denis Chevrot, Sam Laidlow and Clement Mignon. Like the women’s race there is a long list of other challengers racing in Salou, all hungry to bank a strong result early in the season.

Full start list 

Ironman South Africa

Full distance racing is back! While there have already been a handful of middle distance races for pros to tick off, this is the first opportunity for those full distance specialists to flex – and the chance to walk away with the African Championship title.

Date: Sunday 3 April
Location: Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa
Local start time: 06:30

Men’s Race – Skipper Starts The Season, Chartier Steps Up

Top-ranked Athletes:

Joe Skipper (PTO #7)
Collin Chartier (PTO #29)
Jesper Svensson (PTO #36)

Favouring the full-distance, it’s no surprise that Joe Skipper has journeyed to South Africa to race and is the hands-down favourite to take the win. Justin Metzler teased Skipper during the Collins Cup press conference for only having “one speed” and not being able to match him and Jackson Laundry over the 100km distance… That one speed however is RAPID over the full distance. Finishing off 2021 with a 100 point score at IM Chattanooga, Skipper has been banking consistent miles over the offseason so can expect a strong start from the Brit.

Other notable mentions include Collin Chartier, taking on his first-ever full-distance race. Though they did not race in the same match at the Collins Cup, Skipper’s overall finish time was two minutes faster than Chartier so if it did come down to a sprint to the finish between the two, one might expect Skipper to be able to pull out some speed over the American… 

Home favourites Bradley Weiss and Matt Trautman will certainly be gunning to take the title of first South African across the line and will also be keen to get in the mix at the front of the race. Also, Jesper Svensson will be racing to overwrite his DNF at the race in 2021 and having clocked the fastest swim in 2021, he’ll no doubt be hoping to enter T1 in first and hold on for as long as he can!

Full start list

Women’s Race – Bleymehl Back, But Not Without Challengers

Top-ranked Athletes:

Sarissa De Vries (PTO #22)
Emma Bilham (PTO #33)
Kylie Simpson (PTO #55)

Daniela Bleymehl had a disappointing return to racing in Dubai earlier this year with a DNF, both her first 2022 race but also her first race since returning from maternity leave. Bleymehl has multiple 100+ point scores in her race record prior to maternity leave so it surely is only a matter of time before she’s back on top.

Bleymehl will have the likes of Sarissa De Vries, winner of the World Long Distance Triathlon Championship in 2021, to contend with, as well as Emma Bilham, another strong competitor over the full distance. Kylie Simpson is also expected to be in the mix and with two 80+ point scores and one 34 point score contributing to her ranking of 55th this will surely be a chance to make a big leap in the rankings with a good result. 

Full start list

It is for sure going to be a busy weekend of racing around the world which we cannot wait to keep up with! Make sure you are following the PTO on Instagram to see posts about the winners and podium athletes as well as links to the full results.  

The post Weekend Preview 2-3 April: Oceanside, Salou & South Africa appeared first on PTO.

Back after a COVID-induced break, the 2021 Ironman 70.3 World Championships in St. George, Utah, has a sensational line-up of top-class competitors all hungry to claim victory after a year without the event. With Gustav Iden and Daniela Ryf on the start line, both 2019 champs have huge targets on their backs.

Here’s who to look out for in St. George this weekend.

Key Info

Date: 18 September
Location: St. George, Utah
Start Time: 13:00 UTC
Prize Money: $350,000 – pays 15 deep $50,000 to $3,000
Course: Lake swim, hilly bike, hilly run

Top-ranked Athletes

Men
Gustav Iden (PTO #3) / Sam Long (PTO #4) / Daniel Baekkegard (PTO #10)

Women
Daniela Ryf (PTO #1) / Lucy Charles-Barclay (PTO #4) / Holly Lawrence (PTO #5)

Men’s Race

2019 70.3 world champ and PTO 2020 Champion Gustav Iden is a strong favourite at the race. He can swim well, bike with the best and then outrun them – as evidenced by his fastest run split at the Collins Cup. If anyone’s going to take Iden down, the Norwegian will make them work for it.

Sam Long came second to Lionel Sanders at 70.3 St. George in May and while this course is a little different, it suits his strong bike-run combo. The question is, will the front of the race be too far out of reach after the swim for him to get to use his strength?

Daniel Baekkegard is a big challenger for the title. Imperious in his match-up at the Collins Cup, where he had the day’s third-fastest time, the Dane has no weaknesses and should be vying for the lead from the gun in St. George. A head-to-head with the Norwegians could provide a real battle to the line.

Tokyo Olympic Champion Kristian Blummenfelt could well be Iden’s biggest rival and following his World Triathlon title, is clearly in scintillating form. The pair have only fought it out at two 70.3 events previously: 70.3 Bahrain in 2019 – where Blummenfelt put Iden into second with the world-record time; and the 2019 world champs in Nice – where Blummenfelt came fourth. St. George’s hilly bike and run could favour Iden, but don’t be surprised to see two Norwegians on the podium.

While Long is ranked higher, Ben Kanute (PTO #11) has the all-round swim, bike and run speed that could see him finish as the best US athlete at the event. He had the fourth-fastest time at the Collins Cup behind Frodeno, Iden and Baekkegard, so is in great form but suffered in St. George in May only coming 26th.

George Goodwin (PTO #13) missed out on Collins Cup selection so will be all-in for 70.3 worlds. After taking third at the PTO 2020 champs in Daytona last December, the Brit showed his class to take the 70.3 European title in June. However, like Kanute, he had a substandard race in St. George this May with a 17th place finish.

Look Out For

All-star swimmer and fifth-fastest finisher at the Collins Cup, Sam Appleton (PTO #15) should be right up there.

The pedigree of nine-time world champ Javier Gomez (PTO #16) is always worth taking notice of.

Florian Angert (PTO #23) is a swim-bike beast and just won Challenge Samorin.

Jackson Laundry (PTO #26) had the fourth-fastest run at the Collins Cup and that form could see him finish strong here too.

Women’s Race

Daniela Ryf bounced back after illness at the Collins Cup to win IM Switzerland on 5 September, but that effort is unlikely to dent her power here. Never too far behind in the swim, the Swiss star is peerless on the bike, creating insurmountable leads on her opponents. Because of that, we’ve not seen her pushed in a run battle but given Ryf’s already got five 70.3 world titles in the bag, it would be foolish to bet against her. She also won 70.3 St. George in May, so we know she races well over this terrain.

As in years past in Kona, Lucy Charles-Barclay could be Ryf’s biggest threat in St. George. Despite being ill at the Collins Cup, the 70.3 European champ put in the second-fastest time of the day. She’s bound to have a lead out the swim and if she can hold Ryf when the pass we’re all expecting happens, it’ll be a great running duel to the finish.

Holly Lawrence came second to Charles-Barclay at the 70.3 Euro champs but that was a week after winning 70.3 Des Moines stateside. A true all-rounder, Lawrence came closest to Ryf at the 2019 worlds on a course that didn’t suit her. Lawrence took sixth at 70.3 St. George in May but expect her to finish higher this weekend.

Emma Pallant-Browne (PTO #7) is a real star on the rise. Now coached by Tim Don, the South Africa-based Brit came third at St. George in May despite some gastro issues before coming second to Lawrence in Des Moines. Her recent form is exceptional with first at 70.3 Boulder, besting Lawrence at Escape From Alcatraz and setting the third-fastest time at the Collins Cup. With an improved swim, this uber-bike-runner could top the podium on Saturday.

She might be way down the PTO rankings, but Taylor Knibb will be up at the top of many people’s lists for a win in St. George. The American, who took mixed relay silver in Tokyo, had the fastest split at the Collins Cup including the swiftest bike leg despite riding a road bike. A faster swimmer than Ryf, we could see Knibb working with Charles-Barclay on the bike then sticking with Ryf on the bike and running away to victory.

Jeanni Metzler (PTO #11) took second behind Ryf at 70.3 St. George in May with a superb run that put her within five minutes of the champ. The hilly course suits her and she races well in the heat, so a podium certainly isn’t out of the question for the South African.

After beating Metzler and Anne Haug at the Collins Cup with the day’s fastest run, Jackie Hering (PTO #15) won’t be flying under the radar this weekend. If she can limit her losses on the swim and hang tough on the bike, Hering is sure to improve on her eighth place from the race in May.

Ellie Salthouse (PTO #16) is another athlete who wouldn’t be out of place on the podium. The Aussie star has five middle-distance wins this season plus a win in her Collins Cup matchup. She’s a 70.3 specialist and a strong all-rounder who’s great in the heat so expect a strong performance.

When she’s on, Paula Findlay (PTO #6) has the talent and speed to crush it. The PTO 2020 Champion has had a strong rather than stunning 2021 but came fourth at 70.3 St. George in May before being sidelined by injury. She wasn’t back to her best for the Collins Cup but if she’s on her game this weekend, the podium beckons.

Look Out For

Despite being more of an iron-distance specialist, Kat Matthews (PTO #9) had the fourth-fastest time at the Collins Cup.

Skye Moench (PTO #10) will be toeing the line in her first 70.3 Worlds as was the top US-finisher at St. George in May with fifth place.

Imogen Simmonds (PTO #20) was second to Ryf at 70.3 Dubai and has the class to finish well here too.

Chelsea Sodaro (PTO #22) is proving herself a super-mom and just keeps getting stronger on her path back to the top after giving birth in March.

Tamara Jewett (PTO #65) recently won Timberman with a 1:14:19 half marathon split – the third-fastest ever in a middle-distance race.

The post Ironman 70.3 World Championship 2021 Preview appeared first on PTO.

We’re in for some seriously exciting matches once racing gets underway on Saturday with all the athletes from Team Europe, Team US and Team Internationals pushing their limits to prove themselves the best, rack up the points and be the first team to ever lift the Collins Cup.

Here’s the lowdown on all 12 matches and how they could play out. Don’t miss your chance to make your own predictions in the Collins Cup Fantasy Competition, where you could be in with a shot at winning some incredible prizes.

Between now and race day, we’ve got the athlete press conference to look forward to on Friday 27 August at 10:00 CEST while the main Collins Cup broadcast begins at 12:30 CEST on Saturday 28. Head over to the Collins Cup broadcast information page to see how to watch in your region.

Women’s Matches

Match #1

Team Europe – Daniela Ryf (PTO #1)
Team US – Taylor Knibb
Team Internationals – Teresa Adam (PTO #2)

Team Europe Captains Natascha Badmann and Normann Stadler went hard out the gate by picking Daniela Ryf for the first-ever Collins Cup matchup. Ryf is, without doubt, one of the sport’s greats – a strong swimmer, an unbelievably powerful cyclist and a sensational runner. 

Team Internationals Captains Lisa Bentley and Simon Whitfield matched the world #1 with the world #2 – Teresa Adam. Adam is an athlete who could put time into Ryf during the swim and one of the only athletes in the sport with a chance of matching the Swiss Miss on the bike. While the Kiwi’s run stats fall short of Ryf’s, Adam’s not raced since January – and never before in Europe – so her running form could surprise on Saturday.

In Taylor Knibb, Team US Captains Karen Smyers and Mark Allen went straight in for a tactical pick in match #1, pitting the speed of an up-and-coming short-course star against these two proven iron-distance champions. At the recent World Triathlon events in Canada, Knibb – the Collins Cup’s youngest competitor – showed she’s one of the sport’s best swimmers and bikers. Meanwhile, while her 1:21 run split at 70.3 Boulder is faster than Adam has ever produced over the distance. Add in the fact that this battle will be fought over 2km, 80km and 18km and Knibb is a genuine contender for the win.

Match #2

Team Europe – Lucy Charles-Barclay (PTO #4)
Team US – Katie Zaferes
Team Internationals – Paula Findlay (PTO #6)

Lucy Charles-Barclay has shown herself to be adept at all distances but her tactics are well known to the other teams – use her swimming strength to make a gap, ride hard and try to maintain that buffer for the run. While the Brit might fulfil the first part of that gameplan in the water, her lead to a pair of stellar swimmers in Paula Findlay and double Olympic medallist Katie Zaferes might not be great enough to put her out of sight.

Findlay has beaten Charles-Barclay before, the Canadian running away to take the win at Challenge Daytona in 2019. Findlay’s bike stats also give her the edge on the second discipline so she could wipe out any swim deficit before the matchup is over.

Katie Zaferes is the second wildcard for Team US. While she’s unproven at middle-distance events, the American’s pedigree speaks for itself as a World Triathlon Champion and Tokyo 2020 bronze and silver medallist. An awesome swim, bike, runner with no weaknesses, Zaferes could show the other two what speed really is.

Match #3

Team Europe – Anne Haug (PTO #3)
Team US – Jackie Hering (PTO #15)
Team Internationals – Jeanni Metzler (PTO #11)

Match #3 will be a battle of the runners. Team Europe’s Anne Haug is widely considered the sport’s best in the third discipline – reflected in a running rating of 100%. That means the only tactic for Team US and Team Internationals will be to put time into the German before the run begins.

Jeanni Metzler is an incredible runner herself, with a fastest half-marathon split of 1:15:26 this season. On paper, the South African should beat both Haug and Hering out the water, too. So, if she can hold an advantage by T2, she could take the win.

Hering shares the same 84% swim rating as Haug, so the two could well hit the bike together. If that’s after Metzler, there could be some tactical plays when it comes to whose job it is to lead the charge.

Metzler has beaten Hering in three of their last four races together – though it was the American who took the most recent scalp. However, Haug thrashed them both at the PTO 2020 Championship at Challenge Daytona.

Match #4

Team Europe – Holly Lawrence (PTO #5)
Team US – Skye Moench (PTO #10)
Team Internationals – Ellie Salthouse (PTO #16)

Holly Lawrence is a seriously tough competitor and a middle-distance specialist who’s highly accomplished in all three disciplines. But that doesn’t mean it’ll be a walkover for Team Europe in match #4. 

Lawrence is likely to lead this trio out the water but Ellie Salthouse, who’s also a great swimmer and a middle-distance maestro herself, could stay on the Brit’s toes then force her to work on the bike.

While Moench might lose a bit of time in the swim, she’s the strongest cyclist of the three and beat Lawrence the last time they raced together at 70.3 St George. So unless there’s a significant gap, it could all come back together by T2 – leaving the race to be decided on the run. 

All three athletes are well-matched here but with no love lost between Lawrence and Salthouse, the Aussie – who’s undefeated in 2021 over middle-distance – could have the extra motivation to clinch victory.

Match #5

Team Europe – Emma Pallant-Browne (PTO #7)
Team US – Chelsea Sodaro (PTO #22)
Team Internationals – Sarah Crowley (PTO #13)

On paper, match #5 should be a win for Team Europe. With her overall ranking of 94%, Emma Pallant-Browne’s only slight weakness is in the swim though she still trumps Sodaro and Crowley in that department.

Even if American super-mom, Sodaro, and iron-distance Aussie, Crowley, can stick to the Brit’s feet in the water, it’s unlikely they’ll drop her on the bike – Pallant-Browne has shown she’s a match for anyone but Daniela Ryf on two wheels.

On the run, Pallant-Browne is impeccable, her fastest split a 1:16:54 this season. Could we see the Brit take extra points for a match domination? It could be on the cards. 

Either way, the more exciting battle could be for second place between Sodaro, who’s still on the upward swing back to her best after returning from maternity leave, and Crowley, the iron-distance powerhouse whose skillset might not suit this shorter course.

Match #6

Team Europe – Kat Matthews (PTO #9)
Team US – Jocelyn McCauley (PTO #41)
Team Internationals – Carrie Lester (PTO #8)

Match #6 is a battle of long-course warriors. All three women have performed over the iron distance this season – and all broken the nine-hour barrier in the process.

With higher swimming rankings, there’s a chance the McCauley and Lester could edge out Matthews on the swim. Lester would then be hoping to use her bike prowess – she’s rated 96% – to make a gap before the run.

Both Lester and McCauley will need time on Kat Matthews before the run as the Brit has shown she’s an athlete to be feared on the final leg. Matthews ran 2:49:48 for the marathon in May – the fastest time of the last five years. That said, the 18km finale isn’t ideally suited to any of these iron-forged specialists, so there could be an upset by the finish line.

Men’s Matches

Match #7

Team Europe – Jan Frodeno (PTO #1)
Team US – Sam Long (PTO #4)
Team Internationals – Sam Appleton (PTO #15)

With the world #1 ranking, the iron-distance world record and a winning streak that goes back to the start of the 2018 season, everyone is expecting Jan Frodeno to perform at the Collins Cup. That puts a huge target on his back and gives both the German’s competitors extra incentive to be the one to topple the champ.

A superb swimmer, Sam Appleton should be out the water with Frodeno but will need to pull out something special on the bike as Frodeno’s 99% run rating is significantly higher than his own 85%. Perhaps the safe bet will be to shadow Frodeno for as long as possible and try to score maximum points over Sam Long – then again, where’s the fun in that?

At just 25, Long has rocketed to the top of the sport with a massive bike-run combo and the personality to match. The Big Unit will be desperate to beat Frodo and while his bike is ranked higher – 99% versus 94% – the American might just lose too much time in the swim to make it count. One thing’s for sure though, Long won’t let up for a second in the chase – recently coming from behind to beat Appleton in Boulder, which is sure to give him a psychological edge.

Match #8

Team Europe – Gustav Iden (PTO #3)
Team US – Rudy Von Berg (PTO #8)
Team Internationals – Kyle Smith (PTO #27)

As PTO 2020 Champion and reigning 70.3 world champ, Norway’s Gustav Iden is the real deal. An athlete who gets stronger as the race progresses through the disciplines, it’s Iden’s run that earned him both titles – beating Rudy Von Berg on both occasions.

Von Berg will be seeking to distance Iden in the swim and with a similar pace through the water as Kyle Smith, the pair could work well over the 2km to put a little time into Iden. Von Berg is higher-ranked on the bike than Smith but the Kiwi is no slouch having ridden sub-two-hours in a half this year.

The pair will need quite a buffer to stave off the Norwegian’s inexorable run speed, but there’s a chance Iden could simply run out of road to make the catch.

While Smith appears the underdog of the match-up, he definitely shouldn’t be counted out for the win. The New Zealander had the fastest swim and bike times at the 70.3 European champs in June and with a shorter run, this could be the perfect distance for him.

Match #9

Team Europe – Sebastian Kienle (PTO #19)
Team US – Andrew Starykowicz (PTO #33)
Team Internationals – Lionel Sanders (PTO #2)

Sebastian Kienle’s form coming into the Collins Cup is a complete unknown. He’s been rehabbing injuries and hasn’t raced since May. If he’s back to his best, the German’s a true warrior who will stop at nothing – this is a man who rode an entire 180km bike leg with a piece of glass digging into his foot.

Lionel Sanders wanted the match-up against Sebastian Kienle, who he’s battled with twice before at Challenge Samorin and come out on top both times. The pair are similarly matched in the swim but Sanders should have the edge on the bike and run. However, he’s just a week post a big iron-distance race in Copenhagen so whether he’s firing on all cylinders could make the difference here.

While Sanders is ranked 100% on the bike, Starykowicz – who’s ranked 99% – has a long reputation as the sport’s most dominant cyclist. A late call-up for the Collins Cup, Starykowicz is also a better swimmer than both Kienle and Sanders, so should be off up the road before that pairing leaves the water. Realistically, though, he’ll need at least five minutes in hand to have a chance at victory, which could be just too much in a race this length.

Match #10

Team Europe – Daniel Baekkegard (PTO #10)
Team US – Ben Kanute (PTO #11)
Team Internationals – Max Neumann (PTO #17)

Based on the rankings, this is one of the closest Collins Cup matchups we’ll get to see on Saturday. Daniel Baekkegard, Ben Kanute and Max Neumann are all spectacular swimmers and will surely stay together in the water. They’re also bike and run powerhouses, all ranked within a couple of percent of each other.

Baekkegard is an athlete everyone’s been talking about – his win at 70.3 Bahrain this year was the third-fastest ever over the distance, probably making him the one to beat here.

Kanute, meanwhile, has shown he can maintain his short-course speed alongside his middle-distance focus. If anything, this slightly shorter bike and run distance only favours the American, who recently took his fourth straight victory at Escape From Alcatraz, an iconic standard-distance race.

Neumann is the least known of the three but is a double IM Asia Pacific Champion. Don’t let those iron-distance wins fool you though, the Aussie is a seriously fast athlete who’s run 1:10 this season. 

All in all, this one’s too close to call.

Match #11

Team Europe – Patrick Lange (PTO #7)
Team US – Matt Hanson (PTO #9)
Team Internationals – Braden Currie (PTO #6)

Braden Currie is an incredibly consistent performer. He’s not had the chance to race outside his native New Zealand over the last two years, so will be desperate to test himself against this tough competition. The strongest swimmer in the match and equal to the others on the bike, his run ranking is also just 1% lower than Patrick Lange’s at 96%.

A two-time Kona winner, Lange is arguably the world’s best iron-distance runner. However, while the German excels over the longer races, his middle-distance palmares aren’t quite of the same calibre, his last win coming in 2017.

Lange’s improved swim-bike could be crucial in the match, especially if he can stick behind Braden Currie in the water to distance Matt Hanson. If the pair reaches T2 with an advantage, we should be in for an exciting shoulder-to-shoulder run.

However, with a 100% run rating, Matt Hanson could have the speed to close down anything but a colossal lead. Throughout 2021, the American has proven himself the best middle-distance runner in the world, seemingly constantly surging through the field to put in race-best splits. If Hanson reaches T2 with the others, Team US could score top points here.

Match #12

Team Europe – Joe Skipper (PTO #5)
Team US – Justin Metzler (PTO #54)
Team Internationals – Jackson Laundry (PTO #26)

Team US Captains’ Pick, Justin Metzler, was brought onto the team on the back of his great second-place at IM Coeur d’Alene and fifth-place at 70.3 Boulder recently. Metzler’s ace card here is his swim, where he could distance both his competitors and solo away to build a lead.

Jackson Laundry comes to the Collins Cup in rising form after going third, second and first in his last three races. If he’s within hailing distance of Metzler after T1, the pair could work well together on the bike to keep Skipper at bay. Metzler and Laundry are ranked at 89 and 90% on the run so we should see a good battle between the two.

Joe Skipper is one of the fastest bike-runners in the business with a 96% bike rating and 100% run rating – credentials he’s often underlined at iron-distance races. At the middle distance, he’s less consistent and has yet to put a win against his scorecard. There’s no doubting his talent though, he could yet pull something out the bag – if he can overturn what’s likely to be a significant swim deficit.

History In The Making

With such an array of talented and well-matched athletes going head-to-head in this totally new race format, triathlon history will be made on Saturday. Not only is the team dynamic new to long-course triathlon but with Team Captains able to help shape race outcomes through radio communications and access to athlete data, it’ll be a fascinating new take on what the sport of swim, bike and run can be.

The race coverage gets underway at 12:30 CEST on Saturday but there’s plenty more to watch on the Collins Cup website or iOS/Android app before then including both parts of the PTO’s Beyond Human documentary and the Battle For Glory and Greater Than One video series.

The post The Collins Cup: Final Matchups appeared first on PTO.

The Collins Cup is coming up this Saturday and as the excitement ratchets ever higher, you can get even closer to the action with the Collins Cup Fantasy Competition.

After the fun of the Tokyo tri fantasy game, which featured over 1,300 participants, the stakes are higher this time around. While the Collins Cup Fantasy Competition is completely free to play there’s a Grand Prize of an all-expenses-paid trip for two to the 2022 Collins Cup on the line – the trip of a lifetime for any triathlon fan.

Meanwhile, second-and third-place finishers will bag a TAG Heuer connected watch. There are also plenty of prizes to be won courtesy of Wahoo, the event’s Official Transition Partner, including a Wahoo KICKR Bike for fourth place, Wahoo KICKR Smart Trainers for fifth and sixth place and Wahoo ELEMNT RIVAL multisport watches for seventh to 10th place.

If that whets your appetite to give it a go, read on for how to get started with the Collins Cup Fantasy Competition.

Collins Cup Fantasy Competition – How To Play

The Collins Cup Fantasy Competition gets underway immediately after the Collins Cup opening ceremony on Wednesday 25 August. It’s here we’ll get to find out which athletes will be pitted against one another in all 12 of the race matchups – as well as getting a chance to see all the stars resplendent in their new race kit.

Once those all-important matchups have been decided in the Captain’s Match Draft Draw, the game is afoot! All you need to do is pick who you think will finish first, second and third in every matchup. 

First place athletes are worth 300 points, second 200 points and third 100 points. There are also bonus points for the first two athletes across the line based on the time gap to their competitors.

For each correct guess, you’ll be awarded that athlete’s points. So, if you correctly predict a trifecta the points will really rack up in your favour! The more points you have at the end of the day, the higher you’ll be ranked – but can you make it into the top 10 to earn a prize?

Like the previous tri fantasy games, success at the Collins Cup Fantasy Competition will take all your athlete knowledge and a big slice of luck. While we can’t help with the latter, now is the time to brush up on everything you need to know about all the Collins Cup athletes through our PTO Stats site. 

You’ll find a treasure trove of historical data and recent results as well as being able to view how athletes have fared against one another in the past using the Head-To-Head feature. So, jump in and take a deep dive into the stats to perfect your predictions.

The Collins Cup coverage gets underway at 12:30 CEST on Saturday. You can catch every second through live broadcasts in over 100 countries as well as on the Collins Cup website or the newly launched Collins Cup iOS/Android app. Head over to the Collins Cup broadcast information page to find out where to watch in your region.

The post The Collins Cup Fantasy Competition appeared first on PTO.

With the likes of Lionel Sanders and Paula Findlay, Team Internationals have some of the world’s best – and best-known – triathletes. But they’ve also got the advantage of others who’ve flown under the radar during the pandemic who will be ready to strike at the Collins Cup.

A surfeit of quality athletes from which to choose has meant the Captains Picks have only added to the strength in depth for Team Internationals. Meanwhile, the Team Captains themselves – Lisa Bentley and Simon Whitfield – lend the team both long- and short-course tactical expertise.

Captains: Lisa Bentley, Simon Whitfield

Team Internationals Women

1. Teresa Adam (PTO #2)
2. Paula Findlay (PTO #6)
3. Carrie Lester (PTO #8)
4. Jeanni Metzler (PTO #11)
5. Sarah Crowley (PTO #13)
6. Ellie Salthouse (PTO #16)

Teresa Adam has been hunkered in New Zealand during Covid but has still put in some incredible performances throughout the Collins Cup qualification period. The Kiwi scored big points at three IM races over 2019 and 2020 and the Port of Tauranga Half this year. A great swimmer and superb biker, her run is the unknown for her competitors.

Paula Findlay made a big name for herself by winning the PTO 2020 Championships at Challenge Daytona last December. The Canadian followed that up with seventh at Challenge Miami and a gutsy never-say-die performance for fourth at 70.3 St. George. She’s just come good after a running injury but if she’s back to her best, she’s one of the strongest all-rounders in the business.

Carrie Lester secured her Collins Cup place thanks to three Ironman wins in 2019 and a sensationally fast sub-nine victory at IM Coeur d’Alene in June. The Aussie is a great swimmer and runner but a real powerhouse on the bike, which is sure to feature in the tactics of the Team Captains.

South Africa’s Jeanni Metzler has had a fantastic 2021 season, seeking out races against the best and coming away with second at 70.3 Texas and St. George and third at 70.3 Boulder. Each time she’s unleashed a ferocious run pace that’ll worry any of her potential matchups at the Collins Cup.

Sarah Crowley has twice finished third in Kona and was also the 2017 World Triathlon Long Distance champion, underlining her credentials to race with aplomb when it really counts. By her exceptionally high standards, Crowley didn’t shine quite as brightly at the start of 2021. However, first at 70.3 Ecuador in July signalled the Australian is on the way back to her best and was enough for her to gain a Captains Pick slot.

Ellie Salthouse comes into the Collins Cup unbeaten in 2021 over six middle-distance races including 70.3 Geelong and, most recently, 70.3 Andorra. The team’s third Aussie is certainly one of the form athletes of the season and given the Collins Cup’s 2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run format, she could well be the strongest of the women’s competitors.

Team Internationals Men

1. Lionel Sanders (PTO #2)
2. Braden Currie (PTO #6)
3. Sam Appleton (PTO #15)
4. Max Neumann (PTO #17)
5. Kyle Smith (PTO #27)
6. Jackson Laundry (PTO #26)

The Team Internationals men are headed by Lionel Sanders. Undoubtedly one of the world’s best 70.3 athletes and a true fighter, Sanders has a second at Challenge Miami and wins at 70.3 Texas and St. George this season – both against highly competitive fields. He also set a new iron-distance PB at the Tri Battle Royale and backed that up with second at IM Copenhagen last weekend. A middle-distance ace, while he might lose time in the swim, he’s got the bike-run to have the others running scared. Plus, he’s won twice in Samorin previously at Challenge The Championship.

Winner of his native IM New Zealand this year, Braden Currie is a supremely consistent athlete who’s truly talented across all three disciplines. Outside of his top-10 showings at the 70.3 worlds and Kona, he’s not finished off the podium since late 2017. While he’s yet to face an international field in 2021, he’s got the full swim-bike-run package to go toe-to-toe with the best the other teams can muster.

Sam Appleton is a middle-distance specialist with a stacked resume of 15 wins and 25 podiums. Sixth at the PTO 2020 Championships last December, this swim-bike monster races from the front but also has the goods on the run to close it out for the win. His second at 70.3 Boulder recently shows he’s in great form and the Collins Cup format should suit his swimming strengths.

Max Neumann goes into the Collins Cup after wins at Challenge Shepparton and IM Cairns this year, successfully defending his title from 2020 at the latter. Another of the young no-weaknesses breed, the Australian has it where it counts in each discipline but is an incredible swimmer who’s likely to make time on his competitors. The biggest question mark is that he’s not raced outside of Australia over the last two years, so we’ll have to wait to see if that’s to his advantage or disadvantage come the matchup.

The first Captains Pick athlete for Team Internationals is rising 70.3 star, Kyle Smith. The 23-year-old Kiwi won his first five middle-distance events before showing serious grit to take third at his first full at IM New Zealand in March. Another sensational swimmer, Smith led from the water at the 70.3 Euro champs in Elsinore where he also had the fastest bike split before fading towards the end of the run to fifth. With that swim-bike strength and a shorter 18km run at the Collins Cup, he could well solo to victory.

Jackson Laundry has made his desire to represent Team Internationals clear over the qualifying period but it’s his rising form in 2021 that surely caught the Captains’ eyes. The Canadian took third at 70.3 Des Moines, second at Rev3 Williamsburg and first at 70.3 Ecuador. He might not match the very fastest for swim speed but his quality bike-run package makes him a strong pick.

With some of the world’s classiest athletes and a diverse range of swim, bike and run strength, Team Internationals have the talent to score big points in Samorin.

We’ll get to see which athletes will be pitted against each other at the Match Draft Draw, part of the opening ceremony on Wednesday 25 August at 18:00 CEST.

The post Team Internationals Guide: The Collins Cup appeared first on PTO.

Team US has been labelled as the underdog in the run-up to the first-ever Collins Cup event. But with a line-up of mentally and physically strong athletes who are highly motivated to take the Collins Cup trophy for triathlon’s founding nation, they shouldn’t be counted out.

In fact, with the Captains Picks adding two Olympic medallists to the women’s side of the team, their chances of causing an upset have jumped up drastically. Here’s the lowdown on the full team and why the Stars-and-Stripes are serious contenders for the Collins Cup.

Captains: Karen Smyers, Mark Allen

Team US Women

1. Skye Moench (PTO #10)
2. Jackie Hering (PTO #15)
3. Chelsea Sodaro (PTO #22)
4. Jocelyn McCauley (PTO #41)
5. Katie Zaferes
6. Taylor Knibb (PTO #90)

Skye Moench has cemented her place as the USA number one thanks to a string of powerful performances including the win at 70.3 Texas in April and third at Ironman Tulsa in May. Moench also showed off her solid swim, superb bike and strong run as the top Stars-and-Stripes finisher at 70.3 St. George, coming fifth in a championship-quality field. While she’s an Ironman star, fifth at the shorter distance Challenge Miami also bodes well for the Collins Cup.

With her great swim and bike rankings plus a sensational run that’s up there with the best, Jackie Hering is a quality athlete across the board. This year she’s had some great performances including third at both Challenge Miami and 70.3 Des Moines as well as two more 70.3 top-10 finishes. If Hering brings her freshest running legs to the Collins Cup, she could certainly pull in the points for Team US.

Chelsea Sodaro (PTO #22) returned from maternity leave to come sixth at 70.3 Boulder on the final weekend of Collins Cup qualification races, giving her enough points to squeeze into the fourth position for the US – fulfilling the dream laid out in her Greater Than One video series. Before that, her 2019 season features three 70.3 wins and as a strong athlete in all three disciplines, this super-mom could show up her rivals.

Jocelyn McCauley was drafted into the team after original qualifier Heather Jackson pulled out of the race for personal reasons. McCauley’s a strong replacement, however, having returned from maternity leave to take second place at IM Finland. Already back to fine form on the swim and bike, if she can sharpen her run just a little, she could be a real asset to Team US in Samorin.

For both the Captains Picks, Karen Smyers and Mark Allen have gone straight to the top. Tokyo 2020 Olympic Bronze medallist Katie Zaferes, who also took Silver in the Mixed Relay event, is their first choice. What a choice it is. One of the best in the business, the 2019 World Triathlon Champion is a front-pack swimmer, breakaway biker and stellar runner. While this is a longer distance than she’s previously competed at, there won’t be many from the other teams who can match her.

The second pick is fellow Olympian athlete Taylor Knibb, who was also part of that Silver-winning relay team in Japan. After quickly making a name for herself as a sensational swimmer and the strongest cyclist on the World Triathlon circuit, Knibb stepped up to middle distance for the first time at 70.3 Boulder earlier this month. Finishing in second, she rode just 26-seconds slower than winner Pallant-Browne despite being on a road bike. 

Team US Men

1. Sam Long (PTO #4)
2. Rudy Von Berg (PTO #8)
3. Matt Hanson (PTO #9)
4. Ben Kanute (PTO #11)
5. Justin Metzler (PTO #44)
6. Andrew Starykowicz (PTO #33)

On the men’s side, Sam Long leads the pack. He’s in stellar form after victories at IM Coeur d’Alene and 70.3 Boulder and we’ve also seen how deep he can push in a head-to-head battle when he went to the line against Lionel Sanders at 70.3 St. George. One of the sport’s fastest bike-runners – and still far from his potential at just 25 years old – Long could do serious damage to his competitors in Samorin.

Like Long, Rudy Von Berg scored a victory earlier this month by taking the tape at 70.3 Switzerland. A fantastic athlete in all three disciplines, Von Berg is a picture of consistency having been in the top five for all but one of his last 25 races – 10 of which were wins. With no weaknesses, he’ll be a contender no matter the matchup.

Through the 2020-2021 season Matt Hanson has proven himself as the sport’s best middle-distance runner, taking the fastest splits at five out of the last six events he’s raced – including the PTO 2020 Championships in Daytona, where he came second. He’s got a good swim and a fast bike too, so if he hits T2 at the same time as his opponents, he’s odds-on for victory at the Collins Cup.

Ben Kanute is without doubt one of the sport’s most versatile athletes. Able to race hard and fast over a plethora of distances, Kanute is a highly accomplished all-rounder with a weapon swim that’s seen him take third at Challenge Miami, second at 70.3 Texas and first at Escape From Alcatraz in 2021. That win – his fourth at the iconic event – came on 15 August, showing he’s in fine form.

Another strong all-rounder, Captains Pick recipient Justin Metzler is a classy athlete who’s been racing well this season with three top-10 results including second at IM Coeur d’Alene and fifth at 70.3 Boulder. To add a little familial drama to the Collins Cup, Justin’s wife, Jeanni Metzler, is racing for Team Internationals, which could cause sparks to fly in race week!

The captains’ other pick, Chris Leiferman, has had to forego his slot due to injury, which has paved the way for alternate Andrew Starykowicz to be called up. A strong swimmer and the uber-biker’s uber-biker, Starykowicz took first at Rev3 Williamsburg earlier this year and is a tactical pick if ever the was one. A player of mind games and speaker of frank views, Starykowicz will bring as much in the way of controversial asides as his pure cycling power.

With a ton of talent across the team and two seriously decorated Captains calling the shots, the right matchups could see the US top the points table in Samorin. 

We’ll get to see which athletes will be pitted against each other at the Match Draft Draw, part of the opening ceremony on Wednesday 25 August at 18:00 CEST.

The post Team US Guide: The Collins Cup appeared first on PTO.

With both the men’s and women’s PTO World #1 athletes in Daniela Ryf and Jan Frodeno, Team Europe have been favourites for the Collins Cup for some time. But there’s more to the team than these two contenders for greatest-of-all-time status.

The incredible strength-in-depth across long-course triathlon in Europe is staggering with all but one of Team Europe’s athletes ranked within the PTO top-10. Great Britain is the most well-represented with five athletes, then there are four from Germany and one each from Switzerland, Norway and Denmark.

There aren’t any weak links in terms of athletic prowess – just a few question marks around how the iron-distance specialists such as Kat Matthews, Joe Skipper and Patrick Lange could fare against the best middle-distance maestros from Team US and Team Internationals.

Captains: Natascha Badmann, Normann Stadler

Team Europe Women

1. Daniela Ryf (PTO #1)
2. Anne Haug (PTO #3)
3. Lucy Charles-Barclay (PTO #4)
4. Holly Lawrence (PTO #5)
5. Emma Pallant-Browne (PTO #7)
6. Kat Matthews (PTO #9)

It was no surprise that Daniela Ryf retained her PTO #1 spot throughout the qualifying period to lead Team Europe’s women incredible list of women. The nine-time world champ has continually raised the game of long-course triathlon to leave others playing catch-up. The Swiss star has continued her dominance in 2021, taking four-from-four victories.

Like Ryf, Anne Haug is also a Kona winner having taken victory in 2019. The German is a good swimmer and strong biker, but it’s Haug’s run that strikes fear into the competition. She’s still getting quicker, too, beasting Challenge St Polten earlier this year with a 1:14:07 run split – the fastest ever at a middle-distance race.

Lucy Charles-Barclay is the sport’s preeminent swimmer at any distance but she’s also proved her bike and run class time and again – including her 70.3 European Championship win in Elsinore this June. The Brit has also raced well in Samorin previously having won Challenge Samorin in 2019.

2016 70.3 world champ Holly Lawrence is a true all-rounder who can out-swim, out-bike and out-run the majority of the pro field. The Brit comes into the Collins Cup having already beaten some of the other teams’ athletes at 70.3 Des Moines this year. She also came second at the 70.3 European champs this year.

Captains’ pick Emma-Pallant Browne might not match the uber-swimmers for speed, but she certainly makes up for it in cycling power and foot speed. Seemingly able to bridge gaps on the bike with ease then run away from the rest, the Brit has topped the podium at four of her six races this year – and taken second and third at the others.

Kat Matthews is the fourth Brit in Team Europe and comes to the race in rising form, most recently winning Ironman UK and before that coming second to Daniel Ryf at IM Tulsa. It was there that she ran a 2:49:48 marathon, the fastest of any woman in the last five years.

Team Europe Men

1. Jan Frodeno (PTO #1)
2. Gustav Iden (PTO #3)
3. Joe Skipper (PTO #5)
4. Patrick Lange (PTO #7)
5. Daniel Baekkegard (PTO #10)
6. Sebastian Kienle (PTO #19)

The men’s side of the team is no less decorated. PTO #1 Jan Frodeno leads the charge. The five-time world champion is rightly regarded as the sport’s best and hasn’t lost a race since 2017. On top of that, he’s just set a new iron-distance world record of 7:27:53 showing the German’s not slowing down.

Norway’s Gustav Iden comes to the Collins Cup as reigning 70.3 World Champion and PTO 2020 World Champion having won Challenge Daytona in spectacular fashion last December. An eighth at the Olympic Games since then will only have improved his middle-distance form.

Joe Skipper is a thoroughbred racing monster with the confidence and attitude to match. He’s likely to lose time in the swim, but the Brit is holder of the fastest ever Ironman bike-run combo. More an iron-distance specialist. Skipper won Ironman UK earlier this year with a colossal run effort of 2:41:44 on a very challenging course.

Two-time Kona winner Patrick Lange is known as one of the fastest iron-distance runners ever but his exceptional performance to win Ironman Tulsa in May shows he really is a complete athlete. With a great swim, much-improved bike and staggering run, the German will be a fearsome matchup if he can translate that speed to middle-distance.

Daniel Baekkegard must’ve been an easy pick for the Team Europe Captains, being one of the athletes that everyone is talking about in 2021. After kicking off the season with the win at 70.3 Dubai, he raced 70.3 St. George where despite a confusing DQ, the Dane showed his all-around swim-bike-run class in a championship-quality field. The grit he showed to hang tough and come third at IM Tulsa must only have made Baekkegard a more appealing choice for Team Europe.

Sebastian Kienle is the biggest surprise pick from the Team Europe Captains – not because of his considerable resumé, which includes two 70.3 world titles, a Kona win and the course record at Challenge Samorin – but because of the injuries that have seen him at less than 100 percent this season. He’s not raced since May so this pick from captains Natascha Badmann and Normann Stadler surely means the German is back to his best – and that’s a frightening prospect for the other teams.

The post Team Europe Guide: The Collins Cup appeared first on PTO.

Ironman Copenhagen 2021 Race Preview

With a male-only field and two Kona spots on the line, IM Copenhagen has a long list of starters topped by Collins Cup Team Internationals #1 athlete Lionel Sanders.

Date: 22 August
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Start Time: 05:00 UTC
Prize Money: $50,000 – pays 10 deep $15,000 to $1,000
Course: Ocean swim, rolling bike, rolling run

Top-ranked Athletes (Non-IM Frankfurt racers)

Lionel Sanders (PTO #2) / Jesper Svensson (PTO #58) / Yvan Jarrige (PTO #77)

Lionel Sanders is the standout athlete racing in Copenhagen, the Canadian stopping in Denmark on the way to the Collins Cup with the aim of securing his trip to Hawaii. His last attempt to grab a slot at IM Coeur d’Alene was blighted by gastro issues, though he seemed stronger in that department at the Tri Battle Royale. But with championship season getting underway, this is probably his last shot for 2021.

Of the athletes signed up for Copenhagen who didn’t race last weekend at IM Frankfurt, Jesper Svensson is the top ranked. One of the many DNFs at IM Tulsa in May, his last iron-distance result was eighth in Florida in 2019.

Next up is France’s Yvan Jarrige an all-rounder to took third at IM 70.3 Les Sables in July. Also keep a lookout for Britain’s Elliot Smales (PTO #82), who will be looking to go a couple of steps higher than his fourth place at IMUK to clinch a Kona spot.

Of the athletes on the start list who raced in Frankfurt but didn’t get a ticket to Hawaii, Maurice Clavel (PTO #47), David Plese (PTO #70) and Marcus Herbst (PTO #75) are the highest ranked. But whether they’ll be backing up just a week after an iron-distance effort is a long shot.

Ironman 70.3 Timberman

A strong field of women are set to race at Timberman 70.3, which makes a welcome return to the circuit five years since its last running, albeit in a new venue.

Date: 22 August 2021
Location: Laconia, New Hampshire, USA
Time: 10:50 UTC
Prize Money: Prize Money: $25,000 – pays 8 deep $7,500 to $1,000
Course: Lake swim, rolling bike, rolling run

Top-ranked Athletes

Jeanni Metzler (PTO #11) / Heather Jackson (PTO #14) / Linsey Corbin (PTO #29)

Jeanni Metzler tops the list, the South African super-runner getting in a tune-up race before heading to the Collins Cup as a key player on Team Internationals.

Heather Jackson is likely to be the biggest test for Metzler. The US star will be looking to banish the memories of a tough marathon at IM Lake Placid with a strong performance before championship races get underway.

Linsey Corbin will be sharpening her speed here after coming third at IM Coeur d’Alene in June. Expect to see her come through stronger and stronger as the race progresses.

Sarah Piampiano-Lord (PTO #39) came back from maternity leave with a creditable eighth place at 70.3 Boulder a couple of weeks ago. She’s back in action at Timberman this weekend in her bid to return to the top.

Lisa Becharas (PTO #59) is having a solid season so far with three top-10 performances on the US 70.3 circuit. A strong swimmer and biker, Becharas will need a big run to duke it out with the best on two legs at Timberman.

Speaking of the best running legs on the start list, former Canadian track and field star Tamara Jewett (PTO #65) is one to watch. Winner of the 2020 Canadian Pro Championships, Jewett came fifth at 70.3 Boulder with the day’s fastest run split – a fleet-footed 1:16:50. If she continues to improve her swim and bike, she’ll be a real contender – watch this space for Collins Cup 2022!

Finally, three-time Kona winner – and defending Timberman champ from 2016 – Mirinda Carfrae will be making her return to racing seven months after giving birth. We’re unlikely to see her jump right back into a dominant position, but Timberman will be a good tester to see how close she is to her pocket rocket best.

The post Weekend Preview: Ironman Copenhagen & Ironman 70.3 Timberman appeared first on PTO.

For 2021, the men’s and women’s IM Euro champs take place at different races. The men will do battle at IM Frankfurt and the women at the inaugural IM Finland, each race featuring a $75k prize purse and three Kona slots.

As is regular in the fight for IM World Champs qualification, some athletes have their names down for several conflicting event dates, making start lists a little fluid – but here’s who we’re expecting to toe the line at these key Ironman events.

Ironman Finland 2021 Preview

This female pro-only race has a strong field gunning for the Ironman European title. Key players include PTO #20 Imogen Simmonds, PTO #32 Manon Genet and PTO #34 Laura Philipp.

Whoever takes the win will set a course record for this first-time event, which features a one-lap lake swim, two-lap bike with 1100m of climbing and a four-lap rolling mixed-terrain run. Temperatures could be chilly and rain could cool athletes further, which could enhance or diminish performance depending on the athlete.

Date: 14 August
Location: Kuopio-Tahko, Finland
Start Time: 04:30 UTC
Prize Money: $75,000 – pays 10 deep $12,000 to $1,000
Course: Lake swim, rolling bike, rolling run

Top-ranked Athletes

Imogen Simmonds (PTO #20) / Manon Genet (PTO #32) / Laura Philipp (PTO #34)

Imogen Simmonds is an all-rounder who can really put the hammer down and is likely to out-swim Lauran Philipp – probably her biggest rival here – to take an early lead. Second only to Kona champions Daniela Ryf at 70.3 Dubai and Anne Haug at Challenge St Polten, the Swiss athlete is in great form this year and, like Philipp, is still looking for Kona qualification.

Laura Philipp was fourth in Hawaii in 2019 and third at the PTO 2020 Championships in Daytona last December but hasn’t raced since due to Covid and a hip injury – hence her lower ranking. She’s made the most of the situation with extra pool time to improve her swimming and combining that with her exceptional bike and run speed will make her even more of a threat for the win in Finland.

France’s Manon Genet has refocused on her training and recovery following her DNF at Ironman Lanzarote in July but expect her to put it all out there in Finland to get her ticket to Hawaii. She’ll likely be chasing out the water but could find herself in good company with the other strong bikers. From there, her power on two wheels and two legs should keep her in contention.

Jocelyn McCauley (PTO #41) raced 70.3 Boulder just last weekend, her first event back after maternity leave. Ninth there was a disappointment for the American so just a week on she’s battling jet lag in Finland to go double the distance. In 2019, McCauley came tantalisingly close to beating PTO #1 Daniela Ryf at Ironman Texas – just two minutes down but nearly 20 minutes ahead of the rest of the field. Once she can recapture that form, she’ll be rising back up the rankings.

Svenja Thoes (PTO #44) is the final top-50 ranked athlete on the start list. The German came second at 70.3 Andorra in early July and is likely to be one of the powerful bikers getting out the water with time to make up.

Renee Kiley (PTO #57) has already raced three Ironmans this year but has just missed out on qualification. Like Philipp and Genet, she’ll won’t be up front after the swim, but her mega bike power could see her drive to the head of the race after that to put herself in podium contention.

Also look out for 2019 World Triathlon Long Course Champion Alexandra Tondeur (PTO #63), who came third at Alpe D’Huez Long Course and fifth at 70.3 Switzerland – if three straight weekends of racing don’t catch up with her!

If she races, Joanna Ryter (PTO #64) is also one to watch on the run after her race-best split at IM Lake Placid – 13-minutes faster than any other competitor – earned her third there.

Ironman Frankfurt 2021 Preview

The male-only companion to the women’s European champs in Finland, Ironman Frankfurt is one of the few chances left to gain a start in Kona this year. As such, there’s a long list of quality athletes, which should make for some close racing in Germany.

Established on the circuit since 2002, Frankfurt features a two-loop swim with a short Australian exit between each before a two-lap bike course with over 1900m of climbing and a flat, four-lap marathon. With temperatures set to near 30°C, heat could play a factor in the outcome here as in previous years.

Date: 15 August
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Start Time: 04:25 UTC
Prize Money: $75,000 – pays 10 deep $12,000 to $1,000
Course: Lake swim, rolling bike, flat run

Top-Ranked Athletes

Andi Boecherer (PTO #34) / Pieter Heemeryck (PTO #37) / Cam Wurf (PTO #38)

The highest place starter on the PTO World Rankings, Andi Boecherer is already Kona-qualified. However, the German will be looking to take the win here having previously come second twice back in 2016 and 2017. In fine form this season, Boecherer took the win at IM Lanzarote in July. His bike is his weapon, but he’s a strong athlete across the board with a rating of 90%.

Of the athletes seeking a Kona ticket, Pieter Heemeryck is the highest ranked. The German has struggled this year with back problems which led to a 26th-place finish for his Ironman debut in Lanzarote but with things looking up, he could contend for the podium here thanks to great all-round swim-bike-run strength.

Also aiming to get in the top three and book flights to the Big Island, Tom Davis (PTO #40) needs a break from his bad luck in 2021 to show his true potential. A great swimmer, he could lead Heemeryck and Maurice Clavel out the water and stay up there on the bike. Then it’ll be down to how his legs hold up on the marathon – only his second ever at the end of an iron-distance race.

Maurice Clavel (PTO #47) has been targeting a home-soil win in Frankfurt, putting in a preparation block in the mountains of St. Moritz. The German showed good form with third at Challenge St Polten in May and is another strong swimmer who could form part of that bike front pack and duke it out for the podium.

Rather than qualification, Cam Wurf will be looking for more race experience this year after focusing on cycling with the Ineos Grenadiers. He struggled on the run to a fifth-place finish at the PTO-supported 140.6INN International Triathlon in May but managed third at 70.3 Andorra in July. If he’s back to his 2019 form, when he won IM Italy in 7:44, he could take victory here.

As a championship race, many of the names on the start list could factor in the standings at Frankfurt. Athletes to watch include David McNamee – a two-time Kona podium getter – will need a big performance to get back to the Big Island after struggling with burnout earlier this year and Sweden’s Patrik Nilsson who came second here to Jan Frodeno in 2018.

Also keep an eye on rookie Casper Stornes, the Norwegian teammate of Olympic Champion Kristian Blummenfelt and PTO 2020 Champion Gustav Iden. As part of Norway’s formidable short-course squad, there’s no telling what sort of a performance Stornes could pull out in his bid to join Blummenfelt, who’s already been gifted a world champs slot, in Kona.

The post Weekend Preview 14-15 August 2021 appeared first on PTO.

With the cut-off for Collins Cup qualification on 9 August and teams announced just a few days later, this weekend’s trio of races is the last chance for athletes to secure points to bump themselves up the leader boards – or put in such a big performance that the Collins Cup captains will have to take notice.

There are quality fields at 70.3 Boulder and 70.3 Switzerland with 70.3 Gdynia providing a proving ground for fresher names – but where will the biggest points be made for a last-minute surge up the rankings? Read on for the lowdown on the PTO-ranked athletes who will be fighting it out at this pivotal moment in Collins Cup selection.

Ironman 70.3 Boulder 2021 Preview

The 70.3 Boulder start list is stacked and fittingly for one of pro triathlon’s favourite training location, a global field has turned out.

The women’s race features six athletes from the PTO World Top 20 rankings including Team US #1 Skye Moench, Team Europe #4 Holly Lawrence and Team Internationals #4 Jeanni Metzler, who are all currently in the automatic qualification zone.

On the men’s side, US #1 Sam Long will take on Internationals #3 Sam Appleton and Internationals #5 Tyler Butterfield.

Date: 7 August 2021
Location: Boulder, Colorado 
Time: 13:05 UTC
Prize Money: Prize Money: $50,000 – pays 8 deep $7,500 to $1,000
Course: Reservoir swim, hilly bike, hilly run

Top-Ranked Athletes

Women

Holly Lawrence (PTO World #5 / Europe #4) / Skye Moench (PTO World #9 / US #1) / Jocelyn McCauley (PTO World #10)

Men

Sam Long (PTO World #5 / US #1) / Sam Appleton (PTO World #18 / Internationals #3) / Tyler Butterfield (PTO World #27 / Internationals #5)

Women’s Race

Team Europe #4 Holly Lawrence has had a couple of great results this year that have indicated a return to the form that saw her so dominant in 2019. In Des Moines, she topped the podium, beating challengers racing here including Emma Pallant-Browne and Jeanni Metzler. Meanwhile at the 70.3 European champs just a week later, Lawrence came second only to Collins Cup teammate Lucy Charles-Barclay.

Skye Moench is certainly deserving Team US #1 status thanks to her win at 70.3 Texas, fifth at 70.3 St. George and third at IM Tulsa this year. Moench’s place at the Collins Cup is almost assured but if she can defend her title here from 2019 to beat Lawrence and Jeanni Metzler, it could land a psychological blow to Team Europe and Team Internationals rivals ahead of Samorin.

In Jocelyn McCauley (PTO World #10) and Chelsea Sodaro (PTO World #11), we have a pair of proven performers taking on their first big races after coming back from maternity leave. In fact, depending how the points play out, they could slot into spots two and three for Team US and earn automatic qualification just by completing the race.

With Internationals #2 Paula Findlay recovering from a stress fracture and out of the race, Jeanni Metzler (PTO World #12 / Internationals #4) will be flying the flag for Team Internationals. With outstanding runs at 70.3 Texas and St. George, Metzler announced herself as one of middle-distance triathlon’s very best and a serious talent for the Collins Cup.

One athlete who will be a little less scared of Metzler’s run than most will be Emma Pallant-Browne (PTO World #13). The Brit has come extremely close to matching the South African this season and outran her (and the rest of the field) at 70.3 Des Moines, where she took second to Lawrence.

There are plenty of other strong names on the start list who could threaten the podium including Team US #6, 7 and 8 Alissa Doehla, Meredith Kessler and Lesley Smith.

Rising long-course star Pamella Oliveira (PTO World #44) will certainly be vying for the lead after the swim with Lauren Brandon (PTO World #69 / US #10) but don’t count out World Triathlon racer and recent Olympian Taylor Knibb from having an impact in her first 70.3 race.

Men’s Race

In the men’s race, the field isn’t quite so deep but it’s still an international affair as Sam Long looks to safeguard his Team US #1 spot and see off the rest of the competition to show the USA should be feared at the Collins Cup. That will likely include coming through like a freight train on the bike before a powerful run.

Sam Appleton is a quality athlete we’re yet to see the best of in 2021. The Aussie is still as Internationals #3 thanks to his sixth place at the PTO 2020 champs in Daytona last December. However, the rest of the Internationals top-10 are within five points of taking his spot, meaning he’ll need to score well here to stay in the auto qualification zone.

One athlete who’ll be hoping to get across the line ahead of Appleton will be Tyler Butterfield. As Internationals #5 and one point behind the tallies of Appleton and Max Neumann (Internationals #4), it could all make all the difference in making it to Samorin at the end of the month.

Also keep an eye out for the evergreen Andy Potts (PTO World #45 / US #8) and Justin Metzler (PTO World #58 / US #10) the latter of whom will still be buzzing from his second place at Ironman Coeur d’Alene.

Ironman 70.3 Switzerland 2021 Preview

Ironman 70.3 Switzerland is another race with a strong field this weekend. The women’s race is highlighted by PTO World #1 and Europe #1 Daniela Ryf, who’s odds-on for another domination here. If she wins, it’ll be her seventh consecutive victory at the event.

Meanwhile, there’s a Collins Cup flavour in the men’s top three with the USA’s Rudy Von Berg, Australia’s Max Neumann and Belgium’s Bart Aernouts.

Date: 8 August 2021
Location: Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland
Time: 05:55 UTC
Prize Money: Prize Money: $30,000 – pays 8 deep $4,000 to $750
Course: Lake swim, hilly bike, rolling run

Top-Ranked Athletes

Men

Rudy Von Berg (PTO World #9 / US #2) / Max Neumann (PTO World #20 / Internationals #4) / Bart Aernouts (PTO World #21 / Europe #9)

Women

Daniela Ryf (PTO World #1 / Europe #1) / Anne Reischmann (PTO World #75) / Alexandra Tondeur (PTO World #99)

Men’s Race

Rudy Von Berg is unlikely to be unseated from his automatic qualification slot for the Collins Cup, but this superb all-rounder will be doing everything he can to take the win, score big points and get back to the top of the Team US rankings.

Having only raced Down Under in 2021, IM Asia-Pacific champ Max Neumann is something of a wildcard. In Swizerland we’ll get to see if the Aussie excels against European competition as he has done in Australia. There’s added spice for Neumann this weekend as Tyler Butterfield is racing in Boulder and is just a point shy of taking his automatic Collins Cup qualification spot.

Bart Aernouts is another quality athlete who’s had great results this year with the win at 70.3 Florida, fifth at IM Tulsa and third at Challenge Walchsee. Given the strength in depth of Team Europe, he’s quite a way from automatic qualification, but a win here against Von Berg and Neumann would make a strong case for a captain’s pick.

Andi Boecherer (PTO World #36) is the final top-50 athlete on the start. The German recently won IM Lanzarote and has two fifth place finishes at middle-distance Challenge events in Gran Canaria and Riccione.

Women’s Race

In the women’s race, Daniela Ryf  is the big draw here, the Swiss athlete taking the opportunity to race on home soil ahead of the Collins Cup. Ryf is unbeaten so far in 2021 and there’s no reason to believe that streak will end in Rapperswil-Jona this weekend.

The nearest athlete to Ryf in the rankings is Germany’s Anne Reischmann, who recently won 70.3 Les Sables with the day’s best bike and run splits.

Alexandra Tondeur could be Reischmann’s biggest competition for the second slot of the podium, having just come third at Alpe D’Huez Long Course – though bouncing back a week after a race of such toughness could be a big ask.

Another athlete who could be in with a shot at the podium is Germany’s Kristin Liepold. Always a solid racer, mixing it in the top 10 at big races, Liepold also holds the fastest ever Ironman marathon time of 2:41:57 at Ironman UK back in 2011.

Ironman 70.3 Gdynia 2021 Preview

Ironman 70.3 Gdynia in Poland another opportunity to gain Collins Cup qualification points this weekend and while the fields aren’t as strong as in Boulder or Switzerland, there are still some notable names lining up.

Date: 8 August 2021
Location: Gdynia, Poland
Time: 04:00 UTC
Prize Money: Prize Money: $15,000 – pays 5 deep $2,500 to $500
Course: Bay swim, rolling bike, rolling run

Top-Ranked Athletes

Men

Andreas Dreitz (PTO World #23) / Paul Ruttmann (PTO World #72) / James Teagle (PTO #85)

Women

Lucy Hall (PTO World #39) / Maja Stage Nielsen (PTO World #60) / Katrien Verstuyft (PTO World #125)

Men’s Race

Top seed in the men’s race is Andreas Dreitz whose best 70.3 result so far this year has been third in Florida but the German also scored fifth in Texas and sixth in St. George against quality opposition. He’s likely to be down after the swim, but this uber-biker could bring things back before the run.

While Dreitz is the only athlete in the PTO top 50 on the start line, James Teagle is a rising star to watch. The former short-course European Cup racer is having a great season with wins at Challenge Gdansk, with the race-best 1:12:59 run split, and the PTO-supported Outlaw Holkham Half, again with the day’s best run. Teagle is also a front-pack swimmer and a strong rider, so expect to see him going for the win this weekend.

Paul Ruttmann is another name to keep an eye on having come eighth in the championship-quality field at 70.3 St. George in May. The Austrian beat plenty of top athletes on the day including PTO World #11 Matt Hanson, and PTO World #16 George Goodwin. That was thanks to him making up serious time on the bike and run after coming out the water in 44th place – expect a similar come-from-behind scenario here.

Women’s Race

In the women’s race, Lucy Hall is the top-ranked athlete. With a swimming pedigree that includes leading out the 2012 Olympic Games, Hall always puts herself in contention once out the water. The Brit is also great on two wheels and her run – which has always been her most challenging discipline – is continuing to improve. Hall was second at Challenge Gdansk and this return to Poland could see her claim her first long-course gold.

Hall’s biggest opposition is likely to be Maja Stage Nielsen. The Dane came third at Challenge St Polten and followed that with fourth at the 70.3 European champs in Elsinore. Stage Nielsen’s weapon is her run, so if she’s in shouting distance after the bike, she could top the podium here.

Katrien Verstuyft is the third-ranked athlete here. She didn’t race in 2020 but had solid results in 2019 – when she was never outside the top 10 – and came sixth in the recent IM 70.3 Les Sables D’Olonne.

The post Weekend Preview 7-8 August 2021 appeared first on PTO.

In this edition of the Tri Bulletin, we cover the Olympic individual races, the possibility of seeing an Olympic Champion at the Collins Cup and Jan Frodeno’s spectacular new world record at the Zwift Tri Battle Royale. We’ve also got news of Natascha Badmann becoming Team Europe captain, Swedish dominance at IM Lake Placid and the final broadcast team line-up for the Collins Cup.

Blummenfelt and Duffy Claim Olympic Gold

Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt (PTO World #10) and Bermuda’s Flora Duffy claimed Olympic Gold in two thrilling individual triathlon races at Tokyo 2020.

Blummenfelt had to work hard at the start of the bike to bridge to a group of faster swimmers, creating a big pack of favourites that stayed together until the T2. Running side-by-side with Britain’s Alex Yee and New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde, the trio shelled off all the other athletes with their savage pace until only they remained in the hunt for medals.

With around 1km to go, Blummenfelt put in his big attack – gritting his teeth with a relentless drive to the line the others couldn’t match. The Norwegian took Gold in 1:45:04 with an incredible 29:34 run despite the Tokyo heat, followed by Yee and Wilde.

In a rain-drenched women’s race, a swim a breakaway headlined by Flora Duffy, Britain’s Georgia Taylor-Brown and USA’s Katie Zaferes stayed clear of chasers on the bike. Taylor-Brown lost 22 seconds on the way to T2 due to a flat, but no one could match Duffy’s foot speed as the Bermudian pulled away from the start of the 10km.

Gaining more and more ground, throughout, Duffy crossed the line in tears after 1:55:36 of racing with a 33:00 run to claim Bermuda’s first-ever Olympic Gold medal. Meanwhile, Taylor-Brown managed to overhaul Zaferes for Silver while the American secured bronze.

Both Olympic champions have already qualified for the 70.3 worlds, having won events before Covid took hold – also making them eligible picks for the Collins Cup. Blummenfelt has stated his intention to win Kona this year and is set to do an Ironman in the coming weeks to qualify. At that point, he should jump up into at least fifth place for Team Europe in the Collins Cup rankings.

Meanwhile, Duffy, as Tokyo Gold medal winner and one of the fittest, fastest athletes on the planet will surely be an easy pick for Team Internationals captains Lisa Bentley and Simon Whitfield.

There’s still more exciting triathlon racing to come in Tokyo with this Saturday’s first-ever Olympic Mixed Relay event.

Jan Frodeno Sets New Iron-Distance Record

PTO World #1 Jan Frodeno set a new iron-distance world record of 7:27:53 at the Zwift Tri Battle Royale in Allgau, Germany on 18 July.

Going up against Team Internationals #1 Lionel Sanders, Frodeno put together a 45:58 swim, 3:55:22 bike and 2:44:21 run to secure the new world record – going 7:46 faster than his previous best set in Roth in 2016. Meanwhile, Sanders set a new PB of 7:43:28 thanks to a 50:58 swim, 4:00:26 bike and 2:50:31 run.

While Frodeno smashed the record over the Deutsche Triathlon Union-ratified course, it wasn’t plain sailing for either athlete. Heavy rain came down during the bike leg, compromising speed and adding a brisk chill factor as they rode at nearly 46km/h for four hours. On the run, Frodeno slipped on a section of wet carpet 10km in, landing hard on his hip. While a painful moment, Frodeno reportedly credited this occurrence as a key factor in his victory, the pain distracting from the same tightening back that forced him to walk in Kona 2017.

Both athletes slowed on the run, but Sanders had the worse time of it, the Canadian’s initial speed – set for a blistering 7:35 finish – costing him later on.

“That was hard, so unbelievably hard,” said Frodeno. “You haven’t done an Ironman for two years and you race it like a 70.3, that’s a mistake in the beginning…We dreamt of this but I didn’t have a time in my head. Lionel said he wanted to go 7:29 and I’m like ‘I’ve gotta go faster than that if he’s going 7:29’.

“Lionel is a great athlete who has pushed me further and further over the last two years.”

After crossing the finish with a grimace of agony, Sanders had a smile for Frodeno when he heard the German’s finishing time. “When he asked me to come, that’s an opportunity of a lifetime, to go up against literally your hero and to go toe-to-toe with him. I mean I don’t know how much I pushed him but it was an amazing experience…this is something that I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.”

Swiss Miss Natascha Badmann Joins Collins Cup

Six-time Kona winner Natascha Badmann has been announced as a Team Europe Collins Cup captain. Joining Normann Stadler to oversee Team Europe’s roster of 12 athletes at the event, Badmann can call on 25 years of experience as a pro triathlete and play a crucial tactical role thanks to the Collins Cup’s F1-style comms system between captains and athletes.

Badmann’s rookie Kona performance saw her take second to Paula Newby-Fraser in 1997, a breakthrough performance that she followed up with wins in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005. Even a savage bike crash in the 2007 race – an accident that required two shoulder surgeries – couldn’t keep her down. In 2011 she won Ironman South Africa and in 2012, at the age of 45, she set the fastest bike split in Hawaii.

A 2021 Ironman Hall of Fame inductee, Badmann takes the place of Chrissie Wellington as Team Europe captain – the latter unable to travel due to Covid restrictions. Meanwhile, the Team Internationals captains have been paired back to two. With Craig Alexander and Erin Baker also unable to travel, it’ll be down to Lisa Bentley and Simon Whitfield to guide the likes of Lionel Sanders and Teresa Adam to victory.

Swede Sweep At IM Lake Placid

IM Lake Placid featured two Swedish victors in Rasmus Svenningsson (PTO World #95) and iron-rookie Lisa Norden (PTO World #41).

In the men’s race, Svenningsson, who won his Kona age group in 2018, wiped away his 2:45 swim deficit on the bike by 60km before pulling away from the rest to earn a 2:11 lead to France’s Arnaud Guilloux.

From there he put together a solid 2:51 marathon on the challenging run course to stay ahead and cross the line in 8:13:25. Meanwhile, Guilloux held off a fast-charging Joe Skipper (Europe #3 / PTO World #6) to claim second.

For the women, Lisa Norden came out the water with 4:09 to make up, which she did to end the bike with a 6:11 lead on Heather Jackson (USA #2 / PTO World #18). Jackson began slicing chunks out of Norden’s advantage – getting the gap down to 50 seconds at 31km.

However, Jackson was soon halted due to cramps while Norden ran strongly to a debut Ironman victory in 9:11:26. Jackson had to settle for second seven minutes later while Switzerland’s Joanna Ryter made a name for herself with a blazing fast 2:57:30 marathon to claim third.

Collins Cup Broadcast Team Announced

The full Collins Cup broadcast team will combine master storytelling, presenting talent and triathlon experts to provide world-class coverage of the first Collins Cup on 28 August.

Anchored by longtime cycling commentator Phil Liggett, the incomparable ‘Voice of Cycling’ will be joined by experienced presenters Charlie Webster and Alex Payne, who sports fans might recognise from Wimbledon and Rugby Union broadcasts.

Meanwhile, the triathlon expertise will come from Belinda Granger – a former pro and a familiar voice from the PTO 2020 Championship in Daytona, former World Triathlon commentator Barrie Shepley, multiple world champion and podcast host Greg Bennett and Olympic Bronze medallist Vicky Holland.

Just a month away, the Collins Cup will be broadcast globally by Eurosport and Discovery+ as well as LAOLA1 in Austria and FujiTV in Japan

The post Tri Bulletin 29.07.21 appeared first on PTO.

With 19 teams of four athletes doing battle for their countries at a blistering pace, the Mixed Relay is one of the most exciting and dynamic events of the entire Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

After years of campaigning by World Triathlon, the Mixed Relay’s inclusion this year brings this frenetic racing to a global audience and adds an extra level of team tactics around the Games as athletes are selected from qualifiers for the individual races.

How It Works

Each Mixed Relay team is made up of two women and two men with nations qualifying either through earning at least that number of athlete spots for the individual races, through the Mixed Relay rankings or by performing at a Mixed Relay Qualification Event.

The final selections for each team won’t be confirmed until two hours before the race – and there’s always the chance that some athletes might be ill or injured following the individual races, giving nations the opportunity to sub-in reserves.

Each athlete completes a super-sprint triathlon of 300m swim, 6.8km bike and 2km run in woman-man-woman-man order, tagging their next teammate in at the end of the run. The first team’s final ‘anchor’ athlete to cross the finish line will take the Gold.

There will be 19 teams on the start line – here are the countries to look out for along with their start numbers.

Team France – #1

Hot favourites for the first-ever Mixed Relay win, France were Mixed Relay World Champions in 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2020. They were also victorious in the 2019 Olympic test event.

There’s good reason for the country’s superiority in recent years. With Cassandre Beaugrand, Leonie Periault, (fifth in the individual race) and a choice from the men of Vincent Luis, Dorian Coninx or Léo Bergere, there’s incredible strength in depth for this distance. Luis is a two-time Super League Triathlon Championship winner, proving his mettle when it comes to short, sharp racing. He’ll also be desperate to lead France to the medals after underperforming in the individual race where he took 13th place.

Australia – #2

Team Australia came out on top against the USA in the 2017 Mixed Relay World Championships and took second and third in 2018 and 2019 respectively. They also took Gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 – the format’s first major games inclusion.

As the only nation to qualify three men and women for the Olympics, the Australians have plenty of choices when it comes to their team. Given his calibre, Jake Birtwhistle underperformed in the men’s individual race with 16th place, so will be going all out here – likely alongside Matt Hauser who cut his teeth at Super League Triathlon – but Aaron Royale is also a potential pick. On the women’s side, Emma Jeffcoat was the country’s highest individual-race finisher in 26th place while Ashleigh Gentle and Jaz Hedgeland – quality athletes with plenty of mixed relay experience – were both lapped out of the individual.

Were these athletes all saving themselves for a potential Gold in the Mixed Relay? The team has the strength to battle it out right to the line in the chase for a medal.

Team USA – #3

Team USA took the Mixed Relay World Championship in 2016 and more recently came third in the 2019 test event and took second behind France at the 2020 world champs.

Traditionally weaker on the men’s side, Morgan Pearson’s rise to one of the sport’s best runners and Kevin McDowell’s strong sixth-place finish in the men’s race, the extra year from the Games’ postponement will certainly play into the Americans’ favour.

Katie Zaferes’ scintillating Bronze performance in the individual race – and her previous two Super League Triathlon Championship wins – makes her a must pick while the USA can also choose from Summer Rappaport or Taylor Knibb, each of whom could help the Stars and Stripes earn a podium place in Tokyo.

Team Great Britain – #4

Despite Great Britain’s dominance on the World Triathlon scene, the Brits haven’t won a Mixed Relay World Championship title since 2014. However, the team only just lost out to France in a photo finish at the Olympic Test Event in 2019 while this year has seen them become European Relay Champions so there’s certainly medal potential.

Add to that the jubilation in the British camp from Alex Yee and Georgia Taylor-Brown’s Silver medals in the individual races and hopes will be high for more success. Jonny Brownlee will be all-in to earn a medal at his third consecutive Olympics while Jess Learmonth’s stellar swimming makes her a strong tactical pick, though the team could also opt for Rio Bronze medallist Vicky Holland.

All that makes Great Britain the biggest rival for France and potentially the stronger of the two nations.

Team New Zealand – #5

Riding high on men’s Bronze medallist Hayden Wilde’s spectacular performance, Team New Zealand – ranked fourth in the world at the Mixed Relay – could cause an upset. Wilde is joined by the ever-solid Tayler Reid, Ainsley Thorpe and Nicole Van Der Kaay – all part of the country’s winning squad for the 2019 Edmonton leg of the Mixed Relay Series.

While outside of Wilde they’ve not got the individual firepower boasted by other nations, they’re still in with a shot if the race goes their way.

Team Belgium – #8

Belgian speedmeister Jelle Geens missed out on the individual race due to a last-minute Covid-positive. However, he’ll be in Tokyo for the Mixed Relay and along with Marten van Riel – fourth in the men’s race – the country has a pair of super-sprint weapons. Meanwhile, the women’s pairing of Claire Michel and Valerie Barthelemy – 10th in the individual – are both strong athletes in their own right.

The team won the Mixed Relay qualification event in Lisbon in May and with this class of athletes, Belgium could be an outside chance for the podium.

The post Tokyo 2020 Olympic Mixed Relay Triathlon Preview appeared first on PTO.

If you follow the world of short-course triathlon and know your Taylor Knibb from your Tayler Reid and your Jo Brown from your Jonny Brownlee, the Tokyo Tri Fantasy Game is the perfect way to channel your excitement for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic triathlon races. Use your budget to pick your team then see how they perform and find out how you fare in the global rankings.

How It Works

All you need to do is choose a team of the top five male and female triathletes who you think will race the best in the individual Olympic triathlons. But before you go to town picking all the favourites, there’s a catch – you’ve got a limited imaginary budget of ¥350 to play with.

This is your virtual seed money to spend on your team and each athlete costs a different amount based on their World Triathlon Ranking points going into the Games. So, the top-ranked male and female athletes at the Games – Spain’s Mario Mola and the USA’s Summer Rappaport – will set you back ¥55 and ¥49 respectively. Meanwhile, you can pick up some less well-known athletes from just ¥7.

As it’s based on the current rankings, there are some bargains to be had. A big favourite from our Tokyo women’s race preview, Bermuda’s Flora Duffy, comes in at the tempting price of ¥34 while WTCS Leeds winner Maya Kingma of the Netherlands is only ¥28.

It’s a similar story on the men’s side with some stars from our Tokyo men’s race preview available for a budget-friendly outlay. Britain’s Alex Yee, the men’s winner in Leeds and the sport’s fastest runner is a reasonable ¥33 while nine-time world champ and Olympic Silver medallist from London, Javier Gomez of Spain can be yours for ¥26.

Scoring

Once you’ve picked your international squad of super athletes, all that there’s left to do is enjoy the edge-of-your-seat racing on offer in the men’s and women’s individual races – which take place on Monday 26 July 2021 06:30am and Tuesday 27 July 2021 06:30am (Tokyo time).

The new male and female Olympic Champions will each earn 1500 points. For every place after that, the points haul decreases by 7.5%, so you’ll get 1387.5 points for Silver and 1283.44 points for Bronze – right down to 22.27 points for 55th place. And of course, if your athlete doesn’t make it to the finish, there will be no points to claim.

The more points you have after both races, the higher you’ll appear on our global rankings where you’ll be able to compare how you’ve done against other triathlon superfans.

So, put on your triathlon pundit’s hat, make your predictions and get ready to hold bragging rights over your friends – or be the butt of a chorus of ‘I told you so,’ if you’re completely off base!

Don’t forget to check out our guide to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic triathlons as well as our men’s race preview and women’s race preview to help you make your selections.

Make your selections now for the Tri Fantasy Game!

The post Tokyo 2020 Tri Fantasy Game appeared first on PTO.

Taking inspiration from golf’s Ryder Cup, this new triathlon concept features three teams – Europe, US and Internationals – in a battle to see who rules triathlon. Each team has 12 athletes – six women and six men – who will race against their counterparts from the other teams in a series one-vs-one-vs-one battles over a 2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run.

Five athletes who are even now making their final preparations towards Olympic competition are within the top 50 of the PTO World Rankings and could make it to the Collins Cup – either through qualification or as one of the four wildcard captain’s picks for each team.

Here’s the lowdown on these superstar athletes who can balance competing at multiple distances with the highest level of racing performance. Don’t forget to check out our guide to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games triathlons, our men’s race preview, women’s race preview and to make your own picks in our Tri Fantasy Game.

Gustav Iden – Team Europe #2 – PTO World #4

Gustav Iden might be seeking Olympic Gold, but he’s also got his eyes on the Collins Cup, 70.3 worlds and Kona after that. By taking the 2019 70.3 World Championship in Nice, Iden announced his arrival as a serious long-course talent. By following this up with a dominating performance at the PTO 2020 Championships at Challenge Daytona last December, he proved he’s one of triathlon’s greatest athletes. Whoever he faces in the Collins Cup will likely be racing for second.

Kristian Blummenfelt – Team Internationals – PTO World #9

After coming fourth in Nice at the 70.3 worlds in 2019, Kristian Blummenfelt went on to set the fastest ever middle-distance time in Bahrain – an eye-watering 3:25:10 including a 1:06:55 half marathon. With those two performances, it’s no wonder he’s sitting pretty in the points stakes. In fact, if he manages the unlikely feat of completing a qualification race before the 9 August cut-off, he’ll jump straight up into spot #4 for Team Europe and automatic qualification.

Javier Gomez – Team Europe #8 – PTO World #18

Few, if any, triathletes are as experienced, talented and highly decorated as London 2012 Silver medallist Javier Gomez. The Spaniard can do it all – he’s got five World Triathlon championships, two 70.3 worlds wins, the ITU Long Course crown and an Xterra worlds victory for a total of nine world championship titles. He’s even dabbled in the iron-distance with a memorable 2019 victory in the heat and humidity of IM Malaysia. As a warm-up for the Olympics, Gomez won Challenge Cancun in May and while he might not hit automatic qualification for the Collins Cup, his years of tactical race experience alone will surely make him a tempting pick for Team Europe captains Normann Stadler and Natascha Badmann.

Henri Schoeman – Team Internationals – PTO World #31

2016 Olympic Bronze medallist and 2018 Commonwealth Gold medallist Henri Schoeman is adept at everything from Super League to 70.3s. His all-around swim, bike, run ability was underlined with a seventh place at the PTO 2020 Championships at Challenge Daytona – a race he completed after recovering from terrible bout of Covid. A thoroughbred racer, Schoeman’s speed could be a big asset to Team Internationals this August.

Nicola Spirig – Team Europe #7 – PTO World #14

A five-time Olympian with Gold and Silver medals from the Games, three children and seemingly endless amounts of talent, 39-year-old Nicola Spirig must be highlighted, circled and underlined on the Team Europe captains’ list of potential picks. Along with her Olympic success from 2012 and 2016, Spirig’s palmares also include an Ironman win, two 70.3 titles and two Challenge middle-distance victories – both of the latter raced in prep for Tokyo this year. All that adds up to the fact that Spirig is truly one of the sport’s all-time greats.

Vicky Holland

One Olympian we’re guaranteed to see and hear from at the Collins Cup is Rio Bronze medallist Vicky Holland. The fast-talking Brit will be putting her triathlon experience and fandom to great use as part of the Collins Cup broadcast. Holland will join lead anchor Phil Liggett, presenters Charlie Webster and Alex Payne and fellow triathlon experts Greg Bennett, Belinda Granger and Barrie Shepley in front of the camera – now that’s a formidable team!

Tri Fantasy Game

Think any of the above athletes are in for a shot at Olympic medals this year? Don’t forget to include them in your picks for our latest Tri Fantasy Game. Purely in the name of fun, you can put on your triathlon pundit’s hat and make your predictions for the Games to earn bragging rights with your friends.

Start by selecting a team of your top five men and women. You’ve got an imaginary budget of ¥350 to play with and different athletes warrant higher values. Once your 10 athletes are in your squad, it’s time to sit back and see how they do! The winner of each individual race will get 1500 points with points decreasing by 7.5% for every position after that. The more points you end up with, the higher your ranking will be.

To play, head to Fantasy Game Now

The post Collins Cup Hopefuls At The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games appeared first on PTO.

Five years since the last Games could be one too many for some of the favourites who were banking on a race in 2020, while new names have thrived and come to the fore ahead of the big day in Tokyo. Add in the effects of Covid on athletes’ training, limited racing opportunities and the high heat-humidity combination and it’s hard to know who’s going to arrive in Tokyo in the most scintillating form.

Read on for how the race might play out and the key athletes to watch. Don’t forget to check out our guide to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games triathlons, our men’s race preview and make your own picks in our Tri Fantasy Game.

Race Dynamics

The non-wetsuit two-lap 1500m swim, flat and corner-filled 40km bike course and flat 10km run make the Olympic course much the same as many World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) races. That means we’re likely to see a group of strong swim-bikers hoping to employ tactics already proven on the race circuit – create a breakaway that gains time on the chasers and hold off swifter runners to the finish. That approach could be even stronger here with fewer athletes from the strongest nations on the start list, meaning fewer feet to follow in the swim and a more broken up group.

However, with Olympic medals on the line, there will be a bigger incentive than ever for the chasers to ride hard and make the catch. There’s also plenty of firepower from the second-pack swimmers to do just that. If the breakaway doesn’t succeed, it’ll be a fascinating run with a savage pace from the first step out of T2.

Here’s who to look out for in this year’s women’s Olympic battle – along with their start numbers.

Maya Kingma – Netherlands – #1

Maya Kingma has been a revelation this year, using the swim and bike prowess we already knew she had to get away from the rest of the field and create a buffer before T2. The difference has been in her run, which has come on significantly, helping her earn third place in WTCS Yokohama and first at WTCS Leeds this year to lead the World Triathlon rankings. With plenty of confidence from those performances, if the same game plan comes to fruition in Tokyo, the Dutchwoman could certainly come away with a medal and maybe even Gold.

Katie Zaferes – USA – #14

Going into 2020 as the reigning World Triathlon Champion, Katie Zaferes was the athlete to beat and was the top pick for Gold in Tokyo. A year later and there was even a question around whether the American would make the team. With 23 WTCS podiums and six wins, Zaferes has been one of the sport’s most consistent top-level performers over the last few seasons. After tragically and suddenly losing her father earlier this year, the American has been a shadow of her former self, her best result being 18th place at WTCS Leeds. As one of coach Joel Filliol’s athletes, the saving grace could be that none of the squad – Olympic contenders all – have shown their best so far in 2021 and if Zaferes gives us that, she’ll be on the podium.

Nicola Spirig – Switzerland – #26

With a Gold medal from London and Silver from Rio, everyone will see 39-year-old Nicola Spirig as a serious threat in her fifth Olympic Games. She’s not raced the WTCS this season but has a pair of middle-distance wins from Challenge Gran Canaria and Challenge Walchsee as well as a World Triathlon Cup win in Lisbon, so her form is right where she wants it to be. If she misses the front pack in the swim, expect her to be the key driver on the bike to bridge up to the leaders before unleashing a frightening run backed by her unmatched race experience to claim a third Olympic medal.

Flora Duffy – Bermuda – #29

Flora Duffy will be the favourite for many going into the race. World Triathlon Champion in 2016 and 2017 and Commonwealth Games Gold medallist in 2018, injury side-lined the Bermudian for a while but she’s now back to her best and looking seriously dangerous. A top-class swimmer with the capacity to come out the water with the best, she’s also one of the strongest bikers in the field. Whether or not she gives herself the advantage of a successful breakaway on the bike, Duffy’s an incredible runner who’s the match of anyone else on the start list – proven with her race-best run split at WTCS Leeds. That means this all-rounder has more cards to play than most in her bid for Gold.

Cassandre Beaugrand – France – #30

A future world champion in the making, Cassandre Beaugrand is a great swimmer and one of the sport’s swiftest runners. If she can hang tough on the bike and come out of T2 with the leaders, that running class could keep her in the hunt for a medal. The 24-year-old is still on her way to cracking consistency at the Olympic distance, but showed great 10k form at WTCS Leeds, where she was only outrun by Flora Duffy and uber-runner Beth Potter. Beaugrand’s main focus is likely to be the Mixed Relay event so without the pressure to perform in the individual race, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see her end the day on the podium.

Vicky Holland – Great Britain – #32

Along with Spirig, Vicky Holland is the only returning Olympic medallist in this year’s race – bronze from Rio. The 2018 World Triathlon Champion has described the Tokyo race as a ‘free hit’ with no pressure, a mindset that could see her coming away with another Olympic medal. Her only World Triathlon result this year has been fifth at a World Triathlon Cup in Lisbon, but having been selected back in 2019, her entire life has been set on peaking for Tokyo. If a good swim and bike can deliver her to T2 near the front, Holland’s running strength could yield more Olympic success.

Jess Learmonth – Great Britain – #33

Once known only as a swimmer, Learmonth has proven herself as a force to be reckoned with across all three disciplines, taking Commonwealth Silver in 2018 and nine WTCS podiums including second in Leeds in June. Able to best anyone else in the water, Learmonth has ushered in a reign of breakaway superiority. In Tokyo, she’s bound to try the same aggressive tactic and if the likes of Flora Duffy, Maya Kingma and Georgia Taylor-Brown are with her, it’s hard not to imagine some if not all the medals coming from that group.

Georgia Taylor-Brown – Great Britain – #34

Completing Britain’s trio of medal contenders, Georgia Taylor-Brown is an all-rounder with amazing consistency having taken seven WTCS podiums and two wins from 15 starts. The 2020 World Triathlon Champion also took series silver in 2018 and 2019, showing her true class. She crossed the line first alongside Learmonth in the Tokyo test event – an action that saw both DQ’d – but has proven herself in the heat on the course. Taylor-Brown’s powerful run will frighten many of the field and if she begins the footrace in a leading position from a breakaway, a medal is on the cards.

Tri Fantasy Game

To celebrate the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games triathlons, we’ve expanded our Tri Fantasy Game to get you even more invested in the outcome! Purely in the name of fun, you can put on your triathlon pundit’s hat and make your predictions for the Games to earn bragging rights with your friends.

Start by selecting a team of your top five men and women. You’ve got an imaginary budget of ¥350 to play with and different athletes warrant higher values. Once your 10 athletes are in your squad, it’s time to sit back and see how they do! The winner of each individual race will get 1500 points with points decreasing by 7.5% for every position after that. The more points you end up with, the higher your ranking will be.

To play, head to Fantasy Game Now

The post Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Women’s Triathlon Preview appeared first on PTO.

Due to Covid, we’ve not seen athletes race as much as normal before an Olympics, so the form book gives an incomplete picture ahead of the race. Add in different restrictions around the world, athletes stretching their Olympic cycles for an extra year and the heat expected in Tokyo and it’s one of the most open Olympic races we’ve ever seen.

Race Dynamics

With a non-wetsuit 1500m swim, flat but technical 40km bike course and flat 10km run, the men’s race dynamics could follow most similar short-course World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) events. That’s usually a fast swim with a doomed breakaway on the bike which is caught to create a big group with a footrace to decide the medals. 

Deviation from that recipe here could come down to the depth of the 55-strong field. Here we have limited numbers for each country and some athletes who are likely to be under orders to act as domestiques or go easy ahead of the Mixed Relay. That could lead to things getting more stretched out than usual in the swim which could favour a breakaway. If a small, strong working group can get out of sight on the bike, we could be in for a thrilling cat-and-mouse as the fastest runners begin their hunt from T2.

Here is a selection of athletes to look out for on the day – along with their start numbers.

Hayden Wilde – New Zealand – #2

Hayden ‘The Falcon’ Wilde made use of his extra year of Olympic training by winning the NZ 5km National Championships in 2020 and 2021. Taking the latter in a scorching time of 13:43.53, he then surpassed that mark in February this year – going 13:29.47 on the track that puts him in contention with Alex Yee as the sport’s fastest runner. Wilde was third at the Olympic Test Event in 2019 – so has proven his talents against a strong field and the Tokyo heat – and raced aggressively at WCTS Leeds, where he faded to fifth. If he makes the front pack in the swim – or uses his bike strength to bridge up – he’s certainly a medal contender.

Vincent Luis – France – #7

2019 and 2020 World Triathlon Champion and two-time Super League champ, Vincent Luis is a stellar all-rounder with the winner’s mindset to boot. There’s no denying the Frenchman’s class or speed – he’s beaten every athlete in the Olympic field on multiple occasions and went into 2020 as the overwhelming favourite for Gold at the Games. Things have changed a little since then – at least outwardly. The only WTCS event we’ve seen him at this year was in Yokohama, where he finished a sub-par sixth, giving other athletes the hope that he’s human and beatable in Japan.

Tyler Mislawchuk – Canada – #15

Perhaps a little less well known than some of the other athletes on this list, Canada’s Mislawchuk earns a place here thanks to his spectacular performance in the 2019 Olympic Test Event where he beat Norway’s Casper Stornes and New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde to the top spot. A consistent and proven performer in the heat, 2021 has seen Mislawchuk chasing the sun with a World Cup win in Huatulco, Mexico, and another victory at the Americas Triathlon Cup in Long Beach, California on 18 July. All that makes him a worthy athlete all the others will have on their watchlist.

Javier Gomez – Spain – #21

One of three previous Olympic medallists in the men’s field, opponents will be writing off 38-year-old Javier Gomez at their peril. A nine-time world champion across a variety of disciplines and distances, the Spaniard is a class performer through and through. Gomez knows how to perform on the big days and with the weight of expectation much lower than his Olympic turns in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, where he took silver, he’s got nothing to lose in Tokyo.

Mario Mola – Spain – #22

World Champion in 2016, 2017 and 2018, Mario Mola has 16 World Triathlon series wins and 34 podiums to his name. While his run is his weapon, his main goal in Tokyo will be to have a strong swim and bike so he’s in a position to use it. Like Luis, Mola is one of Joel Filliol’s athletes, who, presumably by design, have yet to peak in 2021 with any top-level wins. If he’s up there at the start of the run, his experience and talent could certainly net him a medal.

Kristian Blummenfelt – Norway – #43

If Olympic Gold was awarded on pure guts and determination, it would undoubtedly go to Kristian Blummenfelt. Always racing full gas from gun to tape, Blummenfelt goes hard and doesn’t look back. Despite not usually being able to keep pace with the field’s fastest swimmers, the Norwegian 70.3 world record holder’s aggression on the bike and run means he regularly features in the mix. Winner of the WTCS event in Yokohama in May, Blummenfelt has shown great form this year. Let’s not forget the strength that comes from sharing the start line with fellow countrymen PTO World #XX and PTO 2020 Championship winner Gustav Iden and Casper Stones – second at the Olympic test event.

Henri Schoeman – South Africa – #51

Before taking Olympic Bronze at Rio in 2016, Henri Schoeman was an outside bet. Since then, he’s become one of the sport’s most consistent performers with plenty of great results including the 2016 World Triathlon Grand Final and Gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. A stellar swimmer who can back things up with a strong bike and run, he’s one for targeting the big events and could well feature in the final selection in Tokyo.

Morgan Pearson – USA – #53

A former collegiate runner with a track 5km PB of 13:26.22, Morgan Pearson has seemingly come out of nowhere to the top echelons of World Triathlon in 2021. The American secured his Olympic berth by taking third place in May’s WTCS event in Yokohama then followed this up with second behind Alex Yee at WTCS Leeds in June. On both occasions, it was his spectacular running that made the difference, but he’s also a great swimmer and biker. Brim-full of confidence after these top-level results, don’t be surprised to see him battling for the podium.

Jonny Brownlee – Great Britain – #54

Second only to his brother Alistair in Rio, Jonny Brownlee is, without doubt, one of short-course triathlon’s most successful athletes with 31 WTCS podiums, 13 wins and two Olympic medals. However, his last Olympic-distance WTCS win was back in August 2017 in Stockholm and his only victories since then have been at the sprint distance – WTCS Edmonton in July 2019 and this year’s World Triathlon Cup win in Arzechena in May. That lowering of expectation could be exactly what Jonny needs to claim another Olympic medal – he has nothing more to prove and has already stated his desire to move up to 70.3 after the Games.

Alex Yee – Great Britain – #55

Representing a changing of the guard in British short-course triathlon, Alex Yee is one of the up-and-coming athletes at the Games who’s benefitted from the event’s postponement, giving him the time to translate his promise into results. The sport’s best runner on paper, Yee won the 10,000m British champs on the track with a PB of 27:51 while his 5km best is 13:26. That running pedigree didn’t truly combine with an all-around triathlon performance until June’s WTCS race in Leeds. Yee’s vastly improved swim, aggressive biking and astonishing foot speed earned him the win and a spot on the British Olympic team. While the non-wetsuit swim in Tokyo might slow him a little, he’s now shown he can make it to the front and take Gold.

Tri Fantasy Game

To celebrate the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games triathlons, we’ve expanded our Tri Fantasy Game to get you even more invested in the outcome! Purely in the name of fun, you can put on your triathlon pundit’s hat and make your predictions for the Games to earn bragging rights with your friends.

Start by selecting a team of your top five men and women. You’ve got an imaginary budget of ¥350 to play with and different athletes warrant higher values. Once your 10 athletes are in your squad, it’s time to sit back and see how they do! The winner of each individual race will get 1500 points with points decreasing by 7.5% for every position after that. The more points you end up with, the higher your ranking will be.

To play, head to Fantasy Game Now

The post Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Men’s Triathlon Preview appeared first on PTO.

For short course athletes, the Olympic Games Triathlon is the pinnacle of the sport. It represents the culmination of a four-year cycle – five in the case of this year’s Games – of battling to earn the chance to represent their country. From there, the hard work has just begun as these speed specialists go head-to-head in a pressure-cooker bid for glory and the opportunity to be honoured forever as an Olympic medallist.

Perhaps we’ll even get to see a new Olympic Champion who’ll follow in the footsteps of 2008 winner and PTO World #1 Jan Frodeno – taking short-course tri’s biggest accolade on the way to becoming the biggest force in long-course racing.

Triathlon Events At The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

As with each Olympics since triathlon’s introduction to the Games in 2000, we’ll have the men’s and women’s individual races to look forward to in Tokyo, both held over a 1500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run.

Triathlon fans will also have another opportunity to cheer on their country’s athletes thanks to Tokyo 2020’s inclusion of the first ever Olympic Mixed Relay event. This action-packed race follows the individual races and features four athletes per team. 

Racing in woman-man-woman-man order, each athlete will each complete a super-sprint race of 300m swim, 6.8km bike and 2km run before tagging in their country’s next competitor. Some countries have even picked their athletes specifically to target a medal in this event rather than going for individual glory.

When To Watch

The Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games Triathlons take place on three dates within the first week of the Olympics. The men and women race on consecutive days – 26 and 27 July – with a few days’ rest before the first-ever Olympic Mixed Relay triathlon on 31 July.

Men’s race – Monday 26 July 2021 06:30 Tokyo

Women’s race – Tuesday 27 July 2021 06:30 Tokyo

Mixed relay – Saturday 31 July 2021 at 07:30 Tokyo

Get Involved With The PTO’s Tri Fantasy Game

To celebrate the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games triathlons, we’ve expanded our Tri Fantasy Game to get you even more invested in the outcome! Purely in the name of fun, you can put on your triathlon pundit’s hat and make your predictions for the Games to earn bragging rights with your friends.

Start by selecting a team of your top five men and women. You’ve got an imaginary budget of ¥350 to play with and different athletes warrant higher values. Once your 10 athletes are in your squad, it’s time to sit back and see how they do! The winner of each individual race will get 1500 points with points decreasing by 7.5% for every position after that. The more points you end up with, the higher your ranking will be.

To play, head to the Fantasy game now!

Olympic Triathlon Race Venue

Odaiba Park will host all three triathlon events as well as the paratriathlon competitions. With spectacular views of the city’s futuristic skyline across the stunning Rainbow Bridge, this small island – south of central Tokyo, between Koto City and Shinagawa City – could provide the most spectacular setting for an Olympic triathlon yet.

While the location provides a unique viewpoint of Tokyo, all eyes will be set firmly on thermometers in the days leading up to the events. The races have been moved earlier to help mitigate fallout from the heat but temperatures are still set to soar to over 30°C while the humidity and even the chance of thunderstorms will be on the athletes’ minds.

Olympic Triathlon Courses

Individual Olympic Triathlons

In the individual races, a pontoon start just off Odaiba Beach will kick things off. Start positions will be decided by a blind selection process that could have a real bearing on the swim as athletes thrash it out for pole position by the first buoy. The swim will consist of two laps – one 1000m and one 500m for 1500m total – each heading out into Tokyo Bay towards Bird Island.

Once out the water, athletes will grab their bikes from T1 in Seaside Park before taking on an eight-lap, 40km bike course through the West Promenade gardens up Wangan-doro Avenue and back past transition. While the elevation change hardly peaks at double digits, it’s certainly a technical course with over 10 90-degree corners and a pair of dead turns. This could favour a small breakaway with the space to take the turns at pace.

After T2 back at Seaside Park, it’s a 10km footrace over four 2.5km laps. Each virtually flat lap circles the park before taking athletes back to the edge of Tokyo Bay for the finishing straight that will crown this year’s Olympic medallists.

Mixed Relay

The Mixed Relay Triathlon features a more compact version of the individual course. The first athletes will begin on the pontoon with a 300m swim in the bay. Next is a two-lap 6.8km bike course that crosses the bridge towards Ariake Tennis Park. It’s another technical bike route with corners aplenty and three u-turns. Finally, there’s a 1km run around Odaiba Beach before handing over to the next athlete, who will perform a spectacular running dive into the water.

Athletes

55 women and men from 38 nations have qualified for the Olympic triathlon races. Australia, Great Britain, Italy and the USA have all qualified the maximum of three women while Australia, Spain, France and Norway each have three men racing. Only Australia has hit the ranking criteria to take six athletes to the Games. Egypt, Morocco and Romania will all be competing in the Olympic triathlon for the first time.

In the Mixed Relay event, 18 nations will line up, each with two men and two women – selected from the same pool as the individual races. However, the final start list, including the order of each team’s athletes, won’t be confirmed until two hours before the race.

Individual Men’s Start List

Individual Women’s Start List

Mixed Relay Country List

How To Watch

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic triathlons will be broadcast all around the world. Here’s a lowdown of all the global carriers so you can make sure you don’t miss a moment of the action.

ARGENTINA: TYC Sports

AUSTRALIA: Seven Network

AUSTRIA: ORF

BELGIUM: VRT & RTBF

BRASIL: Grupo Globo & BandSports

CANADA: CBC/Radio-Canada; Sportsnet; TSN & TLN

CHILE: TVN

CHINA: CCTV & MIGU

CZECH REPUBLIC: ČT

ECUADOR: RTS

ESTONIA: Postimees Group

ALL EUROPE: Discovery, Inc – Eurosport

FRANCE: France Télévisions & Eurosport

GERMANY: ARD & ZDF

HUNGARY: MTVA

HONG KONG: I-CABLE; PCCW & TVB

IRELAND: RTÉ

ITALY: RAI

JAPAN: Japan Consortium

LUXEMBURG: RTL

MEXICO: Televisa; TV Azteca & Imagen Televisión

NETHERLANDS: NOS

PORTUGAL: RTP

ROMANIA: TVR

SLOVENIA: RTV

SPAIN: RTVE & EUROSPORT

SOUTH AFRICA: SABC & SuperSport

SWITZERLAND: SRG & SSR

UK: BBC & Eurosport

USA: NBCUNIVERSAL

The post Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Triathlons – All You Need To Know appeared first on PTO.