The World Triathlon Para Series takes to the north-England city of Leeds for the first time on Saturday afternoon, the second racing of the year’s Paralympic Qualification period where the best in the world will continue to pursue the ranking points that could confirm their place on the Tokyo 2020 start line.
Starting with a 750m swim in Waterloo
Lake, the bike then takes in three laps of the western portion of Roundhay
Park, finishing with a two-lap run around Upper Lake. You can follow all the
action from 2pm on Saturday on TriathlonLive.tv.
PTWC
After yet another first class display
in Yokohama, Netherlands’ Jetze Plat looks like setting the pace once again in
the men’s PTWC wheelchair category. With a margin of victory of three minutes
over fellow Dutchman Geert Schipper, it will take something very special to
reign in Plat and become the first man to beat him since September 2015.
Italy’s Giovanni Achenza H1 came closest to the pair in Lausanne, while French
duo Ahmed Andaloussi (FRA) and Alexandre Paviza H1 will also be pushing for a
podium-worthy performance.
The women’s race will see triple
World Champion Kendall Gretsch and Spain’s Eva Moral do battle once more, the
American so impressive in the water in Yokohama to set up her gold. Margret
Ijdma H1 (NED) and Mona Francis H2 (FRA) both start, as does Mexico’s Brenda
Osnaya Alvarez H1
PTVI
In the women’s visually impaired
race, Spain’s World Champion Susana Rodriguez B1 returns to the start list for
the first time since Alhandra back in October. British duo Alison Peasgood B2
and Melissa Reid B3 will be gunning for strong results and a second Paralympic
appearance, both having finished behind Australia’s Katie Kelly at Rio 2016,
and Italian Anna Barbaro B1 would love to build on her gold at WPS Devonport in
2020.
Dave Ellis B3 is on course to make
his Paralympic debut in Tokyo with the men’s PTVI class included in the
programme for the first time, and the Brit is sure to relish a first home World
Series race. Spaniards Héctor Catalá Laparra B2 and Jose Luis Garcia Serrano
among the biggest threats to Ellis’ golden aspirations along with the 2017
World Champion Antoine Perel (FRA) and US legend Scheidies.
PTS2
The men’s PTS2 sees Dutch national
champion Maurits Morsink, second on his Yokohama debut last month, and USA’s
Adam Popp trying to keep the World Champion Jules Ribstein (FRA) in check. The
women’s race will see Rio 2016 medallists Hailey Danz (USA) and Melissa
Stockwell (USA) and Veronika Gabitova (RTF) vying for the gold with Finland’s
Liisa Lilja in pursuit.
PTS3
With no women’s PTS3, the men’s race
will be a straight shootout for the medals between Spain’s Daniel Molina,
unbeaten since 2017, and the man hoping to eventually dethrone the World
Champion, Netherlands’ newcomer Nico van der Burgt.
PTS4
Alexis Hanquinquant (FRA) was in
flying form in Yokohama and the 2019 World Champion will be looking forward to
attacking this new Leeds course on Saturday. Another strong Spanish athlete,
Banyoles World Cup winner AlejandroSánchez Palomero, and Australia’s Clint
Pickin will be among the eleven men trying to halt his traditional charge over
the 5km run. The ever-impressive Kelly Elmlinger (USA), also a winner in
Yokohama, is the sole woman on the PTS4 start list.
PTS5
The women’s PTS5 category is set to
deliver another classic showdown between home favourites Claire Cashmore and
Lauren Steadman and Rio 2016 champion Grace Norman of the USA. All three were
absent from Yokohama, where France’s Gwladys Lemoussu was the one to take
advantage and will be hoping for further success this weekend. With George
Peasgood and German Paralympic Champion Martin Schulz not starting, USA’s Chris
Hammer will hope to capitalise along with Jairo Ruiz Lopez (ESP) and Guenther
Matzingerinto (AUT).
You can find the full start lists
here.
WTPS Leeds
Saturday 5 June, 2pm BST
TriathlonLive.tv
ABOUT WORLD TRIATHLON
World Triathlon is the international
governing body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of triathlon and all
related multisport disciplines around the world, including duathlon, aquathlon,
cross triathlon and winter triathlon. Triathlon made its Olympic debut in
Sydney 2000, with a third medal event, the Mixed Team Relay, added to the
programme at Tokyo 2020, while paratriathlon was first added to the Paralympic
programme at Rio 2016. World Triathlon is proudly committed to the development
of the sport worldwide, with inclusion, equality, sustainability and
transparency at our core as we seek to help triathletes at all levels of the
sport to be extraordinary.
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