ITU World Champs in Gold Coast Ready To Go
For the third time in ITU's history, the sport has come to Gold Coast Australia. While there are many more high-rise apartments on the iconic Gold Coast Beach then when Miles Stewart and Joanne Ritchie won in 1991, the place is still spectacular. Everything you think you would see in Australia. Hundreds of surfers and youth-life-saving athletes on the beach every afternoon when school lets out.
Using the same basic footprint that was employed in April for the Commonwealth Games, the town has left up many of the signs and mascots from their very successful 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Sitting just 500m from the race venue is the Commonwealth Games Pool Centre. Five different pools. 2 x 50m pools, 2x25m outdoor pools and an indoor teaching pool.
A lot of interesting questions to be answered in the next few days. While Mario Mola's World Championship title is expected, the question is whether a small group can get away and stay away from Mario and the chase group. With A very motivated Ali Brownlee in the elite field, things could be interesting. Henri Schoeman is healthy & motivated to get away with a 4-6 man group that does not include Mola. You could see a Vincent Luis, Jonny & Ali Brownlee, Henri Schoeman (plus 1 or 2 others like Tyler Mislawchuk) motivated breakaway. With a chase group of Mola, Birtwhistle, Murray, Alarza & company chasing them on the bike, we could see another epic run for the title this weekend. The weather is going to be near perfect and big crowds are expected.
Anytime Ali Brownlee is in a race, he is a game changer. The sport's greatest swim-biker is healthy and the real question is how much fatigue he has in his legs from the 70.3 World Champs.
In the women's race, Katie Zafares could win the world championship without ever winning a race in 2018. She has been uber consistent and her incredible swimming allows her to be in the thick of the battle right from the start. With Flora Duffy not racing, the real question is whether 4-5 women are able to get away and stay away on the bike. Expect Jessica Learmonth, Katie Zaferes, Kristen Kasper, Summer Cook and 1-2 others trying to stay ahead of the British women (Stimpson, Holland, Taylor-Brown and Stanford). This race is pretty much a USA vs GB battle with a Gentle, Klamer and Linderman trying to steal a podium from those two countries.
The women's under 23 might be the stellar race of the weekend. If you haven't seen or heard of France's Cassandra Beaugrand remember her name. She is the next rock star of the elite women's circuit. She could be fighting it out for a top 8 in the elite women's race, but instead is going after a world championship title for France. She has no real weakness and right now is running incredibly fast. Her French team-mate and 2018 World Cup Winner Sandra Dodet could be fighting it out for the victory. 2x World Junior Champion Taylor Knibb has shown incredible fitness this year as she moves into the under 23 category. The bike course may not be tough enough for Taylor. Knibb's American team-mate and past World Champion Tamara Gorman will give the USA a great 1-2 punch against the French superstars. Last year's junior medalist Fuka Sega from Japan will challenge for the overall win.
The men's under 23 world champs has young Seth Rider as a legit threat. For Seth to have a chance he needs a 3-4 man break away out of the swim. Seth is a stud swim-biker and along with France's Leo Bergere and New Zealand's Tayler Reid there is a very real chance to see a small front end break away. Just two weeks ago Canada's Charles Paquet was in a break way with the Norwegian boys in the Montreal WTS Race.
Junior racing is always a crap shoot. So many talented, overly amped up young athletes, often lead to unexpected victories. None the less, the Europeans are now a consistent legitimate threat for a majority of the top 10 spots. With so many European Junior Races, and the French Grand Prix Series for the European youth, expect their race experience to show through.
The age group racing (Sprint & Olympic) will be very competitive. The Aussies have a huge team, and along with the nearby Kiwis, expect the majority of the age group medals to be split up between Australia, USA, Great Britain and New Zealand. Some former ITU pros are now back racing in the age group categories (Michelle Dillon is one of those who are now in the 45 category and looking very fit).
The world's best para-triathletes are in town and each year the depth and level of racing improves. We are expecting some fantastic racing from these great athletes.
ITU congress has occurred and the 2021 World Champs (Bermuda) and 2022 World Champs (Abu Dhabi) have been decided. With Lausanne in 2019 and Edmonton 2020 the best triathletes in the world know where they will be racing for the next four years.
For the third time in ITU's history, the sport has come to Gold Coast Australia. While there are many more high-rise apartments on the iconic Gold Coast Beach then when Miles Stewart and Joanne Ritchie won in 1991, the place is still spectacular. Everything you think you would see in Australia. Hundreds of surfers and youth-life-saving athletes on the beach every afternoon when school lets out.
Using the same basic footprint that was employed in April for the Commonwealth Games, the town has left up many of the signs and mascots from their very successful 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Sitting just 500m from the race venue is the Commonwealth Games Pool Centre. Five different pools. 2 x 50m pools, 2x25m outdoor pools and an indoor teaching pool.
A lot of interesting questions to be answered in the next few days. While Mario Mola's World Championship title is expected, the question is whether a small group can get away and stay away from Mario and the chase group. With A very motivated Ali Brownlee in the elite field, things could be interesting. Henri Schoeman is healthy & motivated to get away with a 4-6 man group that does not include Mola. You could see a Vincent Luis, Jonny & Ali Brownlee, Henri Schoeman (plus 1 or 2 others like Tyler Mislawchuk) motivated breakaway. With a chase group of Mola, Birtwhistle, Murray, Alarza & company chasing them on the bike, we could see another epic run for the title this weekend. The weather is going to be near perfect and big crowds are expected.
Anytime Ali Brownlee is in a race, he is a game changer. The sport's greatest swim-biker is healthy and the real question is how much fatigue he has in his legs from the 70.3 World Champs.
In the women's race, Katie Zafares could win the world championship without ever winning a race in 2018. She has been uber consistent and her incredible swimming allows her to be in the thick of the battle right from the start. With Flora Duffy not racing, the real question is whether 4-5 women are able to get away and stay away on the bike. Expect Jessica Learmonth, Katie Zaferes, Kristen Kasper, Summer Cook and 1-2 others trying to stay ahead of the British women (Stimpson, Holland, Taylor-Brown and Stanford). This race is pretty much a USA vs GB battle with a Gentle, Klamer and Linderman trying to steal a podium from those two countries.
The women's under 23 might be the stellar race of the weekend. If you haven't seen or heard of France's Cassandra Beaugrand remember her name. She is the next rock star of the elite women's circuit. She could be fighting it out for a top 8 in the elite women's race, but instead is going after a world championship title for France. She has no real weakness and right now is running incredibly fast. Her French team-mate and 2018 World Cup Winner Sandra Dodet could be fighting it out for the victory. 2x World Junior Champion Taylor Knibb has shown incredible fitness this year as she moves into the under 23 category. The bike course may not be tough enough for Taylor. Knibb's American team-mate and past World Champion Tamara Gorman will give the USA a great 1-2 punch against the French superstars. Last year's junior medalist Fuka Sega from Japan will challenge for the overall win.
The men's under 23 world champs has young Seth Rider as a legit threat. For Seth to have a chance he needs a 3-4 man break away out of the swim. Seth is a stud swim-biker and along with France's Leo Bergere and New Zealand's Tayler Reid there is a very real chance to see a small front end break away. Just two weeks ago Canada's Charles Paquet was in a break way with the Norwegian boys in the Montreal WTS Race.
Junior racing is always a crap shoot. So many talented, overly amped up young athletes, often lead to unexpected victories. None the less, the Europeans are now a consistent legitimate threat for a majority of the top 10 spots. With so many European Junior Races, and the French Grand Prix Series for the European youth, expect their race experience to show through.
The age group racing (Sprint & Olympic) will be very competitive. The Aussies have a huge team, and along with the nearby Kiwis, expect the majority of the age group medals to be split up between Australia, USA, Great Britain and New Zealand. Some former ITU pros are now back racing in the age group categories (Michelle Dillon is one of those who are now in the 45 category and looking very fit).
The world's best para-triathletes are in town and each year the depth and level of racing improves. We are expecting some fantastic racing from these great athletes.
ITU congress has occurred and the 2021 World Champs (Bermuda) and 2022 World Champs (Abu Dhabi) have been decided. With Lausanne in 2019 and Edmonton 2020 the best triathletes in the world know where they will be racing for the next four years.
