Next weekend sees another round of the ITU world series, returning to Cape Town. Last year was a mixed success, a very cold swim that was reduced to 750m for the women and a rather boring bike ride that nonetheless led to two breakaways. The run included an insulting bit where the athletes had to run around traffic cones in a deserted car park ... They have had a rethink and are now re-routing both the bike and run through the Green Point athletics stadium. The run appears an altogether more interesting prospect, lets hope there are more spectators this year.

Gwen Jorgensen is sitting this one out so a chance for Katie Zaferes to win her first ITU race, or Sarah True her second. The women's field is quite weak, although good to see Vicky Holland coming back for her first race since her superb performance in Glasgow last year (and first race since being crippled by the dreaded plantar fasciae).

The men's race sees the scheduled return of Alistair Brownlee (although Jonny is sitting this one out). Interestingly, Alistair is the only English male making the trip (assuming he does.) Before his ankle problem in March, he was in superb form on the run, beating Jonny by a good 30 seconds per 10K, so he is surely the favourite assuming he has a decent swim (this being his first race, he won't have a good starting position though). Mola, Gomez and Murray are there. Also a good French field to look forward to with Vincent Luis competing for the first time since his podium in Abu Dhabi.

Richard Varga will be there, so interesting if we see another Varga/Brownlee escape!