Women start Saturday, November the 16th at 13:30 local time (09:30 CET, 04:30 Eastern, 01:30 Pacific - yep, that’s Friday night). The race will be streamed on PTO+, outside Europe also on YouTube, in Europe on Discovery+ (but if you have a VPN you can place yourself outside Europe and watch on YT).
Not certain if the forecast is correct, but they’re only calling for dewpoints in the low 60Fs which is a solid 10F lower than this year’s Kona levels. So it will be quite humid but not crushingly so. In my experience there’s a world of difference in my ability to shed heat as dew points move from low/mid 60s to mid 70s.
Looks like the womens could get a nice break in the swim again with Knibb, Perez-Sala, Duffy, and Spivey again. I always wonder if these conversations go on before hand between these folks, because it is in all their interests to gap and then distance from the chasers…
Think it was Knibb that attacked the last race and made the split, having Sara there could be a huge boost if she drills it like she does ITU races…Race before that was Spivey, and of course we saw what Duffy could do in the swim at the Olympic Games…
If I remember correctly, that group plus India Lee put a bit over a minute on the rest of the field at Ibiza T-100. Yes, I bet we might see that again.
Not looking up the results, I think it was Haley Chura who drilled that swim after Knibb did the first lap. She was a old time OW pro swimmer who lately just sits in or even gets dropped occasionally. Seems she got it back together for that race but then faded to the back end…
I’m not feeling quite as optimistic about the US men, although I’m certainly rooting for them. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the European men with a smaller time zone change like Margirier or Bogen have a big day, but couldn’t figure out who it would be…
Nieschlag added to start list. Baekkegard sick (“struggling with a virus for the last 2 weeks”) and DNS.
For Nieschlag this call up offers the most lucrative payout in his career! A win would be worth (I estimate) $25k ftw, #9 in the Tour so $45k, a good finish in the PTO Rankings (even without Taupo gets to circa #13) so $20k: total $90k.
Plus a gold contract ($100k for next year + at least another $150k if races T100s well).
31C and 43% humidity (latter seems moderate)
The most recent weather forecast for the women’s race tomorrow shows decreased dew points compared to the past few oppressive days along with a solid breeze. If that forecast holds, it ought to make for a challenging but perhaps not quite soul crushing day of racing. Fingers crossed that everyone comes in healthy, injury free and that mechanicals don’t spoil anyone’s race.
