Edmonton: The first 2018 WTS stop in Canada
The world's best triathletes come to the City of Champions this weekend for some WTS racing
Edmonton will host the WTS this weekend for the fifth time, the first stop for the WTS on its Canada 2018 tour. With the racing taking place in the early evening, the environment will be stunning as the world’s best race along the city’s river valley. Racing begins Friday with the Paratriathlon and elite men and women races, followed by the mixed relay on Saturday.
The GM of the WTS race weekend, Stephen Bourdeau, says “We’re really excited to be hosting our world triathlon series in Edmonton.” This year the organization team has added the Friday Night Party in the Park to celebrate the event, athletes, the city and spectators. “We’re really celebrating here with a fun atmosphere,” says Bourdeau. The evening will include live music, dancing and showcase all of the athletes in Edmonton this weekend. This weekend also is the perfect build-up for 2020, when Edmonton will host the World Championships.
Some of the sports top athletes will be in Edmonton this weekend, including WTS Hamburg winner and world number one, Mario Mola. However, he will have the best to deal with, including the South African Richard Murray. In recent years Murray has enjoyed lots of success in Edmonton with a win in 2015. Other top contenders this weekend on the men’s side include Jonathon Brownlee (GBR), Vincent Luis (FRA), Jacob Britwhistle (AUS) and Canada’s own, Tyler Mislawchuk.
This year Mislawchuk has been having a breakout season as he looks to finish the season inside the top 10 of the WTS world rankings. Highlights this season have included a podium at the World Cup in Antwerp, a career-best fourth at WTS Yokohama and two weeks ago an eighth at WTS Hamburg. Mislawchuk will be joined by teammates Matthew Sharpe and Tyler Forbes.
On the women’s side, it will be world leader Sarah Zaferes who will wear the number one race bib. She will be pushed by names like Rachel Klamer (NED), Vicky Holland (GBR), teammate Kirsten Kasper and top-ranked Canadian Joanna Brown. Earlier this year, Brown won bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia. After racing around the world this season, Brown and her Canadian teammates will look to have a big performance on home soil. Joining Brown in the individual race will be Amelie Kretz.
In the Paratriathlon, Canada will put their hopes for a podium finish behind Stefan Daniel, Kamylle Frenette, Jon Dunkerley and Jessica Tuomela. Daniel earlier this year had a podium finish in Italy. Frenette, Dunkerley and Tuomela, all took the win in Magog two weeks ago. With such a strong team coming to Edmonton, Canada is sure to make the race interesting Friday.
You can catch all the action this weekend on their online livestream at CBC Sports. Racing begins Friday with the women’s elite race at 5:36 PM (MT), followed by the men’s at 7:21 PM (MT). Then on Saturday, the Mixed Relay begins at 4:04 PM (MT).
