Previewing the Edmonton ITU World Cup

This weekend, Edmonton will welcome an ITU World Cup race to its city for the ninth time. The familiar host city will break from the standard race format in favor of a super speedy sprint 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run course. The fast and furious race will see Olympic bronze medallist Erin Densham (AUS) return to racing action, while Kyle Jones (CAN) will attempt to win the World Cup for the second year on home soil. In addition to the World Cup, Edmonton will also host an ITU Paratriathlon Event, as well as the PATCO Triathlon Junior Pan American Cup.
ABOUT THE RACE: The races mark the ninth time a World Cup has been held in the Canadian city since 2002. Edmonton also holds a special place in ITU history, having set a new standard for the triathlon world championships in 2001. In over 20 years of World Cup races only one race has ever had to be cancelled, which was in Edmonton in 2004. After Loretta Harrop (AUS) won the women’s race, a wintery blast hit the city and the men’s race was called off. The event is the fourth World Cup event of 2013, and the only stop in Canada.

SCHEDULE:
Elite Women – Sunday 23 June – 13:30 (UTC/GMT -6)  Time in your area
Elite Men – Sunday 23 June – 15:00 (UTC/GMT -6)

WEBSITES:
triathlon.org
edmontontriathlon.org

START LISTS:
Women’s start list
Men’s start list

LIVE COVERAGE:
Live timing and text coverage from Edmonton will be available on race day at triathlon.org/live or at @triathlonlive on Twitter.

TOTAL PRIZE MONEY:
$68,400 USD (equal for men & women)

COURSE PROFILE:
Swim – 750m (1 lap) – Athletes will complete one 750m lap of Hawrelak Park Lake. Athletes will exit the lake and will proceed 200 meters to the elite transition area located directly in front of the grandstands.
Bike – 20km (3 laps) – Athletes will complete one long 11km loop, before completing two smaller 4.5km laps.
Run – 5km (2 laps) – Athletes exit Hawrelak Park and proceed to ascend Groat Road. Athletes will climb 600 meters (25m elevation gain) to the turnaround point. Athletes will then head back to Hawrelak Park along the same route and pass in front of the grandstands before heading out on their second lap of the course.

STORIES TO WATCH FOR:

Elite Women
In her return to ITU racing after winning Olympic bronze in London last year, Erin Densham (AUS), will again headline the women’s start list as she makes her return to ITU racing since the 2012 Grand Final. Flora Duffy (BER) returns to the Canadian city after earning bronze here last year to line up second next to Densham, though her condition will also be a surprise, as she has not yet raced this season. Look for Claudia Rivas (MEX) to lead off the start. Joanna Brown is Canada’s highest ranking female on the start list, having finished fifth in the Huatulco World Cup in May just behind Rivas. Teammate and rising star Amelie Kretz will also look to make an impact on the elite field.

Elite Men
Local hopes lie with Canadians Andrew Yorke and Kyle Jones. Yorke is currently the second-highest ranking Canadian in the men’s charts, while Jones won his first ITU World Cup in Edmonton last year. Peter Kerr (AUS) will be one of the men to watch this weekend, as he won the Continental Championships in Australia earlier this year in both the sprint and Olympic distances. Richard Varga (SVK) is always exceptional on the swim, but with just 750m to work with on the front, it may not be enough distance to secure a strong lead. Grégory Rouault (FRA) could be a threat on the World Cup circuit this year with a fourth-place finish in Ishigaki and a win in the sprint distance at the Geelong Oceania Cup under his belt. Sergio Sarmiento (MEX) continues his elite comeback from last year after a bike accident took him out of the sport for five years.

Team ITU
A group of three athletes will make up Team ITU at the Edmonton World Cup. Steffy Salazar (ECU/ITU), Lizandra Hernadez (CUB), and Ivan Ivanov (UKR) will all receive support from ITU at the event, including coaching from Luc Morin.

Past Edmonton ITU World Cup winners
WOMEN                                                                      MEN
2012    Lauren Groves (CAN)                            Kyle Jones (CAN)
2011     Ashleigh Gentle  (AUS)                         Bevan Docherty (NZL)
2007     Emma Moffatt (AUS)                           Bevan Docherty (NZL)
2006     Emma Snowsill (AUS)                           Hamish Carter (NZL)
2005     Emma Snowsill (AUS)                           Andy Potts (USA)
2004     Loretta Harrop (AUS)                           Race cancelled due to weather
2003     Barbara Lindquist (USA)                        Simon Whitfield (CAN)
2002     Siri Lindley (USA)                                 Simon Whitfield (CAN)

ITU Triathlon World Championships
2001     Siri Lindley (USA)                                 Peter Robertson (AUS)