Stellar Elite Field Announced for new Saskatoon Triathlon

The sport of triathlon has arrived in full force in the bustling province of Saskatchewan.  Series officials announced that some of the best triathletes on the planet will make their way to Saskatoon this summer for the inaugural Subaru Saskatoon Triathlon.  Also part of this exciting announcement is that TSN, Canada’s Sport Leader, has been confirmed to broadcast the event nationally in a 60 minute post produced program.

Leading the way in the pro race is 2-time Olympian Brent McMahon who is just coming off an impressive victory at Ironman 70.3 St. George distance where he won the US Championships.  Also competing will be Quebec’s Magali Tisseyre who has twice been on the podium at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships, and Penticton’s Jeff Symonds who has also seen the podium on the World Championship stage.  Olympian, Lisa Mensink representing the Netherlands will also compete along with a number of other top elite athletes including Sara Gross who just recently finished second at Ironman Brazil.  What makes the pro event very special this year is that McMahon won the inaugural Subaru Chase in 2011 with Tisseyre taking the title in 2012.  This will be the first time the two athletes have faced off against each other.

The “Chase Format” is where men and women compete against each other in the same race with the Women’s Pro field having a predetermined head-start time on the men – the first athletes, man or woman, to cross the finish line collect $10,000 in cash & prizes.  The “Chase”, a non-drafting Olympic distance event where the cyclists must stay separated by at least 10 meters, draws a wide range of different triathlon specialists – from Junior Champions who traditionally race over the shorter sprint distance to Ironman athletes accustomed to racing a much longer event.

The Saskatoon Triathlon will also feature a large amateur component with many local participants and many completing their very first triathlon.  This race will also double as the Saskatchewan provincial triathlon championship, with one spot in each amateur age, 24 in total, qualifying for the Canadian National Team that will compete at the world championships in Edmonton in 2014. The event is nearly sold out with only a few entries remaining.

The Saskatoon Triathlon is the latest addition to the Western Triathlon Series that features five exciting events hosted in beautiful locations across Canada’s west coast and Rocky Mountains and now in Saskatchewan. The event will feature swimming at Pike Lake Provincial Park, followed by a bicycle ride into Saskatoon along scenic country roads. The final leg of the race will have participants running to the finish in the heart of downtown via the Meewasin Valley Trail.