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Laundry ready to Clash in Miami

Canadian bounces back from surgery to take on tough field at Homestead Miami Speedway

Photo by: Kevin Mackinnon

Last year Challenge Miami kicked off the year for endurance athletes as Jan Frodeno dominated the day with a big win over Canada’s Lionel Sanders. (Jodie Stimpson took an event-filled women’s race after Anne Hang tested positive for COVID-19 on race day and Lucy Charles-Barclay received a penalty on the bike.) Challenge North America has now rebranded itself to Clash Endurance, and the 2022 race calendar is quickly getting packed with big races, with Clash Miami serving as the North American season-opener for long-distance athletes here in North America on March 11.

Clash Endurance has added two more events to its calendar in 2022 in addition to Daytona and Miami. They’ll be hosting an event at Watkins Glen this summer (July 8 to 10) and Atlanta – a mountain bike and running festival that will take place Nov. 11 to 13. The series looks to continue to expand with at least seven races in 2023, using its relationship with NASCAR to add more events that are based at race-car venues, providing a unique atmosphere for a weekend of racing for the entire family.

The unique speedway venue will feature a 1.7 km swim, 60.3 km bike and a 16.9 km run for the pro athletes, who will be competing for a $50,000 prize purse.

Read more about the Clash Endurance series: Ready to Clash? The story behind the new multisport series and its speedway thrills.

Matthew Sharpe

Laundry leads the Canadian contingent, Sharpe makes long-distance debut

After a breakthrough year that saw him take fifth at last year’s Ironman 70.3 World Championship, Jackson Laundry is bouncing back from yet another bike crash to compete at Clash Miami. He’s taking on a strong field that includes last year’s runner-up at the 70.3 worlds, Sam Long (USA), along with his countryman, former Olympian and another former runner-up from the 70.3 worlds, Ben Kanute. The three top-seeded North Americans will have their work cut out trying to hold off Denmark’s Magnus Ditlev, who took second at Clash Daytona last December.

Others to look for in the deep men’s field include Germany’s Andreas Dreitz, Americans Chris Leiferman, Andrew Starykowicz, Jason West and Justin Metzler, along with Great Britain’s Thomas Davis.

Other Canadians in the field include Brent McMahon, a two-time Olympian and former full-distance record holder. He’s joined by Taylor Reid, Loren Nelson and Nick Cosman. 2021 Olympian Matt Sharpe is making his long-distance debut at Clash Miami, too.

Emma Pallant-Browne and Ben Kanute win the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon. Photo: Rocky Arroyo

Pallant-Browne highlights women’s field

Great Britain’s Emma Pallant-Browne enjoyed a stellar 2021 that included podium finishes at all her races except one – her fifth-place finish at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship. Last year’s breakout star from Challenge Miami, Sara Perez Sala (GBR), who used her Olympic swimming talents to come out of the water and then bike with Lucy Charles-Barclay, is also back for another go at the Homestead track. Others to watch in the race include Brazil’s Pamella Oliveira, Americans Lisa Becharas and Chelsea Solar, along with Denmark’s Maja Stage Nielsen.

Live coverage

One of the highlights of the Clash events is the stellar live coverage produced by NASCAR productions. The Miami event will continue that tradition with live coverage on the Clash Endurance Facebook page.