Columbia Threadneedle World Triathlon Leeds attracts huge talent as first time host

Hitting the halfway point of the World Triathlon Series, the world's best triathletes head to Europe for the 2016 Columbia Threadneedle World Triathlon Leeds. The English city will be welcomed to the WTS family as it hosts its first-ever ITU event. Leeds will be treated to a pre-Olympic show of sorts, with many of the triathletes having recently punched their tickets to Rio.

For its WTS debut, Leeds will features a two-lap wetsuit swim, a leg-crushing technical bike course and a four-lap 10km run up close and front with the citizens of Leeds in the city centre which is sure to be roaring. The city will see reigning World Champions Javier Gomez (ESP) and Gwen Jorgensen (USA) battle it out with the UK's finest in Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee on the men's side, while Non Stanford, Vicky Holland and Jodie Stimpson will race for the women.

Click here for the women's preview

Click here for the men's preview

ABOUT THE RACE:

The inaugural Columbia Threadneedle World Triathlon Leeds represents the pinnacle of triathlon competition in the UK, providing recreational triathletes with a once in a lifetime opportunity to compete on the same course as the world’s best. Following in the footsteps of the unforgettable 2014 Tour de France Grand Départ in Leeds and Yorkshire, this event is hoping to attract thousands of spectators to watch both the amateurs and the professionals – including GB’s best who will be competing in their last event on home soil before the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. 5,000 triathletes of all levels of ability will compete on the unique ‘point to point’ course with two separate transition areas. Starting with an open water swim in the glorious Roundhay Park, the bike leg will see participants complete laps in and around Leeds city centre before completing a testing run course and crossing the finish line in the city centre.

SCHEDULE:

Elite Women

Sunday 12 June - 13:00 UTC/GMT +1 Click here for the time in your area

Elite Men

Sunday 12 June - 15:45 UTC/GMT+ 1 Click here for the time in your area

WEBSITES:

http://triathlon.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=00aa527d930b75ed31d447d44&id=9d51944b83&e=0509d8018f

PRIZE MONEY:

$150,000 USD (equal for men & women)

LIVE COVERAGE:

Follow all the events live with timing and text updates, at triathlonlive.tv and on twitter at @triathlonlive.

COURSE PROFILE:

Swim (1.5km) - The swim will take place in the glorious Roundhay Park Lake, located approximately 9km north of Leeds city centre.

Bike (40km) - The bike leg will see athletes leave Roundhay Park and head into the city centre and complete a full loop that leads back into the Park before finishing in T2 in the city centre.

Run (10km) - The run course will take you on a city centre loop which will take you past iconic landmarks such as Town Hall, Millennium Square and The Headrow.

STORIES TO WATCH FOR:

Brownlees vs Gomez

Withh the return of Gomez to the WTS season, the triathlon world will also see the return of the rivalry between the Spaniard and the Brownlee brothers. All three have not lined up against one another since the 2014 Edmonton Grand Final. In the last two seasons, the three have raced together five times, with Alistair having finished beat out his younger brother and Spanish rival, three out of the five times.

Hometown advantage

Perhaps heading into the weekend with the biggest advantage are Brits Non Stanford and Vicky Holland. As training partners and roommates who train in the same squad as the Brownlee brothers, both Stanford and Holland train in Leeds, so they will be familiar faces for the home crowd.. On top of that, Stanford already has one WTS victory under her belt this year, when she took home the gold in Cape Town in her first race back for 2016. Holland also finished sixth in Cape Town, so she started her season in a good position as well.

But you can’t talk about the dominate British team without talking about Jodie Stimpson. Currently ranked second overall in the CT rankings, Stimpson has a real chance of potentially earning a World Championship title if she continues with the way she has been performing. Her win in Abu Dhabi set off the start of the British women winning three of four WTS races this year. Stimpson followed her medal performance up with a the second in Cape Town. The trio will have strong support in Lucy Hall, who is lethal on the swim and bike, which could just be a game changer for the home favourites.

For more information contact:

Erin Greene, Communications, ITU

Email: erin.greene@triathlon.org

Mobile: +34 645 216 509

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