Rio Paralympic Paratriathlon Test Event this weekend

Alongside the Olympic Test Event, all of the paratriathlon sport classes will be contested at the Rio de Janeiro World Paratriathlon Event (WPE) on Saturday, August 1, which dually serves as the Paralympic Test Event ahead of paratriathlon’s debut at the Paralympics in 2016. The Rio WPE race is just the second opportunity in a year-long campaign to score Paralympic Qualification Points.

Only select sport classes will be conducted at the 2016 Paralympic Games, which will be men’s PT1, PT2 and PT4 and women’s PT2, PT4 and PT5.

Schedule:

9:00 PT4/ PT2 Men & Women

12:15 PT1 Men & Women

13:45 PT3 Men & Women / PT5 B1 M & W

13:48:18 PT5 B2/3 Men

13:48:48 PT5 B2/3 Women

Live Coverage:

There will be no live video footage of the event, but follow the events live with timing and text updates, at triathlon.org/live and on twitter at @triathlonlive.

Course Profile:

Swim – 1.5km (1 laps) - The swim will be held in the Copacabana Beach. Athletes will run into the water from the beach and do one out and back lap.

Bike – 40km (8 laps) – The bike course heads down "Rua proffesor Gastao Baiana". The first part of this street is the steepest climb of the circuit, followed by a fast downhill to "Av. Epilafio Pessoa". Athletes then do a technical 90-degree turn, followed by another technical 90-degree turn just 200 meters later to "Avenida Henrique Dodsworth". Atheltes face one more technical turn at "Av Atlantico".

Run – 10km (4 laps) – Athletes will run along Av. Atlantico in front of Copacabana Beach for a total of four out and back laps.

Stories to Watch for:

Women’s PT2:

One of the sport classes selected to debut at the Paralympics next year, women’s PT2 showcases a dazzling field of women. Melissa Stockwell (USA), a soldier who was injured in Iraq before qualifying for the 2008 Paralympics as a swimmer, has since turned her attention to paratriathlon. A new mother, the three-time World Champion recently returned to competing and has already scored a string of podium finishes this season.

Compatriot Hailey Danisewicz is strong in both the front and back end of the race and will likely challenge Stockwell for the top spot, as will Brazil’s own Yasmin Martins. At just 20 years old, Martins improvement is expected to continue onwards and upwards.

Men’s PT:

Bill Chaffey (AUS) leads the men’s PT1 category as the most successful veteran of the athletes lining up, as he owns four World Championship titles. An avid age group triathlete that was injured while out training, Chaffey turned his love of the sport to paratriathlon, and has dominated the sport class ever since.

However, the division has grown extremely competitive with the likes ofPhil Hogg (GBR), Geert Schipper (NED), Krige Schabort (USA) posting wins in PT1 the last several years. Add in Jetze Plat (NED), who will sit Rio out in favor of competing at UCI Paracycling Road World Championships as he attempts to qualify for Paralympics in both para-hand cycling and paratriathlon, and this sport class is loaded with talent.

For more information, contact:

Erin Greene, Communications, ITU

Email: erin.greene@triathlon.org

Mobile: +34 645 216 509

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