The 2014 British Triathlon Youth and Junior Super Series is set to reach a thrilling conclusion tomorrow at Nottingham on the first day of the British Triathlon Under 20’s Festival. With four titles up for grabs, there promises to be plenty of close-fought competition to keep spectators entertained.
There is no such thing as a racing certainty in triathlon, but Kate Waugh with four wins out of four events so far in this year's Women's Youth Super Series is probably as close as it gets. Waugh will be looking to make it a clean sweep at Nottingham and to clinch the title in style, though she will not have things all her own way with Caitlin Roper - third in the last round at the 2014 British Triathlon Championships Liverpool - lining up alongside her, along with Emma Clapton, Elisabeth Hood and Emer Wintsch, all of whom have pushed Waugh throughout the season at the sharp end of the Super Series standings.
The 2014 Men's Youth Super Series has been dominated by Alex Chantler-Mayne, who has won the past three races, having sat out the opener at the British Elite Duathlon Championships. Alex, though, has chosen to test himself in the ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup race at Nottingham, leaving his Youth rivals to battle it out for the Super Series title.
Barclay Izzard, Tyler Hutchinson, Jack Ryan and Alex Yee are all likely to be prominent in the race and in the battle for podium places. Ben Dijkstra, who has posted a first and a second place in the Super Series races he has contested this season, will be watching from afar with a very satisfied grin on his face, having won individual and relay gold this week at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games.
The Women's Junior Super Series race could be difficult to predict, with 11 different athletes having enjoyed top-five finishes so far this season, but Sophie Coldwell, who leads the standings going into the final race, will not be in Nottingham as she is focusing on the ITU World Triathlon Championships in Canada at the end of the month. Sophie's absence leaves her rivals at the top of the standings Sarah Hodgson, Bronwen Owen and Leah Peploe to fight it out.
The final Men's Junior Super Series event will be part of the 2014 Nottingham ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup and the competitors will be champing at the bit, having waited to race in the Super Series since the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Blenheim Palace Triathlon in June.
The Series leader James Teagle but he can expect to be strongly challenged by Luke Penney, Chris Perham, Jimmy Kershaw, Deri Stewart and Alex West.
