A large squad of British athletes are racing at for the Quarteira ETU Triathlon European Cup in Portugal tomorrow. Seventeen Brits, including Aaron Harris and Gordon Benson make the line up alongside Fraser Cartmell and Ritchie Nicholls. A further seven British athletes will race the Junior European Cup on Sunday.
Cartmell and Nicholls are better known as long course athletes, but Nicholls recorded two top-ten short course finishes in the latter stages of last season. However, it’s Aaron Harris who starts with the highest ranking and the Loughborough based 26 year-old will look forward to opening his 2014 season.
Frenchman, Aurelien Raphael starts as favourite in the huge field of 76 men. The women’s race features 47 women, including Brits Seonaid Thompson and Hannah Drewett.
The British squad includes many up-and-coming under 23 athletes, including Morgan Davies, who finished 8th in the ITU Triathlon Junior World Championship in Hyde Park last September. Welshman, Davies, will be one of a few hoping to impress Home Nation selectors ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.
The race features a beach start and 1500m swim followed by a flat 40km bike ride. However, the bike will feature a short sharp climb on each of the six laps as well as three dead-turns. The 10km run is flat.
Both races take place on Saturday 12 April with the women’s race first off at 12.45pm (local time) followed by the men at 4.30pm. The ETU Junior European Cup takes place on Sunday with atheltes covering half the distance, but over the same course as the seniors.
British athletes racing in Quarteria - Senior standard distance, Saturday 12 April
Rory Atkins
Gordon Benson
David Bishop
Fraser Cartmell
Morgan Davies
Aaron Harris
Matthew Leeman
Liam Lloyd
Alex Matchett
Ritchie Nicholls
Douglas Roberts
Hannah Drewett
Holly Lawrence
Jessica Learmonth
Elysia Rodley
Katie Synge
Seonaid Thompson
British athletes racing in Quarteria – Junior sprint distance, Sunday 13 April
Macauley Carline
Anthony Haynes
Jimmy Kershaw
Luke Penney
Christopher Perham
Alex West
Hollie Hindley
