The world’s best triathletes, along with thousands of participants and spectators, will come together this weekend when a festival of swim, bike, run descends on Roundhay Park during AJ Bell 2022 World Triathlon Championship Series Leeds.
It’s the sixth time the city has hosted a World Triathlon Championships Series event and this weekend spectators will get the chance to not only see the world’s best triathletes in the elite women’s and men’s races, but also, for the first time in Leeds, the exciting format of mixed team relay, all for free.
The mixed relay captured the public’s hearts and minds when the format made its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where Team GB made history by becoming the first Olympic champions in the event.
It will be the final action of what promises to be a two-day festival of swim, bike, run with participation events for all ages and abilities being held across the weekend, as well as plenty of fun for all the family to enjoy in the event village.
After last year’s reduced spectator capacity due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Roundhay Park will be back open to all spectators, and they will be able to enjoy the various races and entertainment which will take place within the park, creating a festival atmosphere around the site.
Entry to the park is free throughout the entire event and tickets are not required to see the best in the world swim, bike, run or to enjoy the event village.
All races will start and finish in Roundhay Park with the finish for all races from GO TRI to World Triathlon Championship Series returning to near Waterloo Lake, with the single finish line offering all participants the unique experience of a blue carpet finish.
Starting on Saturday morning with the open sprint event, the bike and run courses will utilise the roads and paths around the park and see participants make their way past iconic locations such as Mansion House, Barrans Fountain and Upper Lake.
One of the many unique features of the event is the fact participants of all abilities will be participating across the weekend, including many getting involved in swim, bike, run for the first time in the GO TRI waves, including through This Girl Can.
Saturday morning will also include both a Family Swim-Run and Kids Swim-Run event for the first time as part of the Leeds weekend, allowing families and children to take part in the weekend in a relaxed and non-competitive environment and without the need of having a bike.
Then it’s the turn of the future stars of swim, bike, run in TriStar 2 and 3 as well as Youth racing which will allow young athletes between the ages of 11-17 to compete against other athletes of a similar age.
Some of the best talent within the British Triathlon Performance Pathway will be on show as Leeds hosts the latest leg in the British Triathlon Senior Super Series, which will include athletes who have represented Great Britain internationally in World Triathlon and Europe Triathlon Cups.
Rounding off the day, it’s time for the two individual elite races with the elite men’s race starting at 14:00 on Saturday, featuring a strong British and international field including last year’s winner and Olympic gold and silver medallist Alex Yee and three-time Olympic medallist Jonny Brownlee. The elite men's preview can be viewed here.
Olympic champion Georgia Taylor-Brown, who like Yee also won individual silver in Tokyo, is one of five British women who will line-up in the elite women’s race which will get underway at 15:45 and will be live on BBC1 and triathlonlive.tv/, along with the men’s race. The elite women's preview can be read here.
It’s another action-packed day on Sunday, starting from 7am when the first wave of athletes in the British Standard Distance Triathlon Championships enter Waterloo Lake. British champions and medallists will be crowned in each age group with the standard distance championships also a Great Britain Age-Group Team Qualifier for the 2023 European Standard Distance Triathlon Championships.
Alongside the British Championships, Sunday morning will also include the Yorkshire Standard Distance Championships and the open standard distance races, as well as more open sprint waves and relays for both the sprint and standard distance.
The elite mixed relay will provide a thrilling end to the weekend when nations from across the world, including Olympic champions Great Britain, will go head-to-head over the relay format for what promises to be a fantastic spectacle. The mixed relay start time is 13:25 with live coverage on BBC2 starting at 13:15.
Entry into Roundhay Park is free across the weekend so you can watch the best athletes from around the world in the elite races and cheer on those participating over the weekend of 11-12 June.
There will be live updates during the event weekend on British Triathlon’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages. Use the hashtag #WTCSLEEDS to follow all the action and in your own posts.
Find out how you can attend the park and spectate by visiting https://leeds.triathlon.org/event_information/spectators/
