Jodie Stimpson is the sole British competitor at the ITU World Triathlon Gold Coast this weekend. She started the Series with silver in Abu Dhabi last month, and will hope to find a turn of speed on the sprint distance course at the Commonwealth Games 2018 venue this weekend.
Stimpson came close to winning in Abu Dhabi. A super-human sprint from Andrea Hewitt (NZL) denied Stimpson from the perfect start to the season, but she was happy with silver and validation that her winter training at her new base in Loughborough are working for her.
The Commonwealth Champion is looking forward to racing at Broadwater Parklands in Southport, the site of the 2018 Games exactly one year from now.
Things started well for me in Abu Dhabi and I’m hoping to continue that form over the sprint distance this weekend.
She said: “Things started well for me in Abu Dhabi and I’m hoping to continue that form over the sprint distance this weekend but I’ll take each race as it comes and the aim here is just to score some more World Series points and execute my race strategy as well as possible as I continue to build up to peak condition.”
Hewitt will start the race as the top ranked athlete having won the previous round, and Katie Zaferes will be one to watch having won the New Plymouth ITU World Cup event last weekend.
The men’s race features a Spanish trio, ITU world champion, Mario Mola, multiple world champion, Javier Gomez, and world ranked number two, Fernando Alarza. Richard Murray (RSA) also starts having demonstrated good form already this year to win the event in New Plymouth as well as the Super League event on Hamilton Island.
There are no British men taking part on the Gold Coast. A larger field, including Jonathan Brownlee, is expected to race at the next round of the Series in Yokohama.
The Jewel World Triathlon Gold Coast takes place at the Broadwater Parklands at Southport on the northern end of the Gold Coast. The course covers a 750m sheltered sea swim, 20km bike and 5km run. Start lists: http://wts.triathlon.org/start_lists/2017_itu_world_triathlon_gold_coast
How to watch:
Elite women’s race: BBC Red Button & online live Saturday 8 April 04:55-06:20 (repeated 11:30-12:55, BBC Red Button)
Elite men’s race: BBC Red Button & online live Saturday 8 April 06:55-08:20 (repeated 00:00-01:25, BBC Red Button)
Highlights: BBC Two 10:45-12:15 (looped from 00:00-10:30 on BBC Red Button)
