Swim, bike, run turns its attention to Yokohama

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Following British success at the Arena Games Triathlon World Championship Series, the World Triathlon Championship Series gets back underway in Japan this weekend as Yokohama hosts a triathlon and paratriathlon double-header.

Beth Potter and Alex Yee became triathlon’s first esports world champions in Singapore, with their focus now turning to Yokohama as the 2022 World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) resumes.

Two of this season’s WTCS races took place last year in Hamburg and Abu Dhabi, with Yokohama the first of 2022.

In total, three British women (Potter, Georgia Taylor-Brown and Sian Rainsley) and two British men (Yee and Grant Sheldon) will compete in the WTCS race this weekend, with Taylor-Brown currently fourth in the standings leading into the six races before the finals in Abu Dhabi this November.

Taylor-Brown led a stellar British performance in Abu Dhabi in 2021. She finished second, with Sophie Coldwell third, Jess Learmonth fourth, Potter seventh, Stanford eighth, Vicky Holland tenth, Lucy Charles-Barclay twelfth and Rainsley twenty-fourth. 

Rainsley was the highest placed Brit in Hamburg as she crossed the line fifth and has placed sixth and fourth in the London and Singapore editions of the Arena Games this year.

Speaking ahead of Yokohama, the 25-year-old said:

“Racing in the WTCS is really cool, it’s the highest level of racing that we can do. You’re racing against the world’s best which is amazing and something I always wanted to do as a kid. To be able to step up and be on the circuit brings a lot of excitement and nerves, but it’s so fun and getting to travel around the world and do this is amazing.

“This is my first time to Japan and Yokohama is a course I’ve always wanted to race since a kid. I’m a little bit nervous as it’s the first race of the year and over the Olympic distance.

“I’ve had a pretty good winter’s training and been able to tick everything off that I’ve wanted to do. I’m in a good place, but it’s the first race of a very long season so still gains to be made. I feel fit and ready to start this year’s WTCS races.”

The Brits will find themselves up against Laura Lindemann (GER) and Olympic champion Flora Duffy (BER), who currently sit second and third in the rankings, when they take to the fast and technical course.

Yee and Sheldon will also face a raft of international talent including the likes of Vincent Luis (FRA), Hayden Wilde (NZL) and Marten van Riel (BEL) when they line up in Japan.

Yokohama is one of the longest running events on the circuit, with Yee making his first mark on the 2022 WTCS after becoming Arena Games Triathlon World Championship Series champion in Singapore alongside Potter.

Sheldon was a regular at WTCS events last year, racing in Leeds, Montreal, Edmonton and Abu Dhabi, and has recorded top-20 finishes at his two previous World Triathlon races in Yokohama.

In the World Triathlon Para Series (WTPS), George Peasgood is the sole Brit on the start list having won two medals when in Japan for the Tokyo Paralympic Games last year.

Peasgood took gold in Yokohama in 2021 on his way to Tokyo, with the 26-year-old looking to carry on his medal success from last year which ended with silver at the Europe Triathlon Championships in Valencia.

The WTPS will comprise three events in Yokohama, Montreal and Britain’s first ever standalone WTPS race in Swansea, before the world championships are once again hosted in Abu Dhabi having been staged there in 2021.

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How to watch

The racing will be broadcast on TriathlonLIVE, with the stream for the World Triathlon Para Series starting at 9:30pm BST on Friday 13 May, the women’s World Triathlon Championship Series race stream starting at 02:00am BST and men’s World Triathlon Championship Series race stream starting at 05:00am BST on Saturday 14 May.

TRIATHLONLIVE

The World Triathlon Championship Series races will both be broadcast by BBC Sport on Red Button, iPlayer and BBC Sport website. The women’s broadcast will start at 02:00am BST and the men’s broadcast at 04:50am BST.

BBC SPORT

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