Liz Blatchford, Vicky Holland and Jodie Stimpson are amongst the British competitors at the opening ITU World Cup event in Mooloolaba, Australia this weekend.
And the event will offer a good indication of form ahead of the higher priority ITU World Triathlon Series event in Sydney next month.
Blatchford has already achieved a podium finish this year, having finished third at the Geelong ITU Sprint Triathlon Premium Oceania Cup last month, she also finished eighth at the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Grand Final in Beijing and is aiming for selection for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
She said, “I love Mooloolaba, I think this will be my eleventh year of competing here. I’m looking to get a solid hit out and sharpen my skills ahead of Sydney.
“I’ve had a good off season of training, so I’m hoping that I can begin the season strongly.”
She’ll go up against Andrea Hewitt, who was runner up to Britain’s Helen Jenkins in last year’s ITU World Championship Series.
Vicky Holland and Jodie Stimpson will have similar London 2012 Olympic Games aspirations and will want to start the year well having also been based in Australia over the winter.
The women’s race will start at 12.45pm on Sunday 25 March which will be decided over a 1.5km swim with a mass beach start, a seven lap 40km bike leg along Mooloolaba Esplanade and Alexandra Parade, over the Alex Hill. And finally the run is a four lap 10km leg, along the Mooloolaba Esplanade and Alex Hill.
For live updates visit: www.triathlon.org/live or twitter.com/triathlonlive.
Lizzie Flint, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
