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Starts favourite having emerged from the shadow of five-time winner and countryman Javier Gomez to win the past two ITU world titles. Last year’s success was aided by a four-race mid-season winning streak that started on Gold Coast, so the Spaniard will relish the return to Queensland for this season Grand Final.  

Jonny Brownlee

Losing a sprint finish in London in 2013 and overheating in Cozumel in 2016  means Brownlee still has just one individual WTS title (2012), despite being one of the most consistent triathletes in the world. Last year was mediocre by his exceptional standards. Struggling for form and fitness he won just once, in Stockholm. Likely to be joined by cameo appearances from older brother Alistair in both Abu Dhabi and Leeds.  

Kristian Blummenfelt

The Norwegian burst into serious contention for honours with three consecutive runners-up spots to conclude last season’s World Series, including in the Grand Final in Rotterdam where he defeated world champion Mola. Still improving at 24 years old, he further proved his mettle in winning the new mixed format Super League Triathlon contest in Jersey in September. 

 Richard Murray

The South African has already put down a marker with victory at the second-tier World Cup event in Cape Town in February. The 29-year-old hasn’t placed lower than seventh in a race since a disqualification in Hamburg in July 2016, but has also not won on the WTS circuit since Edmonton in 2015.

  Tom Bishop

The emerging Derbyshire athlete finished a creditable seventh in the WTS rankings last year having enjoyed a breakthrough race to open the season and finish runner-up in Abu Dhabi. Steady improvement would see him add more WTS podiums and look for a top five finish in the series.

Top 5 women to watch  

Flora Duffy

Will take some stopping. Seized the mantle from Gwen Jorgensen by beating the newly-crowned Olympic champ in the 2016 Grand Final in Cozumel and then strung together a run of victories almost as impressive as the American. Duffy has suffered defeat just once in her past eight WTS races and has landed two world titles in the process.  

Ashleigh Gentle

A traditional powerhouse of triathlon, Australia hasn’t had a WTS champion since Emma Moffatt in 2010, but it may not be beyond Gentle’s reach. The Brisbane triathlete had the best season of her career in 2017 and became the only woman to beat Duffy in landing a first WTS win in Montreal. Will be buoyed by home crowd support should she reach Gold Coast’s Grand Final in September in contention.      

Jess Learmonth

A latecomer to the sport, Learmonth was originally considered as a support athlete in big races due to her strong swim-bike combination and comparatively weak run. That changed last season after she sacrificed a race in Leeds, but unshackled from team orders won the European title five days later. A third place in the Grand Final in Rotterdam suggests a first WTS win is not beyond question.  

Jess Learmonth reveals her swim training secrets

Katie Zafares

Despite Jorgensen pledging her future to marathon running, the US remain the No 1 nation in draft-legal women’s triathlon. Current top dog is Zafares, who finished third in last year’s series and was second in the Grand Final behind Duffy. She has also tasted individual success in the WTS with a 2016 win in Hamburg.  

Taylor Knibb

While compatriots Zafares, Kirsten Kasper, Summer Cook, Taylor Spivey and Renee Tomlin all rank higher than Knibb, the back-to-back world youth champion has age on her side. She became the youngest triathlete to make a WTS podium in Edmonton last season, and only turns 20 this year. If her rate of improvement continues, expect more top three finishes in 2018.  

The courses  

Abu Dhabi, March 2, Sprint

Now the regular WTS curtain-raiser, the sprint format means a sharp jolt back to racing after the winter break. Flat, fast and hot, it can throw up surprise victors given its early scheduling, but this season may be different with Commonwealth athletes looking to peak early due to the Games on Gold Coast. That also suggests high calibre racing, underlined by both Brownlees being on the provisional start list.  

Bermuda, April 28, Standard
The North Atlantic island hosts a WTS event for the first time, with all eyes on the women’s race as reigning champion – and home hero – Flora Duffy looks for a third successive world title. After a sea swim, it promises a challenging bike leg to suit the 30-year-old’s strengths, followed by a 10km harbourside run in Hamilton, the island’s capital. As a new venue a seven-hour flight away, expect the Brits to turn up in force.  

  Yokohama, May 12, Standard

A frequent host of WTS racing, the Japanese city just south of Tokyo has been an annual stopover since 2011. A flat course but often beset with heavy rainfall, the most challenging part of the event can be staying upright on the bike. Has been dominated by the Spanish on the men’s side in the past four years, with Javier Gomez and Mario Mola sharing two wins apiece.

Leeds, June 10, Standard

Back to Leeds for a third successive year on a course made for – and by – the Brownlees. Alistair and Jonathan finished one-two in 2016 and 2017 and should the Yorkshire duo be fit and motivated, don’t rule out a repeat. The challenging test – a fierce climb straight out of T1 – plays to their strengths, and with triathletes scoring from a maximum five WTS races, their major rivals often decide this chillier venue is a good one to skip.  

Hamburg, July 14, Sprint

The only city to have hosted a race every season since WTS inception in 2009, Hamburg claims to be the ‘world’s biggest triathlon’ with crowds estimated into six figures. The elite races are set over sprint distance on Saturday, with the four-strong mixed relay events taking centre stage in the city centre on Sunday. Jodie Stimpson, in 2013, is the only British woman to have won here.  

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220 named Hamburg as the 25th best triathlon in the world

Edmonton, July 27-29, Sprint

The Canadian city has embraced the series since hosting the Grand Final in 2014, and is again chosen for the season finale in 2020. Like Yokohama, results are often dictated more by conditions than the course. In 2015, temperatures dropped to seven degrees with driving rain and strong winds. It was a race that suited Britain’s Vicky Holland, who mastered the challenge of Hawrelak Park to claim the the second of her two WTS wins.  

Montreal – August 25-26, Standard

Quebec marks the penultimate round of the WTS and a chance top up the ranking points before the Grand Final. Notable for its cobbled sections on the bike course, Montreal made its debut in the series in 2017 with wins for veteran Javier Gomez of Spain and Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle.  

Gold Coast, September 12-16, Standard

After hosting the Commonwealth Games in April, the Queensland resort is certainly getting its triathlon fix for 2018. A flat, technical test, often raced in sweltering heat. It’s the first venue to play Grand Final host for a second time. In 2009, Alistair Brownlee ran away from Javier Gomez to win his first world title in an undefeated WTS season.    

And don’t forget…   World Mixed Relays (Nottingham, June 7; Hamburg, July 14; Edmonton – July 27-29) Having been accepted into the Olympic Games for Tokyo 2020 , the two-man, two-woman mixed relay is upping the ante for 2018. A standalone event in Nottingham, then a further qualifier in Hamburg, act as a precursor for the World Relay Finals in Canada. Britain, Australia and the USA will be among the favourites, but with a 300m swim, 7.5km bike and 1.5km run, the event can be as unpredictable as it is tactical.

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220 named the National Club Relays in Nottingham, UK as the 26th best triathlon in the world

The race took place at Galle Face Green urban park in Colombo’s port area, with closed road bike and run courses along the harbour away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Colombo. With the water a balmy 27c, a non-wetsuit swim kicked proceedings off at 6.15am in the Indian Ocean, with a three lap bike course that was windy in places but pan flat.
The two-lap run course was similarly flat but exposed, heading along the harbour and back before finishing at Galle Face Green.

Male winner Olivier Godhart, who stormed to victory in a time of 4:06:06. Credit: Ironman

Just over 556 triathletes conquered the course, with many others succumbing to the heat as temperatures reached the 30’s. First over the line was Olivier Godhart of Luxemburg, who had no such problem by finishing with a huge 17 minute cushion over the second-placed finisher in 4:06:06. Godhart was only one of three to record a run split of under 1hr 30mins, preceded by a race-best 2:08:55 bike split.
The first female finisher was Ling Er Choo of Singapore in a time of 4:43:23, with a three minute cushion over second-placed Svetlana Ushakova (Rus) in 4:46:40.  

Despite triathlon being a very new sport in the country (Colombo’s only triathlon club was founded just last year), Sri Lanka was also very well represented at the event. The first local finisher was Suranga Nuwan Kumara in a time of 4:49.36, and thousands of local spectators lined the streets of Colombo to catch some of the action. 

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Look out for our feature on Ironman 70.3 Colombo in issue 350 of 220 Triathlon next month

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The lineup features nine of last year’s top ten world ranked women, and eight of the top ten men, and names to look out for are Norwegian Kristian Blummenfelt, and Spaniard Fernando Alarza in the men’s, and Aussie Ashleigh Gentle, Brits Non Stanford and Jess Learmonth and Americans Katie Zaferes and Kirsten Kasper, not to mention last year’s winner Kiwi Andrea Hewitt, in the women’s. 

Jonathan Brownlee is targeting Series success this year as well as using this first race to help prepare him for the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April.

Having not raced in Abu Dhabi since 2015, Brownlee said: “To race on a F1 track is very special. For actually racing, it’s more technical on the bike. You can make the race interesting and hopefully I’m looking forward to a good race on Friday.”

Team England Commonwealth Games team mate, Tom Bishop returns after memorably finishing second last year, achieving his first ever Series podium finish. Olympian, Gordon Benson, and Team Scotland Commonwealth Games athlete, Marc Austin are Britain’s other male competitors.

Vicky Holland arrives in Abu Dhabi having started the season with an ITU World Cup win in South Africa earlier this month following a nine-month injury lay-off.  The Rio 2016 bronze medal winner is part of a strong British lineup, including ITU Grand Final podium finisher, Jess Learmonth, former ITU world champion, Non Stanford, and world U23 medal winner, Sophie Coldwell.

Holland said: “This is a really stacked race to begin the year with, you don’t often get that at the first race of the year. I’ll get to test myself against the best.”

Alistair Brownlee has withdrawn from the race to continue treatment of a pulled calf muscle. He plans to travel to Australia next week to join the rest of the home nations teams preparing for the Commonwealth Games.

The ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi takes place on Yas Island. The course covers a 750m sea swim, 20km bike and 5km run. The British athletes are Marc Austin, Gordon Benson, Tom Bishop and Jonathan Brownlee in the men’s, and Sophie Coldwell, Vicky Holland, Jess Learmonth and Non Stanford in the women’s.

How to watch 

Elite men’s race: BBC Red Button & online live from 9:20am (start 9:36am)

Elite women’s race: BBC Red Button & online live start 11:36am.

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Highlights: BBC One from 1:15pm on Saturday, 3 March.

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A physical activity expert and world-renowned sports scientist, Professor Greg Whyte OBE is a former Olympian in modern pentathlon and a World and European Championship medalist. Well-known for his involvement in Comic Relief for well over a decade, training and coaching unlikely heroes such as David Walliams and Davina McCall, and more recently Jo Brand and Radio1 DJ Greg James, to achieve the near impossible. As a result of his work, Greg has helped to raise over £37 million for charity. 


As part of the deal with Elivar, Professor Greg Whyte will feature in a series of videos to educate middle-aged athletes about using nutrition to improve performance and support long-term health. In particular, the campaign will focus on addressing issues around the use of carbs during training and protein for recovery.

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Elivar was founded in 2014 by Donal Hanrahan and Len Dunne, two former international rowers who were frustrated at the poor quality of sports nutrition for over 35 year olds.  elivar.com 

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Two not competing were Spaniard Javier Gomez, who is concentrating on his 70.3 races, and Ali Brownlee, who had to pull out due to his pulled calf muscle. However the rest of the high calibre field included his brother Jonny, who would be hoping for a strong performance to put last year’s disappointments behind him, and reigning World Champ Mario Mola.

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It was back to the sprint distance for the United Arab Emirates race, and conditions were far from favourable, with rain falling for most of the day. The rain though did not affect the 750 metre swim and it was the South African Henri Schoeman who exited the water first, with USA athlete Ben Kanute in second, and Brownlee in third.

Because of the rain the technical bike leg, which took place over the twisty F1 track, would prove even more technical with slippery conditions, and there were some fallers in the early stages of the race.

The early leading group included Schoeman, Brownlee, Vincent Luis, and Kanute, with Mola some way back. Brownlee caused some drama, and British hearts to drop, in the latter stages of the first lap when, trying to push the pace, he went down. Luckily for the Commonwealth selectors, a grazed knee was all the damage he occurred, and by the end of lap two had managed to rejoin the leading group. 

However the leading group wouldn’t stay at the front for long as in the early stages of the third lap Schoeman made a break and was soon 7secs up, which had extended to 14secs by the end of lap four.

With Mola putting in a sterling performance on the bike to join the chasers just after his break, this proved to be a great tactical move from the South African. Schoeman entered T2 with a 22 second lead over Mola and Brownlee, but could they chase him down on the 5km run?

With Brownlee’s run fitness still not quite there, it would be up to the Spaniard to catch him, and by the start of the last lap of the 5km run Mola was just 11secs behind. It looked like we were looking at our top two, but which way would they fall?

Schoeman carried on running strong and just managed to hold off Mola by 6 seconds to win his second World Triathlon Series race in a time of 57:05. He also became only the second man to lead from the start to win a World Triathlon Series race – the other being Alistair Brownlee back in 2014.

“I am so happy there are no words. Mario is a fantastic runner so I was running scared! I am so thrilled,” said Schoeman

Frenchman Vincent Luis finished in third with Brownlee in 7th.

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Brownlee said:  “I didn’t realise how slippery some parts of the circuit were, and then I lost a bit of confidence and didn’t really get it back on the bike. I knew I wasn’t going to run very well, but that’s the first race done.”

If you were a betting person your money would be on Flora Duffy for the victory. The double world champion dominated the 2017 season, and with a technical bike course WTS Abu Dhabi looked like it would all play out to her strengths

The early indications were that it would. Brit Jess Learmonth would lead the swim, with Duffy just behind. Out on the bike Duffy and Learmonth then made a leading duo until Duffy pulled away at the end of the first lap. It looked like it was about to become the all-familiar Duffy show.

However like in the men’s race, conditions in Abu Dhabi were not favourable with the rain and oil on the F1 track making life slippy for the triathletes. Duffy fell victim to this, falling in the tunnel where it was particularly bad. There was no way back for the Bermudan and suddenly the race was wide open.

Crashed out. I’m fine. Super slick course. So disappointed. https://t.co/YD5NSSG3sp

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— Flora Duffy (@floraduffy) March 2, 2018

With about 5km to go there was a lead group of about eight triathletes, including Katie Zaferes (USA), Rachel Klamer (Netherlands), Sophie Coldwell (GB), Jess Learmonth (GB), Kirsten Kasper (USA),  Natalie VanCoevorden (AUS), Lotte Miller (NOR) and Melanie Santos (POR) all in contention. But then the infamous tunnel claimed its next victims as Zaferes and Coldwell both fell. For the six remaining it was now just about survival and riding safely until T2.

 Which they did and when safely out on the 5km run the six soon became four as Kasper, Klamer, Learmonth, and VanCoevorden broke away. Then as the bell went for the last lap of the 5km run it became two as Learmonth and Klamer made their move. 

Running strong Klamer then left a tired Learmonth with about 800 yards to go and claim her first WTS victory. A penalty for Kasper assured a tiring Learmonth of second and a sprint finish from VanCoevorden earned her the final podium place.

“I am so happy, there was no way I was expecting this,” says Klamer. “I have to say I was quite scared on the bike because the last few months I have been training on only straight roads and didn’t do any corners. There was a lot of women crashing so I just decided to take it easy, ride hard, but just go easy through the corners. I ended up sitting behind a couple crashes, which wasn’t smart so I had to chase one whole lap to get back to the front pack. But I am happy I stayed on my bike.

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“When we started running I tried to focus on my breathing because normally at the start of the season I often get side stitches. I stayed at the back of the back on the first lap, but on the last lap I thought I would just give it a try.” 

Men to watch
Alistair Brownlee, England

Having defended his Olympic title in Rio, Brownlee now attempts the feat at Commonwealth level. But while it might appear a more straightforward task than faced in Brazil, nothing is simple where the Yorkshireman is concerned. Last season was again cut short by injury and operation, and Brownlee’s pledge to race longer – such as Dubai 70.3 last month, which he won in dominating style – is at odds to the sprint distance test of Gold Coast. That said, the smaller field, and bags of experience still mean he’ll start as odds-on favourite.

Jonny Brownlee, England

Can the younger Brownlee finally step out of the shadow of his brother on a global stage? While it’s a perennial poser, the shorter format of 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run should suit the 27-year-old, whose rare triumphs over a fit big brother have come over the sprint distance, such as Hamburg in 2013. Their race plan – and best chance of success – will be to distance the competition by T2 and turn it into another head-to-head family showdown.

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Jake Birtwhistle, Australia

The long-striding Australian might be the man to upset the Brownlees – if he can reach the run leg in contention. A multiple Australian champion over middle distance on the track, his switch to triathlon yielded an Under-23 world title in 2015 and two runners-up berths on the World Triathlon Series – both over the sprint distance – last year. The Tasmanian, just 23, will not be short of support on the Gold Coast and has the further fillip of being part of Australia’s reigning world mixed relay team.

Also watch out for…

The calibre of triathlon among Commonwealth nations is always high and the South Africans, Olympic bronze medallist Henri Schoeman (who will be heading there riding high after his convincing win over the sprint distance at WTS Abu Dhabi on March 2) and Richard Murray – fourth at the Rio Olympics – offer a medal threat. England’s Tom Bishop, ranked seventh in last year’s World Triathlon Series, and the Scottish duo of Marc Austin, a former world under-23 silver medallist, and Grant Sheldon, a former world junior bronze medallist, will all hope to break into the top five. The sprint distance should also suit Australia’s world under-23 bronze medallist Luke Willian, just 21, who raced to sixth in the World Series on the Gold Coast course last year.

Women to watch

Flora Duffy, Bermuda

With seven wins in her last nine World Triathlon Series races (and in one of the other two she was second and at WTS Abu Dhabi she DNFed after a crash on the bike forced her to retire), the Bermudan will be a marked woman on Gold Coast – and won’t care a jot. Her race plan is simple. Go hard from the front and hold on. That formidable record does make her the woman to beat – but neither the flat course, nor the sprint distance really play into her hands as the best biker in the field. That said, her improved run leg can be argued to be on par with the competition, so only a few seconds advantage emerging from T2 might be enough.

Jess Learmonth, England

Last year was a breakthrough year for the Leeds’ triathlete, who ended 2017 with a first podium on the World Triathlon Series in the Grand Final in Rotterdam and she has started 2018 in great form with a second at WTS Abu Dhabi. As the best female swimmer in short course racing, and with strong biking skills honed on the Yorkshire Dales, the reigning European champion has proved the perfect front-running foil to help Duffy put time into the chasing pack. If that game-plan again plays out in Gold Coast, then expect Learmonth to challenge for a medal.

Vicky Holland, England

The 32-year-old has an impressive major competition pedigree as a two-time Olympian, with bronze in 2016 making her Britain’s first female triathlon medallist. Having pipped then-housemate Non Stanford in Rio, she left the Leeds’ high performance centre and re-rooted to Bath, where she’s now coached by partner Rhys Davey. Holland also has an individual bronze and team gold in the mixed relay to show from the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Also watch out for…

England’s formidable trio is completed by Sophie Coldwell, 22, who was selected ahead of reigning champion and training partner Jodie Stimpson. Stanford, the 2013 ITU world champion, who missed Glasgow 2014 through injury, will hope to regain enough fitness to win a medal for Wales. And Scotland’s Beth Potter is worth looking out for as a former track athlete with a 10km PB of 32min 3sec. The host’s hopes rest with world-ranked number three, Ashleigh Gentle, although team-mate Charlotte McShane is a threat as a previous Under-23 world champion. If it’s not to be Aussie success, almost as popular would be a win for New Zealand’s Andrea Hewitt. The evergreen Kiwi will turn 36 the day before the race, and already has a bronze medal from when the Commonwealth Games were last contested in Australia, in 2006.

Mixed Relay

  England

While the two-man, two-woman team will not be named until after the individual competition, you can perm two of three from either gender – the Brownlee brothers and Bishop, or Learmonth, Holland and Coldwell – and the England team will not be significantly weakened. The Brownlees and Holland were part of the winning squad in 2014, where victory was secured by a comfortable 49secs, but expect it to be a stiffer test this time around.

Australia

The host nation has every reason to be optimistic about improving on the bronze medal from Glasgow. Despite an all-changed quartet from 2014, Australia are the reigning world champions, with McShane, Matt Hauser, Gentle and Birtwhistle beating the USA to the title in Hamburg last year. All four have been selected for Gold Coast, and with McShane the oldest at 27, they have youth – as well as home support – on their side.

South Africa

Already strong on the men’s side with consistent World Series performers Schoeman and Murray, the Commonwealth silver medallists from 2014 have received a further boost with Simone Ackermann switching allegiance from New Zealand having felt misled by the governing body over her omission from the Rio Olympics. Richmond-based two-time Olympian Gillian Sanders makes up the four, having successfully combined with Murray and Schoeman in Strathclyde Park four years ago.

Paratriathlon
Men to watch PT1
Bill Chaffey, Australia

Although 42 years old, the five-time ITU world champion is still the man to beat. Turned to wheelchair racing after being hit by a truck in 2005 while training for Ironman, Chaffey is undefeated against triathletes from the Commonwealth. But the Australian police officer is not infallible having missed a Paralympic medal in 2016 when finishing fourth. Chaffey’s aggressive style means thrills – and spills – are to be expected. He recently lost his national title by crashing out of his chair 200m from the finish line in the recent Australian championships on the Gold Coast.

Joe Townsend, England

Former marine who lost both legs in an explosion in Afghanistan is a genuine medal contender after his bronze in the World Triathlon Grand Final in September. The two Dutch athletes that beat him on that occasion will not be in competition, but Australian nemesis Chaffey, who finished ahead of Townsend in the Paralympics will be. The 29-year-old paratriathlete was sixth in Rio, but is still improving, and having comfortably won the national championship in August, is indisputably the British number one.

Mark Conway, England

The 38-year-old lost a leg in his fight against bone cancer as a teenager, but was inspired to tri by wheelchair ace David Weir’s medal-winning heroics at London 2012. The Lincolnshire paratriathlete just missed out on a place at the Rio Olympics to the experienced Phil Hogg, but has been rewarded for his dedication with a starting berth on Gold Coast. Seven weeks full-time training, including a trip to Mallorca, has given him a break from the day job with the county council and the hope he can break into medal contention.

Also watch out for…

Paralysed from the waist down due to a neurological condition, 31-year-old Queenslander Nic Beveridge will be the pacesetter by virtue of receiving a 3min head start over triathletes deemed to have less of a disability. Since taking up the sport five years ago, he’s also improved every season and came in just seven seconds behind Townsend in the Grand Final in September. Beverideg’s form is just ahead of the third member of the host nation, Scott Crowley, 38, who sustained spinal injuries 12 years ago and was formerly a professional wheelchair basketball player in Italy.

Women to watch PT1

Emily Tapp, Australia

The gold medal favourite and five-time ITU world champion hasn’t been beaten since Chicago 2015 – although Jade Jones-Hall came within 58sec in Rotterdam last year. The 26-year-old Sydney-born racer was selected for the Australian para-athletics team for the Rio Paralympics but had to withdraw after suffering severe burns before flying to pre-Games training camp. As an H1-rated athlete, Tapp will start with a 3min 58sec time advantage over less disabled competitors, and is joined by fellow Aussies Sara Tait and Lauren Parker. The latter finished second in the 2015 Ironman world championship in her age-group before breaking her back and pelvis in a bike crash in 2017.

Jade Jones-Hall, England

The 22-year-old law student from Middlesbrough might be inexperienced in triathlon – her first ITU race was in Yokohama last year – but is already a two-time Paralympian and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist over 1,500m in Glasgow. Medal hopes are well founded having finished second in the 2017 Grand Final in Rotterdam, and mentored by 11-time Paralympic champion Tanni Grey-Thompson, she will also return to wheelchair racing action, taking part in both the 1,500m and the marathon.

Lizzie Tench, England

The 43-year-old from Shropshire broke her back after being hit by the trailer of an overtaking car in 2012 and was recruited by British Triathlon after a Talent ID programme in 2014. British paratriathlon champion for the past three years, she’s competitive on the world stage, becoming European champion and world silver medallist in 2016. Will be Tench’s first opportunity to race paratri at a global multisport festival because the women’s PT1 class was omitted from the Paralympics, although the men’s wheelchair division did race.

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Also watch out for…

Another H1 paratriathlete, Scotland’s Karen Darke was paratriathlon world champion in Auckland 2012, having won Paralympic silver on the hand-cycle at London 2012 a month earlier. That turned to time trial gold in Rio 2016, after which she was awarded an MBE for her services to sport. Having returned to tri, she won in Italy last year and finished second to Tench in the national championship in the East Midlands.

 At the ITU World Triathlon Series, the world’s best triathletes travel to iconic cities, including Leeds in June, to compete head-to-head in Standard and Sprint distance races for a chance to be crowned World Champion. For the third consecutive year, the ITU World Triathlon Leeds will also host thousands of amateur triathletes competing in front of a host of excited sports fans lining the streets.

This year’s event has already surpassed 2017’s total number of standard distance entries and organisers of the event are excited to be working with 220 Triathlon, engaging with its readers and generating a great buzz around the event within the triathlon community.

 With three months to go until the start of the ITU World Triathlon Leeds 2018, there is still plenty of time for people to get their entries in for: GO TRI, sprint and standard distance events. Organisers are encouraging people to take part in the triathlon challenge this summer at: leeds.triathlon.org/enter_now/  

220 named Go Tri Leeds as the UK’s 6th best short (supersprint and sprint) triathlons for beginners

 Chief Executive of British Triathlon,Andy Salmon commented, “It’s fantastic to have 220 Triathlon on board for what we know is going to be a spectacular weekend of triathlon in Leeds. 220 Triathlon is the industry leading magazine for our sport and our new relationship highlights the continued growth of this year’s event both in terms of participation and attractiveness for commercial brands to showcase their products alongside one of the world’s leading triathlon events.”

Event Director for the ITU World Triathlon Leeds 2018 event, Wayne Coyle added, “We’re delighted to welcome 220 Triathlon to our family of supporters for the ITU World Triathlon Leeds 2018. It’s great working with an instantly recognisable brand within the triathlon community and we look forward to sharing the story of the event over the coming months with 220 Triathlon.”

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Editor of 220 Triathlon, Helen Webster said, “We’re really excited to be media sponsors for the ITU World Triathlon Leeds 2018. This promises to be a fantastic weekend and is a great opportunity for us to engage with our audience. Not only will our readers be able to race on the same course as some of the biggest names in the sport, but it’s also a chance for 220 Triathlon and British Triathlon to show spectators and newcomers why this is a sport they should get involved with.”

Alistair Brownlee said: “When we saw the robust approach to health that Werlabs takes, we knew we wanted to get involved and create a blood test that would be of benefit to people whether or not they are athletes.

“To get through the mental and physical wear and tear of our training it is vital that we are in peak condition, both physically and mentally. Together with Werlabs we created this blood test, that looks at over 30 blood values. “It was so interesting to get an insight into what is happening inside our bodies, to ensure we are doing what is right for our health from the inside out.”

Jonny said:  “Our competitive nature is deep within us. Even when we took this blood test, we wanted to ‘out do’ the other one with our blood values! Along with Werlabs, I think it is extremely valuable to push those boundaries and enjoy and embrace our training, knowing we are doing as much as we can for our health and performance. For anyone about to undertake a physical challenge, or those who exercise regularly, this test will show if major organs work properly and that there are no deficiencies which could affect your performance.

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Sweden-based Werlabs  has now entered the UK market.  Werlabs doctor Linnea Haggård said: “It will be very exciting to monitor the blood values of top athletes such as the Brownlees. Intense exercise affects most of the major organs in the body, which in turn can affect your performance. “

Werlabs collaborate with the NHS and use only accredited laboratories, and has received the European Commission’s Seal of Excellence.

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The Brownlee Brothers blood test, and further information is available here https://werlabs.co.uk/brownlees.  The package, which includes testing of over 30 blood markers, is £139.00