Graeme Kempson sent in the following information from the BTA about their plans for elite representation at Salford this year. Why this year, rather than next? Well, the course will be open for any of the Commonwealth Games hopefuls from any of the countries so it makes sense to try out the course in advance -- not to mention that it's the National Championships.

The British World Class Performance Squad, under the direction of recently appointed Performance Director Graeme Maw, are all expected to participate at the 2001 Pre-Commonwealth Games Triathlon Event in and around Salford Quays (including the cities of Trafford and Manchester) on August 12th.

In recent years, date conflicts have prevented many of the top tier of athletes racing both in Britain generally, but in particular at their own Championships. [Actually, there's an ITU race at Yamaguchi in Japan on the same day...] In the last two or three years which led up to the Sydney Olympics, these athletes chased a higher level of international competition as well as a higher World Ranking that would enable them to be eligible for selection for the Olympics.

This year, many of the squad will be chasing selection for their own home country team for the Games in 2002. They will therefore probably need to take advantage of the facility of showing well on the Commonwealth Games course, which could well be part of the selection process for some of the teams.

There have been no announcements of retirement from any Athlete since the Olympics, so the cities of Salford, Trafford and Manchester could well be hosting the Olympic Squad of Brice, Dibens, Dillon, Forrester, Allen, Don, Johns, Lessing as well as up and coming athletes such as Heard, Swallow, Hayes, Freeman, Plews, Challifour. Perhaps ex-World Champion Spencer Smith might return to this race distance and seek selection.

It is highly likely that Commonwealth countries will also be anxious to blood their prospective representatives' for the Games on the course, and send many athletes of their own. Not since the 1993 Manchester World Championships (won by Spencer Smith) will Britain have seen such a quality of field at Olympic distance in this depth. In 2001 though, spectators will be assured of more spectacular viewing. It is a truly mouth watering prospect!