Both Brownlee brothers in Gold Coast Grand Final Squad
The venue of the first ITU Grand Final in 2009, the Gold Coast will welcome athletes from all over the world from 12-16 September this year. The men’s elite champion in 2009, completing a ‘five wins from five starts’ WTS season, en-route to the World Championship title, was Alistair Brownlee.
Having been unable to start in Leeds due to injury, the Grand Final will be his only WTS start this year as he has been announced in the Men’s Elite team alongside brother Jonathan and Tom Bishop. The event falls two weeks after his scheduled debut at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in South Africa. It will also provide his only opportunity to maintain a record that only he currently holds, of having won at least one WTS event in every season since its introduction in 2009.
The event could also potentially provide an opportunity for Vicky Holland to become 2018 World Champion. She currently sits in second place in the rankings behind Katie Zaferes (USA), and will be hoping to narrow that gap in the penultimate race in Montreal in 12 days time.
Here is the full squad news.
Great Britain Elite Squad named for ITU World Championships
British Triathlon has named a squad of 34 elite athletes for the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final on the Gold Coast next month. The squad includes senior, under 23, and junior athletes as well as paratriathletes. They return to the same course that hosted the Commonwealth Games at the start of the season in April.
Britain’s women are in the mix to challenge for world title honours, with Vicky Holland currently ranked second in the ITU World Series. Although not in line to win the world title, both Brownlee Brothers are included and will want to end the 2018 season in style.
Barclay Izzard and Alex Yee make their under 23 championship debuts after impressing at the European Championships. Izzard finished ninth in the senior triathlon and Yee was 14th in the ten kilometre track race. Kate Waugh contests her final championships as a junior after finishing second last year in Rotterdam.
The Paratriathlon squad includes defending world champions Andy Lewis and Dave Ellis, who will be guided in the visually impaired event by Mark Buckingham.
In addition to the elite athletes, 350 amateur athletes will compete for Great Britain having qualified in age-group categories from 16 to over 80. The team will include BBC Presenter, Louise Minchin.
Complete start lists HERE.
Great Britain Team; 2018 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Gold Coast
12 – 16 September 2018
Senior
Men: Alistair Brownlee, Jonathan Brownlee, Tom Bishop
Women: Vicky Holland, Jess Learmonth, Non Stanford, Jodie Stimpson, Georgia Taylor-Brown
U23
Men: Sam Dickinson, Barclay Izzard, Alex Yee
Women: Sophie Alden, Sophie Coldwell, Olivia Mathias, Sian Rainsley
Junior
Men: James Chantler-Mayne, Dan Slater, Matt Willis
Women: Iona Millar, Erin Wallace, Kate Waugh
Paratriathlon
PTWC: Joe Townsend
PTS 2: Andy Lewis, Fran Brown
PTS 3: Ryan Taylor
PTS 4: Steve Crowley, Hannah Moore
PTS 5: George Peasgood, Claire Cashmore, Lauren Steadman
PTVI: Dave Ellis (guided by Mark Buckingham), Alison Patrick (guided by Hannah Drewett)
Schedule (Gold Coast is 9 hours ahead of the UK)
Friday 14 September
10:00am: Under 23 Women (1am UK)
12:45pm: Under 23 Men (3:45am UK)
Saturday 15 September
6:45am: Paratriathlon, multiple start waves (from 9:45pm UK Friday 14 September)
11:30am: Junior Women (2:30am UK)
1:15pm: Junior Men (4:15am UK)
3:06pm: Elite Women (6:06am UK)
Sunday 16 September
1:00pm: Under 23/Junior – Mixed Relay (4:00am UK)
3:06pm: Elite Men (6:06am UK)