Canadian Matt Sharpe got the perfect pick-me-up after Sunday’s ‘Zippergate’ fiasco in Maine when he was handed a spot in the field for Friday’s mouthwatering PTO Tour US Open in Milwaukee.
Sharpe says he jumped at the chance to race the PTO Tour US Open in Milwaukee, just five days after he was denied third at IRONMAN 70.3 Maine following a controversial disqualification over his race suit zipper.
After the race in Maine, the Canadian said he was ‘heartbroken, with podiums at this level hard to come by and a great effort to perform for his sponsors and team wiped out by a rule which is constantly clouded by uncertainty.
Since news of Sharpe’s DQ came through, triathlon GOAT Mark Allen and Super League Triathlon pundit Tim Don have both had their say. Safe to say they were both pretty unimpressed with events Stateside.
Fortunately for Sharpe, things are now looking up just a little with the PTO World #69 granted a start for his first PTO Tour event of the year in Wisconsin on Friday.
Matt Sharpe on PTO US Open spot
Revealing the reasoning behind his decision to race with such a quick turnaround, just five days after competing over the middle distance in Maine, Sharpe shared that he had been in contact with the PTO for some time and was excited to have everything squared away.
“Can’t turn down a championship race like this! I had been asking the PTO for a bit of time and then finally got the word yesterday that I was in.”
With a stacked field in Milwaukee, Sharpe will have his third opportunity race on the PTO Tour, with appearances last year at the Canadian Open and US Open. Last year, his best finish was 21st at home turf, a result that despite the last minute arrangements, he’ll be hoping to improve on this week.
