World Triathlon Cup Miyazaki finishes up an Asian double header this weekend, as some of the world’s best short-course triathletes lock horns again.
Held on the Japanese island of Kyushu with a number of big names in the field, the competition will be fierce and with valuable Olympic qualification points on the line, every position matters.
We have everything you need about the race, from start times and streaming to a preview of the field, which includes our predictions on who you should keep an eye on.
Start time and how to follow live
The Elite Men will race first in Japan, with the gun set to go off at 08:00 local time on Saturday October 28. This corresponds to 00:00 UK time, 01:00 in Central Europe and on Friday, October 27, 19:00 on the East Coast and 16:00 PST.
For the women, racing will kick off at 10:30 local time on Sunday, which is 02:30 UK time and 03:30 in Central Europe. For American fans, this corresponds to 21:30 on the East Coast and 18:30 on the West Coast on Friday.
All the action will be available to watch live via Triathlonlive.tv
Elite Women racing in Miyazaki
With a strong start list racing over the Olympic distance in Miyazaki, there are a number of top professional women to keep an eye on, in particular 2016 Olympic champion Gwen Jorgensen, who is racing back-to-back weekends after winning in Tongyeong, South Korea last weekend.
Jorgensen, who has been extremely successful in World Triathlon Cups so far this season, will be seeking to consolidate her strength over the Olympic distance, as she looks to show Team USA selectors that she should be on the plane to Paris next year.
Amongst Jorgensen’s competition in Miyazaki will be Britain’s Kate Waugh, the 2022 World U23 Champion who had the performance of her life at the WTCS Finals in Pontevedra last month, where she finished a magnificent second.
Having done a brilliant job of stepping up to the professional ranks, Waugh, who has been under the guidance of Portuguese coach Dr Paulo Sousa since the start of the season, will have her eye on the podium or better in Japan.
Finally, recent World Triathlon Cup podium finishers such as Italian Bianca Seregni and Belgian Claire Michel will look to feature, as will Hungarian Zsanett Kuttor-Bragmayer, who won the World Aquathlon Championship earlier in the year.
Elite Men racing in Miyazaki
Leading the charge on the men’s side in Miyazaki will be a number of home talents, including recent Asian Games winner Kenji Nener and his teammate Takumi Hojo, who was part of the winning Mixed Team Relay squads in Hangzhou alongside Nener.
From further afield, Swiss stars Max Studer and Simon Westermann, who are particularly strong over the Olympic distance, are likely to feature on the swim and bike, with Studer possessing the run speed to be in with a shot of the podium.
Hungarian Bence Bicsak is also a quality athlete and has tasted success in Japan before, having finished on the podium at WTCS Yokohama previously, which is also an Olympic distance event. Teammate Mark Devay, a phenomenal swimmer, will be one of the first men out of the water.
Representing the UK, a group of five men – Harry Leleu, Jack Willis, Max Stapley, Samuel Dickinson, Cameron Main – will have their eyes on a good result, with Dickinson eyeing a second consecutive podium after a fine performance over the sprint distance in Tongyeong.
Finally, World Triathlon Cup serial winner David Castro Fajardo will be the last man anyone wants to see next to them if it comes down to a sprint finish. The speedy Spaniard, who won the World Triathlon Cup in Huatulco in the summer, can out kick anyone down the blue carpet.
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