The final ITU World Paratriathlon Series (WPS) event of the season takes place in Edmonton, Canada, on Friday. Some of Britain’s best paratriathletes are competing to secure final ranking points for entry into the ITU World Championships in Rotterdam in September.
Paralympic silver medallist, Lauren Steadman, is up against Paralympic Champion, Grace Norman (USA) in the PTS5 category for the first time since Rio. She recently won the ETU European Championships in Kitzbuhel having taken a break to complete her university MSc course in Business and Management.
The world class field in this category also presents a great opportunity for Paralympic Champion swimmer, Claire Cashmore, to test herself against the best in the world as she continues her transition to paratriathlon. She won gold medal at the ITU Paratriathlon World Cup in Altafulla (Spain) a few weeks ago.
George Peasgood, who was Great Britain’s youngest paratriathlete in Rio, also races in the PTS5 category and has shown great improvement in his run form this season. He claimed is first major championship medal at the ETU European Championships in June and has finished on the podium at every race he’s done this year.
European Champion, Dave Ellis and his guide, Jack Peasgood, will try to continue his unbeaten run of form this season in the men’s PTVI category. However, he’s up against Aaron Scheidies (USA), who has been unbeaten since the ITU World Championships, in Hyde Park in 2013, which Ellis won.
In the men’s PTS4, European silver medallist, Steve Crowley a veteran who lost his leg in an explosion in Iraq, takes on his first ever WPS race. Fran Brown (PTS2) will also be competing in her first WPS event following her silver medal at the ETU European Championships. Brown was introduced to paratriathlon through a British Triathlon Talent Identification day in January this year.
Joe Townsend (PTWC), returning to paratriathlon racing following completion of the Ride Across America as part of the Help for Heroes team, and Ryan Taylor (PTS3) complete the British line up.
Racing starts at midnight on Friday 28th July UK time.
ITU Edmonton World Paratriathlon; Friday 28 July 2017; 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run:
PTWC: Joe Townsend
PTS2: Fran Brown
PTS3: Ryan Taylor
PTS4: Steve Crowley
PTS5: George Peasgood, Lauren Steadman, Claire Cashmore
PTVI: David Ellis
Triathlon’s mid-season report card: Tim Don on who’s raising the bar this triathlon race season
