World Triathlon

Ten years ago, Edmonton tested its waters to see if it had what it takes to host a triathlon event. Four years later, it hosted one of the most successful triathlon world championships in history. The 2001 ITU World Championships set the stage for six more years of triathlon world cup action. Now, the World Cup Triathlon committee and its army of approximately 400 volunteers prepare to host the Edmonton BG Triathlon World Cup for the very last time this Sunday.  Over its 10 year life the organising committee has also hosted multiple IOC solidarity camps for athletes and coaches, continental cups, as well as various continental and national championships.

Its been a long, but amazing run. It was a great experience. Weve met so many wonderful people, but were ready to pass the torch on to another Canadian city, says Sheila OKelly, executive director of the Edmonton BG Triathlon World Cup.

Proclaimed Triathlon Week by the mayor of Edmonton, over 100 Elite athletes from 27 countries will race in provincial capital for their share of the US$100,000 prize purse and valuable Olympic qualification points.  They will be joined by over 500 Age Group athletes and a host of Junior athletes competing in the Pan American Junior Championships.

The eighth stop of the 2007 BG Triathlon World cup series has attracted many top contenders including current world champion Emma Snowsill of Australia.  Snowsill has won here twice before and leads a strong Aussie team of Annabel Luxford, who finished second at last weekends historic Des Moines world cup, Felicity Abram, 2006 world championship bronze medalist, and 2006 Under23 world championships silver medalist Emma Moffatt.

The Aussie team will be challenged, however, by Canadian hopeful and rising star Kirsten Sweetland along with top New Zealander Debbie Tanner and Brazilian Mariana Ohata, who finished third last weekend with a blistering run.

The mens field is led by Olympic silver medalist and former world champion Bevan Docherty of New Zealand.  Docherty is joined by team mates Kris Gemmell, Shane Reed and former Junior champion Terenzo Bozzone.  The Kiwis are in top form leading into this weekends race as evident by three of the four athletes being ranked in the top 12 in the world.

The young Alexander Brukhankov of Russia has had an impressive 2007 season so far with two top-5 finishes to add to his 2006 world Junior championship silver medal.  Top Americans Matt Reed and Jarrod Shoemaker will also be on the start line.  Both have been on the Edmonton podium before with third place finish for Reed two years ago and a second place for Shoemaker here last year.

An established cornerstone on the world cup circuit since 2002, the final Edmonton world cup will proudly host the best triathletes in the world on the road to represent their country at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

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