Bermuda’s Flora Duffy and Norwegian triathlete Casper Stornes will defend their titles against a strong field of elite athletes when the ITU World Triathlon Series (WTS) returns to Bermuda for its second year on April 27th.
The official start list for the elite athletes is now published and shows a strong contingent of the worlds’ greatest in the sport.
Duffy and Stornes both stole the hearts of fans at the crowded finish line in last year’s MS Amlin World Triathlon, the first time Bermuda had hosted the event.
Nearly 500 elite and Age Group athletes are booked to race in Bermuda next month and the Bermuda Triathlon Association is confident that number will increase before the April 15th registration deadline.
Steven Petty, the Bermuda Triathlon Association’s President, has urged locals not to leave it until the last minute if they want to be part of what is certain to be a magical weekend.
“If you’re thinking of racing, just register,” Petty said. “It’s going to be a great weekend and if you do it now, it will certainly help with your training. Being committed definitely focuses the mind for an event like this.” Registration is online at tribermuda.com/enter_now
Petty explained that people who want to do the Team Relay and can’t get a team together can get help from this year’s organizers. He said, “If you are a swimmer, cyclist or runner wanting to make up a team or you need an extra team mate, email info@tribermuda.com and you will be matched up with a new Tri-mate! It’s easy to be a part of the race action.”
In 2018’s memorable event, Bermuda’s own world champion Duffy stormed to a convincing win with a lead of almost two minutes and Stornes meanwhile, led the way on a historic day for Norwegian Triathlon as the Scandinavian nation swept up first, second and third place on the podium. It was the first time a country has claimed all top three places at a WTS event. Kristian Blummenfelt and Iden Gustav who finished second and third in that race are also on the start list for Bermuda next month.
Duffy, Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist will again race before the thousands of fans that lined the streets to roar her to victory in 2018, returning for her first competitive race since the injury that prematurely ended her season last year.
However, the two biggest challengers that Duffy faces may well come from Katie Zaferes and Vicky Holland, who finished second and third last time out, and have been battling for supremacy in the women’s elite field ever since.
Zaferes has built herself quite a reputation on the circuit, finishing fifth in the world in 2015, and improving one place every year ever since. Most recently she finished second in 2018 after a nailbiting battle with Holland that went right down to the wire at the Gold Coast Grand Final.
The MS Amlin World Triathlon 2019 on April 27th, 2019 is the second of three annual World Series Triathlon events that Bermuda will host; in 2021 the island will be home to the ITU Grand Final and Age Group World Championships.
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