This weekend, Edmonton will welcome an ITU World Cup race to its city for the ninth time. The familiar host city will break from the standard race format in favor of a super speedy sprint 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run course. The fast and furious race will see top athletes like Erin Densham, Paula Findlay and Peter Kerr battle for bragging rights in the women's and men's races.
Elite Women
While Erin Densham (AUS) won't wear the top start number, the Olympic bronze medallist will no doubt headline the women's start list. Densham will make her debut return to ITU racing, as she's elected not to start in any World Cup or World Triathlon Series events so far in the 2013 season. Though her form is a question mark, this Aussie super star's history suggests she will be in prime podium position.
Paula Findlay (CAN) continues her season after making her first appearance in a ITU race in Madrid after sitting out the entire 2012 WTS season due to injury. Although Findlay opted out of the run in Madrid, she proved solid swim form and was dangerous on the bike, having bridged up the leaders with help from just one other athlete despite a sizable deficit. While injuries still nag Findlay, she could surprise the field in Edmonton.
Flora Duffy (BER) returns to the Canadian city after earning bronze here last year. Findlay's teammate rising star Amelie Kretz will look to make an impact on the elite field. Just 20 years old, she's been steadily knocking off top performances this year like her win at the Bridgetown Sprint Pan American Cup.
Look for Claudia Rivas (MEX) to lead off the start. The Mexican is superb on the swim, as well as the bike. With just 5km on the end, Rivas may be in medal contention if she can hang with the leaders on the run.
Elite Men
Peter Kerr (AUS) will be one of the men to watch this weekend, as he won the Continental Championships in Australia earlier this year in both the sprint and Olympic distances. He also scored bronze at the Mooloolaba World Cup against a talented field.
Richard Varga (SVK) is always exceptional on the swim, but with just 750m to work with on the front, it may not be enough distance to secure a strong lead. Varga's bike form appeared improved at ETU European Championships in Alanya last weekend before suffering a punctured tire that ended his race.
Gregory Rouault (FRA) could be a threat on the World Cup circuit this year with a fourth-place finish in Ishigaki and a win in the sprint distance at the Geelong Oceania Cup under his belt.
Sergio Sarmiento (MEX) continues his elite comeback from last year after a bike accident took him out of the sport for five years. Sarmiento closed the 2012 year with a win at the Cancun World Cup with solid shape in all three disciplines.
Local hopes lie with Canadians Andrew Yorke and Kyle Jones. Yorke is currently the second-highest ranking Canadian in the men's charts, while Jones looks fierce in the sprint distance having finished fifth in the Clermont Sprint Pan American Cup behind a stellar group of men.
Olympian Jarrod Shoemaker's younger brother Jake Shoemaker (USA) will attempt to follow in the family footsteps, as Jarrod claimed bronze in Edmonton last year.
Both the men and women will compete on Sunday, 23 June with the women taking off first at 1:30pm local time and the men starting at 3:00pm. For live updates, follow on twitter at @triathlonlive.
