Tri Liverpool has released its elite athlete start list for this Sunday’s triathlon event taking place in the city.
Elite athletes will complete the Sprint distance which includes a 750m open water swim in Wapping Dock, 20km cycle and 5km run. Elite females will start at 1pm with Elite males tackling the course from 2:30pm on Sunday July 26.
Elite athletes will be looking to collect valuable points in the second of three races in the 2015 British Triathlon Super Series. Triathletes to watch out for include:
Sophie Coldwell, 20, from Nottingham, trains at Loughborough
– Start time 1pm
One to watch is last year’s Tri Liverpool runner up Sophie Coldwell, 20, from Nottingham, who will be looking to improve on her 2014 performance. Second to ITU World Triathlon Series winner, Gwen Jorgensen, in 2014, Sophie has swum and biked at the head of the field in the 2015 UTU World Triathlon London in May. She has demonstrated her ability to get away from top international fields and boasts a gold medal from last year’s ITU World Championships Under 23 Mixed Relay team.
Matt Sharp, 26, from London, trains at Loughborough
– Start time 2:30pm
Matt is a recent bronze medal winner for Great Britain, competing in the Mixed Relay in the European Championships in Geneva. A former Under 23 ITU world champion, Matt has a lot of natural speed and smooth running style meaning the sprint course in Liverpool could really suit.
Emma Pallant, 26, from Aldershot
– Start time 1pm
Also confirmed for the start line is 2013 Tri Liverpool winner, Emma Pallant. Emma is the reigning British Super Series Champion and the current British Elite Duathlon champion. A former international runner who switched to triathlon in 2012, as a track runner she won 1500m bronze at the world junior championships in 2009 and as a triathlete she has competed at the highest level in ITU World Triathlon Series races, finishing a career high 10th place in Cape Town in April.
David Bishop, 24, from Derby, trains in Loughborough
– Start time 2:30pm
David Bishop will compete in Liverpool without his twin brother and fellow professional triathlete, Tom. Both David and Tom competed for Great Britain at the ETU European Championship earlier this month. David also put in a winning performance at the Cardiff Triathlon in June, emerging just 18 seconds in the lead at the bike dismount before racing ahead with the run to finish a clear two minutes ahead of the next competitor.
Speaking about Tri Liverpool, Jon Ridgeon, British Triathlon director for major and national events said:
“Tri Liverpool is once again looking to be a sensational sporting event in Liverpool this weekend, playing host to the British Triathlon Championships. In total, 1,500 people will tackle the course in a variety of distances creating an exciting and vibrant atmosphere for competitors and spectators alike. There are more beginners and women on the start line than ever before and age-group competitors will compete for places on the GB Age-Group team at the 2016 ITU Triathlon World Championships.”
Assistant Mayor of Liverpool and cabinet member for culture, tourism and events, councillor Wendy Simon, added:
“Liverpool is famous for its love of sport, and we are proud to host the British Triathlon Championships at Tri Liverpool on Sunday. Liverpool will provide an iconic backdrop to this world-class sporting event as competitors swim, cycle and run past some of our city’s most famous landmarks. All we need is fine weather, and we look forward to welcoming spectators who line the course to cheer on the competitors.”
Road closures ahead of Tri Liverpool will be in place from 3:00am including northbound carriageways of the Strand, the Goree and Parliament Stree t(between Sefton Street and Jamaica Street). Spectators are advised to watch around Albert Dock and Echo Arena and use public transport to access the city centre,
Tri Liverpool is organised by British Triathlon in partnership with Liverpool City Council. A highlights show of the event will be broadcast on Channel 4 on Sunday, August 8th, at 7am.
For a full list of elite athletes and road closures, visit www.TriLiverpool.com