The PTO's third and final Tour event of the year is set to take place for the first time in Singapore over the weekend of 10-20 August.
Here's everything you need to know about the Tour so far, who will be racing in Asia and how you can catch all the action live…
The PTO Tour 2023
The Tour's first stop was Ibiza in May, for the first-ever PTO European Open (won by Anne Haug and Max Neumann).
Milwaukee was the new host for the second-round PTO US Open (last year’s US Open was held in Irving, Texas, and was won by (the now-banned pro) Colin Chartier and Ashleigh Gentle) at the start of August.
It was won by three-time Ironman world champion Jan Frodeno and 70. world champion Taylor Knibb.
The final stop is the PTO Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August. Fans were hoping to see more dates added but the PTO announced that it would just be the three events for 2023.
(Last year the Tour also stopped in Canada where Gustav Iden won the men’s race and Gentle reigned supreme in the women’s.)
Like the European Open, the US Open was open to the top 30 men and women who qualified from the PTO World Rankings, while the PTO Asian Open will be open to the top 20 men and women in the rankings.
This means that less athletes will be able to compete at these races than in 2022, while the total prize fund available for each race has also been reduced from $1m to $600,000.
What distances do athletes race in the PTO Tour?
All PTO Open races will feature a 2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run.
Which female pro athletes are racing the PTO Asian Open?
The women's start list has been announced, and features 11 of the top 30 women from the PTO World Rankings.
Led by PTO World #1 Ashleigh Gentle (AUS), the field also includes #2 Anne Haug (GER) and #3 Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR).
Other top names joining that dynamic trio include the 2022 Ironman world champion Chelsea Sodaro (USA), Fenella Langridge (GBR), Sarah True (USA), Jackie Hering (USA) and Ellie Salthouse (AUS).
PTO Asian Open women's start list
Ashleigh Gentle (AUS)
Anne Haug (GER)
Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR)
Chelsea Sodaro (USA)
Fenella Langridge (GBR)
Jocelyn McCauley (USA)
Marjolaine Pierré (FRA)
Sara Perez Sala (ESP)
Sarah True (USA)
Lotte Wilms (NED)
Jackie Hering (USA)
Ellie Salthouse (AUS)
Rebecca Clarke (NZL)
Jeanni Metzler (SA)
Wildcards
Amelia Watkinson (NZL)
Radka Kahlefeldt (CZE)
Ruth Astle (GBR)
Penny Slater (AUS)
Which male pro athletes are racing the PTO Asian Open?
For the men, PTO World #1 Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR), #2 Gustav Iden (NOR) and #3 Magnus Ditlev (DEN) will be leading the line-up.
Remarkably, Olympic champion Blummenfelt will be racing in Singapore just two days after competing at the Olympic Test Event in Paris, before he returns to Europe for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Finland on 27 August.
Blummenfelt is still on the hunt for that elusive PTO win, following a second-place finish in Ibiza and a third in Milwaukee.
PTO Asian Open men's start list
Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR)
Gustav Iden (NOR)
Magnus Ditlev (DEN)
Sam Laidlow (FRA)
Max Neumann (AUS)
Sam Long (USA)
Ben Kanute (USA)
Daniel Baekkegard (DEN)
Aaron Royle (AUS)
Pieter Heemeryck (BEL)
Florian Angert (GER)
Jason West (USA)
Bradley Weiss (SA)
Denis Chevrot (FRA)
Wildcards
Marten Van Riel (BEL)
David McNamee (GBR)
Mike Phillips (NZ)
Mika Noodt (GER)
The PTO Asian Open 2023 course
The 2km swim
A pontoon start kicks off the first-ever PTO Asian Open in Singapore, near the famous Helix Bridge and ArtScience museum. Athletes dive into Marina Bay for an initial 1km circuit leading towards the Esplanade Theatre before turning and crossing towards T1 in the shadow of the Marina Bay Sands hotel to make up the full 2km.
The 80km bike
Eight 10km laps make up the 80km bike course, with athletes heading out past the Marina Bay Sands hotel and over the Benjamin Sheares Bridge.
After two 90° corners, the athletes sweep into an out-and-back section to eye-up the competition. Then, it’s past the Singapore Flyer and back over the bridge towards the Marina Bay Sands.
The 18km run
The run course features three 6km laps, which skirt the edge of the bay and pass the ArtScience Museum and Helix Bridge before heading under the Benjamin Sheares Bridge towards the Gardens by the Bay.
Athletes will cover the length of the gardens before circling the Marina Barrage and making their way back along the course towards transition and, at the end of lap three, the finish line.
How can I watch the PTO Asian Open 2023?
Watch the PTO Tour 2023 live from the comfort of your home via the official broadcast channels.
Those following along in Europe can watch on Eurosport, Discovery+, and GCN+, while the rest of the world can watch via the PTO+ app, on the PTO YouTube channel or via a local broadcaster.
When does PTO Asian Open 2023 start?
The race coverage will start at the following times*:
Saturday 19 August
3pm – Women's PTO Asian Open
Sunday 20 August
3pm – Men's PTO Asian Open
*All times are local, which is 7hrs ahead of the UK.
PTO Tour 2023 overview
6 May: PTO European Open, Ibiza
4-5 August: PTO US Open, Milwaukee
19-20 August: PTO Asian Open, Singapore
What happened in the 2022 PTO Tour?
Top image credit: Getty Images
