This Sunday 1st July will celebrate the 4th annual Liverpool Triathlon with an Olympic line-up as the event hosts the 5150 European Championships for the first time.
With one of the best Pro line ups on UK soil, this 5150 non drafting triathlon which incorporates a 1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run, looks set to see some very exciting racing in the heart of one of the world’s most iconic cities.
A fifty strong Pro field will be on the start line with over half the athletes from across the globe including double Ironman Champion Chris ‘Macca’ McCormack, just one of the five Australians entered in this iconic race. More accustomed to long distance racing 39-year-old Macca will still be a force to contend with as will fellow athlete James Seear.
Other key contenders in the men’s race include 2012 Swiss Olympic team triathlete Rudi Weild, New Zealand’s 1st reserve for 2012 Clark Ellice and Britain’s Todd Leckie and Mark Threlfall. The race also sees strong entrants from Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, Jordan, France, Germany and USA.
Returning 2011 Champion Liz Blatchford, who also won the National Championships in Liverpool in 2004, will be joined by leading British athletes, Holly Lawrence and Jodie Stimpson as local favouries in the women’s race.
Putting them through their paces from the international field will be America’s Jenna Parker and Maxine Seear, 2012 Olympic triathlete Maria Czesnik from Poland and New Zealand’s Anna Cleaver and 2008 Olympian and 2012 1st reserve Debbie Tanner.
With Liverpool Triathlon’s credentials having been quickly recognised, the event has been honoured as the first 5150 European Championships in 2012. In addition to competing for the 5150 titles, the race also offers the chance for athletes to gain qualifying points for Hy-vee 5150 US Championship, the world’s richest triathlon with over $1million prize money on offer for both pros and age group athletes.
Kevin Stewart, Managing Director World Endurance UK commented, “We are very excited to be staging the first European Championships and to see such a strong elite field entered. Liverpool always attracts such a fantastic number of supporters and atmosphere which is a huge benefit to both the event and athletes, many of whom are supporting our official charities The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity and RNLI.”
For further information on the event please visit www.theliverpooltriathlon.com