The Italian city of Milan will make its debut as host of the World Paratriathlon Series on Saturday afternoon as the 2019 WPS season gets underway, with all the action from in and around the Idroscalo Milano streaming live on TriathlonLIVE.tv. The historic lake will be the focus of the 750m swim before a 19.5km bike and 5km run take in three laps of the roads and paths that surround it, with the hugely competitive PTWC category going out first from 1.30pm local time (GMT+2).

The Dutch duo of Geert Schipper and Jetze Plat and Britain’s Joe Townsend will reignite their rivalry in the men’s PTWC, Paralympic and World Champion Plat going in as favourite once more but he will be in no doubt that the slightest tactical error will be pounced upon by those looking to halt his domination. In the women’s race, Ahalya Lettenberger (USA) is chasing a second WPS medal with Jade Jones (GBR) on standby and Australia’s big guns not starting.

Another 2016 Paralympic Champion, Andrew Lewis, could again be the man to beat in the men’s PTS2 race, with former World Champion Vasilii Egorov (RUS) and Spain’s experienced Lionel Morales likely to be pressing the Brit all the way to the line. The women’s race sees Allysa Seely looking to continue her untouchable form from that 2018 world title-winning season, Japan’s Devonport World Cup winner Yukako Hata among those also eyeing a podium place. 


The Russian duo of Victor Chebotarev and Anna Plotnikova are in pole position in the PTS3 category, while French legend Alexis Hanquinquant targets yet another WPS podium in PTS4 with Luxembourg’s Joe Kurt likely to be applying the pressure and Sally Pilbeam (AUS) and Hannah Moore (GBR) the favourites in the women’s race.

 George Peasgood (GBR) and Martin Schulz (GER) are among the names set to provide the drama in the men’s PTS5 race, French champion Gwladys Lemoussu targeting another WPS podium in the women’s event.

In the visually impaired races, In the visually impaired races, Britain’s Dave Ellis and Spain’s Susanna Rodriguez (ESP) will want to pick up where they left off last year after departing the Gold Coast as World Champions back in September, but home crowd favourite Anna Barbaro will have be in hot podium pursuit and buoyed by her fans. 

Milan is the first of four stops on the 2019 WPS circuit, which heads to Yokohama on 18 May, Montreal on 28 June and reaches its grandstand finish at the Paratriathlon World Championships in Lausanne on 1 September.

For the full start lists, click here