Saturday morning will see the top Para triathletes on the planet take to the World Triathlon Para Cup Paris start line where, in 12 months’ time, the triathlon action at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will get underway by the city’s iconic Ponte Alexandre III.
All six classes will be racing; the PTWC wheelchair, PTVI visually impaired and PTS2, PTS3, PTS4 and PTS5 athletes tackling the single-lap, 750m swim in the Seine and a 20km, 5-lap bike up the Champs-Elysee, along the Quai D’Orsay and Boulevard St Germain, before wrapping up with a 5km run to the golds that crosses the Alexandre III and Invalides bridges twice each.
It’s a huge and unprecedented challenge ahead as the qualification period continues for the athletes, and you can watch all four days of the Paris Test Event on TriathlonLive.tv here.
PTWC preview
The ever-impressive Dutch duo of Jetze Plat H2 and Geert Schipper H2 will be the ones to beat, Howie Sanborn H1 of USA among those ready to give chase. Plat is the two-time Paralympic Champion, unbeaten in eight years and only twice his whole career, and one of the most impressive athletes the sport has ever seen.
Lauren Parker H1 leads the line in the women’s race along with the woman who beat her to gold in a dramatic Tokyo 2020 sprint finish, USA’s Kendall Gretsch H2. Brazil’s Jessica Ferreira H1 and home favourite Moana Francis H2 will be among the names also getting a good look at the Paralympic course on Saturday.
PTVI preview
After the disappointment of his chain slip and DNF at Tokyo, Britain’s Dave Ellis B3 will want to keep the Paris 2024 campaign ticking along smoothly, beginning with the Test Event. Australian Sam Harding B3 and USA’s Kyle Coon B1 will be working to make life as difficult as possible for the reigning World Champion, Thibaut Rigadeau B3 the host nation’s medal hope.
In the women’s race, Ireland’s talented Chloe Maccombe B3 has impressed since taking Commonwealth games silver in 2022, but another newcomer, the WTPS Swansea champion Francesca Tarantello B3, could be the one to beat, Ukraine’s Vita Oleksiuk B1 ready to for her podium shot.
PTS2 preview
The women’s PTS2 will be another hotly contested affair with talented US duo Hailey Danz and Melissa Stockwell vying for the medals along with Italy’s Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Veronika Yoko Plebiani and the experienced two-time Paralympian Rakel Mateo Uriarte of Spain. The men’s race will see current World Champion Jules Ribstein looking to give the home crowds plenty to cheer, Mohamed Lahna continues to impress for USA, European Champion Maurits Morsink also building towards a huge 12 months ahead for his Paralympic ambitions.
PTS3 preview
The familiar figure of Daniel Molina (ESP) will look to continue his winning streak after world title, European title and WTPS Swansea victories, the runner-up in Wales but winner in Montreal Nico Van Der Burgt hoping to end that run alongside Australia’s Justin Godfrey. The women’s race will be a straight shootout between world champion Elise Marc (FRA), Sanne Koopman (NED) and Liina Nuoranne (FIN) for the medals.
PTS4 preview
Kelly Elmlinger (USA) has been back on top form since injury took her out of world title contention in Abu Dhabi last year, Series victories in Yokohama and Montreal this year establishing her as a favourite for the Paris Para Cup. European Champion Marta Frances Gomez (ESP) and Sally Pilbeam (AUS) take up the challenge for medals, while in the men’s race it is hard to look beyond home hero Alexis Hanquinquant for yet another win. Unbeaten since the Tokyo Test Event, the Paralympic Champion will doubtless be a big favourite to defend his title a year from now.
PTS5 preview
Canada’s Stefan Daniel has been a formidable force in the men’s sport for over a decade and regained the world title in Abu Dhabi last year before taking gold in Swansea and Montreal in 2023. Martin Schulz (GER) will again prove a huge challenge for the gold here, however, along with USA’s Chris Hammer and Ronan Cordeiro of Brazil. The women’s race will see another battle between two stars of the sport, with Grace Norman (USA) and Claire Cashmore (GBR) likely to duke it out for the gold once more.
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For the full start list, click here.
