C’est déja le temps de Mooloolaba. On se demande toujours comment une ville peut s’appeler de la sorte mais la question n’est pas pertinente. Donc, c’est le grand retour de l’ITU et des coupes du monde. C’est d’ailleurs l’une des plus relevées sur le circuit tout simplement parce que les athlètes de l’hémishpère nord profitent de l’Australie et de la Nouvelle Zélande comme terrain de jeux.
Les dernières nouvelles du front sont que Emma Snowsill pourrait ne pas prendre le départ et qu’on commence à être de plus en plus inquiet sur son avenir olympique. Chez les hommes Javier Gomez pourra profiter d’une course sans les brownlee qui s’entraine (johny) ou pas (alistair – blessé), par contre, il devra faire face aux Francais. Encore une fois, chez trimes.org nous croyons énormément dans cette nation en année olympique parce qu’ils sont les seules à avoir 2 athlètes déjà selectionnés (avec l’Angleterre) soit Laurent Vidal et David Hauss et qui sont très prometteurs.
La course sera aussi très interessante au niveau australien parce que 2 spots sont toujours à prendre. On se rapelle encore des déclarations de Macca qui lors de son annonce pour son retour déclarait que l’Australie n’allait nul part, depuis Brendan Sexton accumule les grosses courses et l’espoir Aaron Royle pointe son nez et il ne faudrait pas oublier Courtney Atkinson qui devrait bien finir par retrouver son niveau un jour avec la carotte olympique. L’ironie est que l’on trouve pratiquement généreux la fédération australienne de continuer à donner un passe droit à Macca pour pouvoir faire des WC et WCS. On sait que c’est discutable, mais il n’a toujours pas fait de podium en coupe d’Océanie.
Aussi, il ne faudra surtout pas oublier nos canadiens, Brent McMahon et Kyle Jones nous ont déja prouvé qu’il était très proche de la gloire et c’est d’ailleurs une année déterminante pour eux. Contrairement à d’autres nations, ces athlètes se battent sur deux plateaux, leur qualifications personnelles et aussi pour l’attribution d’un 3ieme spot.
Notre Jordan Bryden (qui écrit des fois sur trimes.org) aura aussi son premier départ en coupe du monde et qui donnera tout en cette année olympique.
Chez les femmes, il semble que Kristen Sweetland vient d’être retiré de la liste de départ. Nos espoirs demeureront Lauren Campbell et Chantell Widney.
La grande favorite demeure Andrea Hewitt qui tentera de continuer sa série en WCS et WC (Bejing, Yokohama, Auckland). Elle fera face à la Nouvelle Zélande Kate McIlroy qui est un nom que vous allez répéter très souvent en 2012. Cette course nous permettra aussi de connaitre l’état de forme des filles qui font leur retour après une année 2011 compliquée (retour de blessure). Lisa Norden, Emma Moffatt, Daniela Ryf et Nicola Spirig. Il faudra aussi surveillé le phénomène américain Gwen Jorgensen qui pourrait bien redéfinir les pré-requis en course à pied.
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It’s the sixth year in a row that Mooloolaba will open the ITU World Cup season, which makes it the second time that it’s opened an Olympic year. Back in 2008, three-time ITU World Champion Emma Snowsill took out the Mooloolaba title and went on to win Gold at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, while two-time ITU World Champion Javier Gomez took the men’s and then finished fourth in Beijing.
A host of triathlon legends have topped the podium over the years, plenty of them Australian, as they have dominated this race at home. This year, with Olympic qualifying hanging in the balance, the races could be anyones as some of the best in the world line up to try their chances over the mass beach start and challenging course on Australia’s Sunshine coast.
Elite Women’s Preview
Judging from her stellar finish to the 2011 season, wins at the Beijing Grand Final, Yokohama and Auckland,Andrea Hewitt is the female triathlete to beat right now. She’s making her season debut in Mooloolaba. But while Hewitt is arguably the in-form athlete at the end of 2011, there are a host of others in Mooloolaba who were starting to hit their best at the end of last year or start of 2012. They include New Zealand’s Kate McIlroy, who claimed a bronze medal behind Hewitt in Yokohama, Switzerland’s Melanie Annaheim, the Beijing Grand Final bronze medallist, Sweden’s Lisa Norden, the USA’s Gwen Jorgensen and Australia’s two-time ITU World Champion Emma Moffatt, who claimed silver in Yokohama and then her third Australian sprint title in Geeling to kickstart 2012, and it wouldn’t be surprising if any them topped the podium here.
But the women’s race in Mooloolaba will be intriguing for those also looking for a fresh start in 2012. More to watch from this category include the reigning Olympic gold medallist Snowsill, who didn’t record a win in 2011, and Switzerland’s Daniela Ryf and Nicola Spirig. Both spent Ryf and Spirig long periods of time on the sideline last year, but are world-beaters on their day and importantly on a course that can benefit strong cyclists, are more than capable of leading a breakaway. A good result for Ryf would also play well for Switzerland’s Olympic ambitions. Switzerland currently have two athletes qualified, but Ryf is sitting as the third and just behind Germany’s Kathrin Mueller. As Germany is currently the eight NF to have three spots, if Ryf can overtake Muller in the rankings it would allow Switzerland to send three athletes.
While Mueller isn’t in Mooloolaba, the Germans have a strong team including Svenja Bazlen, Anne Haugand Rebecca Robisch. Others to watch when it comes to Olympic qualifying include Laura Bennett, who is fighting for the third spot on the USA women’s team to join Jorgensen and Sarah Groff, and Kiyomi Niwata – who is aiming to qualify for her fourth consecutive Olympics.
Canadians Kirsten Sweetland and Lauren Campbell also had injury inflicted seasons in 2011, but have had good early season form, and Sweetland is always dangerous on the course she won her first World Cup title on in 2009.
Click here to view the women’s start list
Elite Men’s Preview
Brad Kahlefeldt has claimed three of his seven ITU World Cup wins in Mooloolaba and this year he’s going for his fourth overall and third consecutive win. Therefore, it’s no surprise that he will start as one of the favourites, though this is Kahlefeldt’s first race of 2012, while a host of other athletes already have results under their belts. Of those, last year’s silver medallist Brendan Sexton is coming off an impressive win at the Oceania Championships, Aaron Royle with a sprint win in Kinloch and a third place in Devonport, andCourtney Atkinson a fifth place in Devonport.
A trio of Frenchman features two top-10 ITU World Championship finishers from last year, Laurent Vidal andDavid Hauss, as well as veteran Tony Moulai. Hauss and Laurent will line up wearing #1 and #2 respectively. Others to watch include 2012 Pan American champion Tyler Butterfield who should thrive on the hilly Mooloolaba course, William Clarke, the man currently looking most likely to join the Brownlees on Team GB for London, and a strong German contigent that includes Steffen Justus and veteran Maik Petzold.
In terms of Olympic qualifying, keep an eye on the Canadians Brent McMahon and Kyle Jones. Currently Russia hold the eighth spot on the list of nations with three spots, but a good result for Jones in particular could see him overtake Ivan Vasiliev – who is not racing – and move Canada into eighth place. Also in the Olympic theme, keep an eye on Chris McCormack in his comeback campaign to add an Olympic Games to his already stellar triathlon resume, and two athletes who are aiming for their fourth consecutive Olympic Games Juraci Moreira of Brazil and and Swiss Reto Hug.
Click here to view the men’s start list
The action gets underway when the men’s elite starts at 3pm (local time) on Saturday 24 March 24 followed by the women’s race at 12.45pm on Sunday 25 March. Both races will be decided over a 1.5km swim with a mass beach start, a seven-lap 40km bike leg along Mooloolaba Esplanade and Alexandra Parade, over the Alex Hill. The run is then a four-lap 10km leg, along the Mooloolaba Esplanade and Alex Hill. Follow live through with timing and text updates, at www.triathlon.org/live, or Follow on Twitter at twitter.com/triathlonlive.
Find more details and event images from – 2012 Mooloolaba ITU Triathlon World Cup