Making its hosting debut into the ITU World Cup family, the 2016 Montreal ITU Triathlon World Cup kicks off this weekend with a men’s and women's start lists that are sure to christen the event in a top fashion.
Serving up a speedy sprint-distance course that will find the athletes touring around the French-Canadian city, Montreal is also the last major ITU competition before the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro welcomes the triathlon world to Copacabana Beach in just a couple of weeks.
Bermuda’s Flora Duffy will headline the women’s start list this weekend as she has been having the season of her life this year, checking multiple career milestones off her list. Currently standing as the Columbia Threadneedle rankings leader in the World Triathlon Series, she earned three WTS podiums in a row including her first WTS win in Stockholm. As she lines up in Montreal this Sunday to race in one final competition before heading to Brazil, the event will be her first World Cup appearance since 2013.
Another Olympic destined athlete, Aussie Ashleigh Gentle also is set to compete in Montreal. After earning the silver medal at the WTS Yokohama event in May and guaranteeing her spot on the Australian roster, Gentle has taken some time off from competing on the circuit in order to train. Now with only a short time before Rio, Montreal can welcome Gentle back to competing.
Gentle’s Olympic teammate Erin Densham also will compete in Montreal. And also like Gentle, Densham has not competed since Yokohama, so this weekend will be a crucial race for competition strategy before Rio.
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