This Saturday, Germany will host the fifth race in the 2017 ITU World Triathlon Series.  The elite, sprint distance races will take place in the heart of Hamburg, circling in and around the iconic Binnenalster lake.  There will be a strong field of competitors in the elite men’s and women’s race, amongst them - 10 Australians.

As well as earning valuable points on the ITU Series Leaderboard, this race is the second selection race for Australians to secure an automatic nomination into the Commonwealth Games Triathlon team.  In order to claim a nomination for the team, the athlete must be the first Australian to cross the line, provided they are within the top ten positions.

Wearing the green and gold on the start line of the women’s race will be Erin Densham, Emma Jeffcoat, Charlotte McShane, Natalie Van Coevorden and Queenslander Ashleigh Gentle.  Gentle, who recently finished eighth at the ITU race in Leeds, has already secured her nomination for the Australian team for the Commonwelath Games. 

The men’s race will feature fellow Aussies: Ryan Bailie, Jacob Birtwhistle, Aaron Royle and Queenslander’s Matthew Hauser and Luke Willian.  Hauser recently won the short course race at the Chengdu ITU Triathlon World Cup.  Hauser was followed closely by Willian, who placed third in that same race.  Birtwhistle has already nominated for the Australian team for the Commonwealth Games.

The women’s race will start at 10:10PM (QLD time), followed by the men’s race at 12:00 midnight (QLD time).  The races can be live streamed at https://triathlonlive.tv/