Ashleigh Gentle and Cameron Wurf are set to test themselves in unfamiliar territory this Sunday, with both athletes set to make their debut appearances in different formats on opposite sides of the globe.
Off the back of her record-breaking seventh Noosa triathlon win on Sunday, Gentle is preparing herself for a different format of racing, as she heads to China for her debut IRONMAN 70.3 performance.
Tackling a race nearly double the length of the Noosa's Olympic distance course, Xiamen's 70.3 course will be a world away from the sprint and standard distance events that Gentle typically frequents throughout the triathlon season.
Speaking to Triathlon Australia, Gentle said that she's looking forward to the new experience that racing Xiamen 70.3 will bring.
"I wanted a new challenge at the end of the year so I decided to head to China with Josh [Amberger] for my first ever 70.3,"
"I just chose that one because next year is a massive year and obviously my priority is the Olympics, so I didn't want to extend my season too long."
"So a 70.3 in Asia, just one week after Noosa, was the best option for me prioritising the Olympics and my preparation."
"I'm just going there for the experience because I've been wanting to do one for so many years and now I have the opportunity so I'm kind of like 'well, why not?'"
"I'm just gonna go experience it, pace myself, be prepared for a four hour plus race and I'm looking forward to it."
Gentle will be lining up alongside fellow Australian Kate Bevilaqua in the Pro Women's race, while Australian's Amberger, Tim Reed, Peter Jacobs, Leigh Anderson-Voigt, Sam Betten, Brett Johnson, David Mainwaring and Fraser Walsh will be lining up in the Pro Men's event.
On the other side of the world, Cameron Wurf will be gearing up for his debut World Cup appearance in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Swapping his usual grueling IRONMAN performances for the fast-paced world of sprint racing, Wurf will be in unfamiliar territory when he takes to the starting line on Sunday.
Wurf's sporting career is quite different to most, with the pro-triathlete experiencing success as an Australian representative rower and as a pro-cyclist, before moving into long distance pro-triathlon, and most recently sprint triathlon.
Wurf has made no secret of his Tokyo 2020 ambitions, with the Santo Domingo World Cup providing the Tasmanian his first opportunity to secure key ITU ranking points, vital for his eligibility for selection.
Joining Wurf on the starting line on Sunday will be fellow Australian Sophie Linn who will be looking to finish her season on a high note after taking line honours at both the Murakami Asian Cup and Osaka-Castle Asian Cup.
IRONMAN Xiamen 70.3
Elite Women
Ashleigh Gentle
Kate Bevilaqua
Elite Men
Josh Amberger
Tim Reed
Peter Jacobs
Leigh Anderson-Voigt
Sam Betten
Brett Johnson
David Mainwaring
Fraser Walsh
Santo Domingo World Cup
Elite Women
Cameron Wurf
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