Ironman stars Luke McKenzie and Melissa Hauschildt and former world duathlon world champion Felicity Sheedy-Ryan will spearhead a 28- strong Elite team named today by Triathlon Australia for the inaugural Penticton 2017 ITU Multisport World Championship Festival in Canada from August 18-27.
 
The Festival will feature Long Distance triathlon, Cross Tri, Aquathlon, Duathlon and Aquabike.
 
McKenzie, second in the Ironman World Championship in 2013, will be joined by an all-star triathlon team of Josh Amberger, Paul Ambrose, Sam Betten, Clayton Fettell and Joe Gambles in the Long Distance triathlon (3km swim; 120km bike and 30km run).
 
The 35-year-old McKenzie will by-pass the Ironman World Championship in Kona for the first time in the past 12 years.
 
While the women’s event will see Hauschildt, the two-time 2011 and 2013 World Champion (70.3) and 2013 ITU Long Distance world champion joined by Sarah Crowley and Lauren Parker.
 
Australia’s leading Cross Tri champion Ben Allen will line up in both the Cross Tri and the Aquathlon with outstanding ITU Juniors Holly Grice and Sophie Malowiecki stepping up into the Elite Cross Tri women’s team.

Sheedy-Ryan, the 2012 ITU World Duathlon champion will also be joined by the non-stop Crowley who will cap her busy program with Penny Slater and Chris Wigell in the Aquathlon.
 
Slater, Leela Hancox and Brodie Gardner will also join Grice, Crowley, Malowiecki and Allen in the Cross Tri.
 
The Team is:
 
Elite
Ben Allen (Aquathlon, Cross Tri)
Chris Wigell (Aquathlon)
Sarah Crowley (Aquathlon, Duathlon, Long Distance)
Penny Slater (Aquathlon)
Holly Grice (Cross Tri)
Leela Hancox (Cross Tri)
Sophie Malowiecki (Cross Tri)
Penny Slater (Cross Tri)
Brodie Gardner (Cross Tri
Felicity Sheedy-Ryan (Duathlon)
Melissa Hauschildt (Long Distance)
Lauren Parker (Long Distance)
Josh Amberger (Long Distance)
Paul Ambrose (Long Distance)
Sam Betten (Long Distance)
Clayton Fettell (Long Distance)
Joe Gambles (Long Distance)
Luke McKenzie (Long Distance)
Brodie Gardner (Long Distance)
 
Under 23
Max Newmann (Cross Tri, Aquathlon)
Matt Smith (Duathlon)
 
Junior
Sarah Gardner (Duathlon, Aquathlon)
Laura Ghali (Aquathlon)
Mackenzie Penn (Aquathlon, Duathlon)
Alec Davidson (Cross Tri)
Adam White (Cross Tri)
Kelsey Griffith (Cross Tri)
Keiran Tall (Duathlon)