Photo Credit; Delly Carr

The ITU World Triathlon Series head back to Leeds, UK, this weekend.

Leeds hosts the fourth race in this year’s ITU World Triathlon Series and comprises a strong field of competitive athletes.  Among the elite start line are three Queenslanders looking to make their mark at this Sunday’s race: Gillian Backhouse, Ashleigh Gentle and Drew Box.

Leeds is notorious for tough racing conditions and Gillian Backhouse will be returning, looking to put together a better race than last year.  Racing alongside Backhouse will be fellow Queenslander, Ashleigh Gentle.  Although Gentle is the highest placed Australian on the current WTS Series Rankings, the depth of talent and experience on the start line at Leeds will mean that the pressure will be on from the starters gun.  

The only Queenslander racing in the elite men’s field will be Drew Box, who is backing up from the 2017 Madrid ITU Triathlon World Cup two weeks ago, where he placed 9th.  Box will be re-racing three competitors from Madrid, Great Britain’s Marc Austin, France’s Dorian Coninx and Spain’s Antonio Serrat Seoane.  Box finished only 12 seconds behind Serrat Seoane in Madrid.  Olympians Aaron Royal and the Brownlee brothers also take the start line in Leeds,  which will make for some exciting racing this weekend.  

The races can be viewed live on FOX Sports Australia or online at triathlonlive.tv from 10pm Sunday June 11th and results will be available at http://wts.triathlon.org/results