Photo credit: Ironman 

This weekend, Edmonton will host the 2017 World Triathlon Series and Paratriathlon Series races. Held during the beautiful Canadian summer, this should hopefully mean some ideal racing conditions for our Aussies overseas.

There will be a tough field of competitors in both the elite triathlon and paratriathlon events. Representing Queensland in the elite women’s field we have Gillian Backhouse and Jaz Hedgeland, and in the mens field, Luke Willian and Matthew Hauser.

Given their recent on form racing, we can expect exciting racing from our athletes. Both Willian and Hauser will be backing up their recent races in Hamburg, where they placed well for their individual event, and where Hauser was part of Australia's winning Mixed Team Relay.  Backhouse’s most recent race was in Leeds, where she placed an impressive
7th amongst a tough field. Similarly, Hedgeland’s most recent ITU event was in Yokohama, where she placed 28th, battling dismal weather conditions.

Also racing this weekend are our Queensland Paratriathletes Katie Kelly (PTV1), Joshua Kassulke (PTS5) and Gerrard Gosens (PTV1).

Kelly will by guided by Michellie Jones, and will by up against the winner of the PTV1 event at the Gold Coast Triathlon, USA’s Elizabeth Baker.  Similarily, Kassulke will face off against Brazil’s Carlos Rafael Viana, who placed second in the recent Gold Coast Triathlon, two spots ahead of Kassulke. Gosens will also re-race the Gold Coast Triathlon’s second place finisher from his race category, Netherlander, Daniel Knegt.

Free finish line streaming of the paratriathlon event available on July 28th and full coverage (subscription service) of the elite races on July 29th available through triathlonlive.tv