Posted: August 31, 2007

Triathlon: Whitfield aims for first World Championship this weekend

HAMBURG, Germany - This Sunday Simon Whitfield goes for his first world championship in Hamburg, hoping to add the one glaring absence from his illustrious triathlon career. It could be quite a weekend for the 2000 Olympic champion as this event is one of Triathlon Canada's Olympic qualifiers. A top-5 finish by any Canadian will earn them a spot on the team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Whitfield has enjoyed a resurgent season this year, winning world cup events in Vancouver and Kitzbuehel, his first career win on European soil. But for all that Whitfield has accomplished, winning a world title still keeps him motivated. His best finish at the world championships are sixth place finishes in 2005 and 2001. "I've had four top tens at worlds but I've never have been able to crack it out. That's a respect to the competition because at world championships you see the best of people too," said Whitfield. Other Canadians in the elite men's field include Pan Am Games silver medalist Brent McMahon, newly crowned National Champion Paul Tichelaar, Kyle Jones and Colin Jenkins. The highly competitive men's field is littered with big names and top contenders. World number one Javier Gomes of Spain is widely regarded as the pre-race favourite among the men. Gold in Hamburg would make him just the second triathlete to win both the European and world championship in the same year. Brit Tim Don In the women's field, Kirsten Sweetland will not defend her junior world title, will bypass the under23 category and instead will jump straight to the elite division. A win in Hamburg would make her the first woman to win junior and elite world titles in back-to-back years. Lauren Groves finished fourth last year in Lausanne and will look to step onto the podium this year. Other Canadian women to race this Saturday include Carolyn Murray and Kathy Tremblay. All eyes will be on Portuguese superstar Vanessa Fernandes. The world number one has dominated the season, winning four world cup titles as well as her fourth straight European title. With 17 world cup wins to her name, no woman has been as successful without winning a world championship than Fernandes. Standing in her way for the past few years has been her Australian rival Emma Snowsill. She's won three of the last four world championships and will be looking to join the great Simon Lessing as the only triathlete to win four. Fernandes will have to content with several other Aussies including Annabel Luxford and Emma Moffatt. Canadians competing in the Hamburg BG Triathlon World Championships: Simon Whitfield (Victoria, BC) - 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist, 2002 Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist Paul Tichelaar (Edmonton, AB) - 2007 Canadian National Champion Brent McMahon (Victoria, BC) - 2004 Olympian, 2007 Pan American Games silver medalist Kyle Jones (Oakville, ON) Colin Jenkins (Hamilton, ON) Kirsten Sweetland (Victoria, BC) - 2006 Junior World Champion Lauren Groves (Vancouver, BC) - 2006 Canadian National Champion, 2007 Pan Am Games bronze medalist Kathy Tremblay (Montreal, QC) - 2007 Canadian National Champion Carolyn Murray (Edmonton, AB) This is the 19th edition of the world championships in ITU history and the first time held in Germany. The athletes will dive off a pontoon and into the Binnenalster, one of two artificial lakes within the city limits of Hamburg. They will swim two laps of 750 meters in a wetsuit swim and will then cycle eight laps of a 5-kilometer loop on a flat, technical course that includes eight sharp turns around downtown Hamburg. Off the bike, athletes will run four laps of a 2.5-kilometer loop on a flat course that includes two turnaround points. One of the more popular world cup stops among the athletes, Hamburg has played hosted since 2002. Half a million people are expected to line the streets over the weekend to see triathlon's best in the BG Triathlon World Championships. Full race results and reports will be available immediately after each event from Triathlon.org. Women's Race: Saturday, September 1st, 2:50 pm local time (CEST - UTC+2) Men's Race: Sunday, September 2nd, 3:00 pm local time Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest