Africa Triathlon

In the last major tune-up before the triathlon world championships in Hamburg at the end of the month, the 11th stop of the 2007 BG Triathlon World Cup series heads to northern Hungary this Saturday.  The town of Tiszaujvaros has hosted the World cup for 11 years in conjunction with a grand sport festival which swells the town’s population to twice its regular size around the race.  The weekend also includes the third edition of the ITU Elite Team Triathlon World Championship. 

In the women’s race, the Kiwis come into Tiszaujvaros with the top two women in the field including Vancouver world cup winner Sam Warriner, who’s coming off a silver medal in Salford a few weeks ago, and Debbie Tanner, perhaps the strongest runner in the women’s event.   These two women will be gunning for the top points before worlds but will have to contend with a number of competitors that includes last year’s Tiszaujvaros BG Triathlon World Cup winner Joelle Franzmann of Germany.

Aussie Emma Moffatt broke through with her first world cup win earlier this year in Edmonton and can’t be counted out in Hungary.  Others to watch include top runners, Nadia Cortassa of Italy and Ana Burgos of Spain.

All eyes will be on world number-one ranked Javier Gomez of Spain this weekend.  The Spaniard is widely considered the pre-race favorite for world championships and is coming off an impressive win in Salford two weeks ago.  Frenchman Frederic Belaubre missed the first half of the season due to a foot injury but the two-time European Champion is back in form after a silver medal in Kitzbuhel.  Kiwi Kris Gemmell can never be counted out, nor can Tiszaujvaros resident Dmitriy Gaag.  The veteran has always performed well at home with five trips to the podium and a thrilling sprint victory over Brad Kahlefeldt in 2005. 

Others to watch include South African Hendrik DeVilliers, who just missed the podium last year losing in a sprint finish for third with none other than, Dmitriy Gaag.  DeVilliers broke through earlier this year with a world cup victory at home in Richards Bay.  The young Russian Alexander Brukhankov continues his torrid pace in 2007 with his 8th world cup this weekend. Ukrainian Volodymyr Polikarpenko can never be counted out, having podiumed here four times in the past eight years, winning in 2003.

Live race coverage will be available on triathlon.org, starting at 12:15pm local time on Saturday.

Click here for up-to-date athlete start lists and race information.

Click here for video from the 2006 Tiszaujvaros BG Triathlon World Cup.