Posted: June 27, 2005

Triathlon: Old and new faces for the GB team at the Salford World Cup Triathlon

Following the final qualifying event for the Countryside Properties Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup the Great British team has been announced including seasoned GB athletes as well as World Cup debutants.

Along with the stalwart athletes, including women’s 2004 winner Michelle Dillon and men’s 2004 silver medallist Stuart Hayes, are some fresh new faces including U23 European Junior bronze medallist Will Clarke and U23 World Junior top 10 triathlete Helen Tucker.

As it is both Will and Helen’s first year racing on the senior circuit, it will be an experience of a lifetime to have their debut ITU World Cup event on home soil in Salford.

The 2005 squad is one of the strongest teams Great Britain have fielded at the Countryside Properties Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup with many of the big names returning. The men’s team will include current inform and regular athletes on the World Cup scene Tim Don, Paul Amey, Richard Allen, Stuart Hayes, Andrew Johns, Richard Stannard, Stephen Bayliss, Fraser Cartmell, Will Clarke and Andrew Fargus. The team will also include top debutants to the World Cup circuit including Dann Brook and Harry Wiltshire.

The women’s team is looking equally as strong with seasoned athletes such as Liz Blatchford, Leanda Cave, Michelle Dillon, Helen Lawrence, Catriona Morrison, Karen Sindall, Jodie Swallow and Andrea Whitcombe as well as debutant Helen Tucker.

British Triathlon Performance Director, Graeme Maw, comments “We are delighted with the progress of our Development Squad, who took 4 of the first 8 places in Windsor on Sunday, clearly sounding a warning to those above them in the pecking order. Salford will be a great experience for them, with the home crowds always providing a boost, and a guaranteed international field of athletes”.

“There is a great mix of experienced and fresh athletes making their debut onto the World Cup scene. With a wealth of talent and the enthusiasm of the younger athletes I truly believe that the British team has every chance of coming away with a number of medals from Salford.”

2005 Countryside Properties Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup Race Director John Lunt comments: “We are proud to host an event that attracts so many of the worlds best triathletes, and athletes named for the British team are looking as strong as ever for 2005. With the pending decision on the Olympic host city for 2012, the Countryside Properties Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup is a shining example of the top quality athletes and world class events hosted in the UK.”

The triathletes take the plunge into Salford Quays, then cycle and run around the quayside, past the Imperial War Museum North and Manchester United's Old Trafford football ground, and through Manchester city centre, before returning to the finish line outside The Lowry at Salford Quays.

For more information on coming to watch the 2005 Salford Triathlon or to compete in the age-group race, call the Countryside Properties Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup Hotline on 0161 778 0346 or visit www.trisalford.info.

GB Men’s Team:

Tim Don has had early season wins at the 2005 World Cup in Madrid, Spain, and the ITU World Cup In Honolulu, Hawaii;
Stuart Hayes secured 2nd at the 2004 Salford World Cup Triathlon and the 2005 Windsor Triathlon;
Andrew Johns was the 2003 Salford World Cup Winner and fastest Brit at the 2005 Ishigaki World Cup, Japan;
Paul Amey crossed the line for 3rd at the 2005 Mooloolaba World Cup, Australia;
Richard Allen secured 4th at the 2004 National Championships, 5th at the 2005 St Anthonys Triathlon, Florida, and 4th 2004 Windsor Triathlon;
Stephen Bayliss secured his place through a solid 11th place finish at the 2005 Windsor Triathlon;
Dann Brook has raced in the junior ranks and it is his first year as senior. He has secured a 21st at the 2004 World Junior Championships a 7th at the 2005 Windsor triathlon;
Fraser Cartmell secured a 6th place at the 2005 Windsor Triathlon, represented GB at the 2004 U23 European Championships and has been reselected to race for the team again in 2005;
Andrew Fargus secured his World Cup Place with a 8th at the 2005 Windsor and finished 19th at the 2003 Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup;
Richard Stannard secured a 4th place at the 2005 Windsor Triathlon, 15th at the 2005 Honolulu World Cup, Hawaii;
Harry Wiltshire this will be Harry’s debut World Cup having represented GB at the 2004 U23 European Championships, and finishing 10th at the 2005 Windsor Triathlon.
Will Clark one of many emerging stars from the Junior team who secured his place on the team with a 2nd place finish at the 2005 Windsor Triathlon.

GB Women’s Team

Michelle Dillon, the 2004 Salford ITU World Cup winner has recently had a 4th place finish at the Mooloolaba ITU World Cup, Australia and 5th at the Ishigaki ITU World Cup, Japan;
Andrea Whitcome has claimed a 9th place finish at the Honolulu ITU World Cup, Hawaii, and a win at the Noumea International Triathlon, New Caledonia;
Liz Blatchford, who is now fully racing for the British team following a change from the Australian team, won the 2004 Rio ITU World Cup and secured 5th at the 2004 Cancoon ITU World Cup, Mexico;
Leanda Cave bronze medallist at the Commonwealth Games Triathlon in 2002 and winner of the 2005 Calafornian Half Ironman Triathlon;
Helen Lawrence had her debut World Cup at the 2004 Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup where she crashed on the first lap of the bike, she is reigning world University champion and won the 2005 Zundert Triathlon Holland;
Catriona Morrison a Duathlon specialist, Catriona secured a 7th place finish at the 2005 European Duathlon Championships;
Karen Sindall is a former World U23 Duathlon Champion (2002) and has secured a 6th the 3003 European U23 Championships;
Jodie Swallow has only race twice since the Olympics where she won the volcano triathlon in Lanzarotti and a 5th place finish at the 2005 Windsor Triathlon.
Helen Tucker who has truly shone in the junior ranks secured her place with a 4th place finish at the Windsor Triathlon.

The Event:

The Countryside Properties Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup combines disciplines of swimming, cycling and running. The 1500m swim leg of the event takes place in Dock 9, Salford Quays taking the athletes on a clockwise loop back to transition.

Upon exiting the water, athletes will then begin a 40km bike route that takes them through Manchester city center.

The final leg of the race will commence after athletes rack their bike to begin the 10km run. Athletes will proceed over the Lowry footbridge, past the Imperial War Museum North and towards Manchester United’s legendary football ground at Old Trafford. The top elite female racers are anticipated to complete the race in just over 2 hours whilst the fastest elite male racers will cross the finish line in under 2 hours.

The 2004 Event:

The 2004 Countryside Properties Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup saw Maik Petzold (GER), Stuart Hayes (GBR) and Stefan Justus (GER) claim the top-three elite male medals with respective times of 1:56.28, 1:56.45 and 1:56.51. Sweeping up the gold medal for the elite females was Great Britain’s own Michelle Dillon in first with a time of 2:09.06. Close on her heels in the silver position with a time of 2:09.19 was Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) and rounding off the top three was Liz Blatchford’s (GBR) bronze medal time of 2:09.22.

Sponsor Messages:

Countryside Properties, the North West's fastest growing developer of sustainable communities and urban and rural regeneration, has proudly announced its continued sponsorship of The Countryside Properties Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup. www.countryside-properties.com.

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is responsible for the sustainable economic development and regeneration of England's Northwest and has 5 key priorities: Business Development, Regeneration, Skills & Employment, Infrastructure and Image. www.nwda.co.uk.

Rocco Forte Hotels: a collection of stylish luxury hotels with individual designs ranging from traditional to contemporary and reflecting each hotel's location. The brand also guarantees good locations, comfortable accommodation, hi-tech conference facilities, exemplary cuisine, the latest in-room technology, friendly service, attention to detail, and health and fitness facilities. www.roccofortehotels.com.

The Lowry Hotel: With cutting edge design, stunning architecture and 165 contemporary air-conditioned bedrooms and suites, including the presidential suite, the North West Hotel of the year the five star Lowry Hotel provides a sophisticated riverside base for your visit to Manchester. http://www.roccofortehotels.com.

The £900 million Trafford Centre, in Manchester is one of the most successful shopping and leisure destinations in the UK. It attracted 27 million visitors throughout 2002 and is home to 280 stores, a UCI cinema - the busiest in the UK and one of the largest food courts in Europe known as The Orient. The Centre's owner and developer Peel Holdings PLC has also donated the use of Dock 9 for the swimming element of the Countryside Properties Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup www.traffordcentre.co.uk

Key 103, the official radio station of the Countryside Properties Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup, is Manchester's most listened to radio station with big characters like Steve Penk and Justin Moorhouse, playing the best variety of music in Rock, Pop, Dance and RnB. It's also the home of some of Manchester's most in demand dance DJ's including Graeme Park and Flip & Fill. www.key103.co.uk

The Manchester Evening News is proud to be the official newspaper sponsor of the Countryside Properties Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup 2005. www.manchesteronline.com

The ITU is the sole worldwide governing body of the Countryside Properties Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup and the sport of triathlon. Triathlon.org.