Posted: October 31, 2007

Triathlon: Whitfield leads Canadians into Cancun world cup

CANCUN, Mexico – Simon Whitfield looks to solidify his spot as the world number two when he and the rest of the Canadian triathlon team head south to Cancun for the 14th stop of the BG Triathlon World Cup series. After locking a spot on his third Olympic team, Whitfield sets his sights on a third world cup title of the year after posting wins in Vancouver and Kitzbuehel earlier in the summer. Joining him in the Cancun field will be a strong Canadian team that includes national champion Paul Tichelaar and Pan Am Games silver medalist Brent McMahon. Heading into this weekend’s world cup, the Canadian men’s team is the 7th of eight countries that would qualify the maximum of three men for the Beijing Olympics. In the women’s field, Canada will send all three medalists from this year’s national championships including new national champion Kathy Tremblay. Like the Canadian men, the women’s team will be keen to collect Olympic qualifying points. Currently the team is sitting 6th of eight countries that could send three women to Beijing next summer. Canada has never sent full men’s and women’s triathlon teams to the Olympics. The international field is highlighted by a powerful New Zealand squad including the winners from the two world cups staged in Canada; Edmonton gold medalist Bevan Docherty and Samantha Warriner, who triumphed at the Vancouver world cup. The Kiwis are tied with Australia for most world cup medals this year with 16. The U.S. will be well represented with Pan Am Games gold medalists Andy Potts and Julie Ertel, along with Laura Bennett and Jarrod Shoemaker, the first Americans to earn spots on the U.S. triathlon Olympic team. Canadians competing in the 2007 Cancun BG Triathlon World Cup are: Simon Whitfield (Victoria, BC) – 9-time world cup winner, leads all active men for most world cup titles Paul Tichelaar (Edmonton, AB) – 2007 Canadian National Champion Brent McMahon (Victoria, BC) – 2004 Olympian, 2007 Pan American Games silver medalist Kyle Jones (Oakville, ON) – 4th place at 2007 Pan American Games Colin Jenkins (Hamilton, ON) – current world #42 Sean Bechtel (Caledon, ON) – making 2007 world cup debut Kathy Tremblay (Montreal, QC) – 2007 Canadian National Champion Ayesha Rollinson (Midland, ON) – 2007 Canadian National Championships runner-up Alicia Kaye (Smithers, BC) – 2007 Canadian National Championships bronze medalist The stunning Mexican resort city has hosted world cup races eight times since 1997, as well as the world championships in 1995 and 2002. Olympic qualifying began June 1, 2006 and concludes after the Vancouver BG Triathlon World Championships next June. Both men’s and women’s fields are capped at 55 each and a maximum of eight National Olympic Committees can qualify the maximum of three men and three women. For more information on the International Triathlon Union’s qualification process and criteria, please visit triathlon.org. Full race results and race report will be available immediately after the event. For more...Triathlon.org. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest