Team Ireland at Lisbon World Cup This Weekend
Another week, another weekend of international triathlon! Irish duo Carolyn Hayes and Russell White are now in the middle of their quest for Olympic qualification, which started last week in Yokohama. This block of races could potentially mean six races in six weeks for the pair.
This week Hayes and White continue their points races at the 2021 World Triathlon Cup Lisbon. Earlier this morning, the mixed relay team were lapped out in an ultra competitive field in an event they will ultimately have to use as a learning experience.
The Course
The course for the elite races consists of a 1500 metre swim, an eight lap 40km (predominantly flat but technical) bike course and a four lap 10km run course. Describing the standard distance course that lies ahead for Team Ireland, National Head Coach Michael Black says;
“The course has a bit of a kick up, like the Mixed Team Relay does but it’s multiple laps and depending how they get out of the water – it could be very tight.”
White & Manthey Line Out in Lisbon
Russell White and Ian Manthey start in the Elite Men’s Race on Saturday. The men’s field is stacked with top names including world number two Mario Mola, last week’s winner in Yokohama Kristian Blummenfelt and 2019 IRONMAN 70.3 World Champ Gustav Iden. Read the start list on World Triathlon here.
White pulled up during last week’s 2021 World Triathlon Championship Series Yokohama. Not having the race he had planned, White made the call to save his run legs for another day. Though last week hasn’t affected his Olympic Qualification standing, White will be hoping for a better day out in Lisbon, as National Head Coach Michael Black explains;
“He’s definitely looking for a better performance. There was alot of things last week that probably didn’t go his way with regards travel and food and first race out.”
“He’s one that will definitely be looking to have a good performance. We know he can swim very, very well. He generally gets out in the front pack with most swims. His main aim first and foremost is to get out of the swim in a competitive way that he can run because his run has been really, really strong over the last five or six weeks. He just hasn’t had an opportunity to demonstrate that, looking forward to seeing what he can do.”
In his first race since since Arzachena World Cup last year, Ian Manthey will be looking forward to making his first 2021 international start on Saturday.
Irish Trio in Women’s Elite Event
The trio of Carolyn Hayes, Maeve Gallagher and newcomer Chloe Pollard will be on the start line in good company for the standard distance Elite Women’s race in Lisbon on Sunday. Read the full Start List.
Finishing last week’s Yokohama World Series race in 42nd was lower down the rankings than Carolyn Hayes would have hoped for, but it hasn’t changed her position in the Olympic simulation. Carolyn currently holds the European New Flag spot. To keep her place after this weekend, Hayes will be looking to beat athletes from other European countries who don’t currently have an athlete in the Olympic Rankings.
Carolyn is still currently in a strong position for qualification but needs this week’s race to hold that spot. Triathlon Ireland Head Coach Michael Black explains what Carolyn Hayes will need from this race;
“If Carolyn finishes in the top 25 or 30 in the class of field that is there, that’s a decent performance. If she gets out of the swim in a competitive placing, in that top 20 in the second group or even the first group, her power is on the run. She can sit in a group and she can run off the bike…she can really, really run well off the bike. As long as Carolyn comes out of the swim well positioned, she definitely has a good chance of going right up the field.”
Maeve Gallagher is back at an international event for the first time since last year’s World Champs in Hamburg and is always one to watch – she’ll be building valuable experience at senior level this weekend.
Chloe Pollard will be a new name to many. Chloe’s first race for Ireland was last week at the 2021 Europe Triathlon Cup Caorle where she finished 16th in a large field, coming out of the water an impressive second.
How to Watch
The races will all be shown on TriathlonLive.tv
Elite Men’s Event: Saturday, 22nd May at 12.20pm
Elite Women’s Event: Sunday, 23rd May at 13.30
