The 2012 ITU Triathlon World Cup season takes one step closer to coming to a close with Tongyeong slated for this Saturday. As the penultimate stop on the world cup schedule, athletes are in for a treat with another tough bike course, which includes two hills with grades of 13% and 15%. As the birth city of the ITU World Triathlon Series, Tongyeong has seen numerous nail-biting finishes. The sixth World Cup to be held in the coastal Korean city is sure to be no different as athletes vie for the podium.
Women’s Preview: New Zealand Olympian Nicky Samuels will wear number one at the start line for the women’s race. Known for her powerful cycling, Samuels will be difficult to beat if she is in the lead pack off the swim and in her comfort zone on the challenging bike course. Samuels has proven to excel on hilly bike courses after her breakaway victory in Mooloolaba in 2011.
The Kiwi will receive opposition from Poland’s Maria Czesnik and Agnieszka Jerzyk, both of whom represented their country in London this summer. Czesnik joins the contingency having recently secured silver at the Guatape World Cup, which is infamous for its tough bike. Meanwhile Jerzyk, the reigning U23 World Champion, is emerging as a strong force on the elite schedule with a 25th-place finish in London and a 30th-place ranking on the ITU World Triathlon Series charts.
Australia will feature a handful of young athletes brimming with potential. With a total of five women slated to toe the start line, the group is the second largest team in the field, trailing only the home team Korea. Led by Charlotte McShane, expect these fresh faces gunning for breakthrough performances.
Japan has four women in the field with Ayami Kawaguchi and Hideko Kikuchi, who consistently record podium finishes at ITU Asian Cups. However, Yuka Sato, who is significantly junior to her teammates, is the real threat for Japan. With a sizeable amount of ITU racing experience to her short career, Sato should rival Australia’s youth. Sato has transitioned from a top junior in which she was crowned Youth Olympic Games champion in 2010 to elite runner-up at the Asian Championships this year. Her top World Cup result was a 6th place finish in Ishigaki earlier this year.
