Race for Glory at Edmonton U23 World Triathlon Championships 2021
This weekend the best rising triathlon talents from around the globe will try to bridge the gap to the Senior Elite World stage as they race for glory in Edmonton, the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta, for the U23 World Triathlon Championship on Saturday August 21.
The U23 Triathlon World Championships are part of the World Triathlon Grand Final which marks the culmination of the World Triathlon Series by crowning the men’s and women’s elite world champions, while also featuring world championship events for U23s.
The U23 athletes take to the Hawrelak Park course for an Olympic-distance 1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run competition, with the U23 women set to start at 8:00 a.m. local time and the U23 men rounding out the day’s races at 4:30 p.m. local time.
The men’s field is stacked with top contender Hungary’s Csongor Lehmann former Junior World Champion and Silver Medalist at the Lausanne U23 World Championship 2019 as well 2019 Junior World Championships bronze medallist Spains Sergio Baxter.
Also in the mix another junior world champion Aussie, Matthew Hauser, the American Chase McQueen, who took a Team Gold in in Montreal’s mixed relay and the Kiwis Dylan McCullough and Saxon Morgan who both took a Team Silver in the relays. Eyes will also be on Brazil’s Miguel Hidalgo, who took third in Huatulco and made his WTCS debut last weekend in Montreal with an 11th-place finish.
British hopes lay on two newcomers to the worlds international scene, Connor Bentley and Cameron Main. At the European Spring Championship in Kitzbühel Conner Bentlley was 3rd in the u23’s and 9th overall in the seniors and only 15 seconds behind Olympic Bronze Medialist Hayden Wilde. Scotland’s Cameron Main in the early part of this year took bronze at the European Triathlon Cup Dnipro. Oozing with grit and determination Cameron is ready to make the step up as he seeks to impress Scottish selectors for a place in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
A strong field will contest the U23 World Championship crown. On the starting line will be young Kiwi, Ainsley Thorpe, fresh off a silver-medal performance in the mixed relay in Montreal as will be Denmark’s Alberte Kjaer Pedersen who took the win at the Huatulco World Triathlon Cup in June. The 2019 U23 bronze medallist, Lisa Tertsch, will be looking forward to a powerful performance with eyes on the two upcoming French starletts, Emma Lombardi and Lea Coninx (younger sister of WTCS Montreal champion Dorian.
The British have lined up a strong quartet of women
| Start Number | DOB | Country | ||
| 2 | Olivia | Mathias | 1998 | GBR |
| 6 | Sophie | Alden | 1998 | GBR |
| 12 | Sophia | Green | 2000 | GBR |
| 14 | Kate | Waugh | 1999 | GBR |
Scotland’s Sophie Green lines up for her World Championship debut having stormed onto the international circuit with a top podium position at the European Triathlon Cup Ciombra and taking bronze at the Dnipro European Cup behind the now controversial winner Ukraine’s Yuliya Yelistratova who was sent home from the Tokyo Olympic for drug cheating.
Hear all about Sophia Green’s triathlon career to date on TriNation Podcast
Olivia Mathias has continued her journey into the Elite ranks with success this year, claiming the victory in Tiszaujvaros Triathlon Europe Cup last month and displaying great performances in both the Montreal and Leeds WTCS events, while Sophie Alden produced top ten finishes this year in the Tiszaujvaros Triathlon Europe Cup and European Spring Championship in Kitzbühel.
Finally, but not least is Kate Waugh, who is returning to competition after a pandemic year that has meant no starts for her since late 2019, a year which saw her just miss out on a podium in the Lausanne World Champion coming 4th but winning Silver in the Mixed Relay.
