World Triathlon Series 2015: Auckland Route, Start Time, Date, TV Info, Preview
The 2015 World Triathlon Series will see some of the world’s finest multifaceted athletes ply their trade in 10 different cities across the globe, and after the sprint season opener in Abu Dhabi last time out, the Auckland race will pose a sterner test of endurance.
Last year’s event attracted some of the star names in the sport, with the British duo of Jonathan and Alistair Brownlee taking part. But such is the quality of the field, they could only finish third and fourth, respectively, in the overall standings behind winner Javier Gomez and runner-up Mario Mola. The United States’ Gwen Jorgensen won the women’s series at a canter.
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The second event of this year’s series will see the triathletes head to New Zealand, with a strong start imperative to their chances of standing on the podium come the end of the season. Here’s a closer look at the event itself and the names to look out for in the race Down Under.
Date: Sunday, March 29
Time: Women’s—12:50 p.m. (Local), 11:50 p.m. (GMT, Mar. 28). Men’s—4:40 p.m. (Local) 4:40 a.m. (BST)
TV Info: Live on BBC (UK)
Click here (page 25) for the route.
Javier Gomez the Man to Beat in Auckland Again
After a sixth-place finish in the sprint race in Abu Dhabi, Gomez will be looking to work his way back to the summit of the standings with a win in Auckland. It’s an event he won comfortably last season, and the two years previous, but with the top five ranked men in the world taking part at this event, he’s going to face stern competition.
Here’s a look at how he won this event 12 months ago:
British hopes will rest on the shoulders of the Brownlee brothers here. Both Jonathan and Alistair are quality operators at this level and will be desperate to breach the Spanish monopoly of the top two spots this time round. Beating Gomez around this circuit looks like a tough ask, though.
The scenic waterfront Auckland course is definitely an ideal place to get their respective campaigns kick-started in earnest, as we can see here courtesy of triathlete Laurent Vidal:
"New Zealand is hosting the 2nd round of the @worldtriathlon World Cup in #NewPlymouth pic.twitter.com/RWgZiR0RuM
— laurent vidal (@laurentvidal) March 20, 2015"
Jorgensen looks like the standout competitor in the women’s field once again. She reaffirmed her quality with an emphatic 16-second win in the Abu Dhabi sprint and will be desperate to put herself in the box-seat for another World Series win with a fine display in Auckland.
After the American’s win in the opening round, she wrote on her official website that while the World Series will be focused on throughout 2015, the main target will be to secure qualification for the 2016 Olympic Games:
"In 2015 I will be focusing on the WTS series, but my main focus will be to qualify for the Olympic Games. I will target the test event in Rio. In order to achieve my goals, I have a lot of hard work ahead of me. It won’t be easy, but I’m motivated. In training, there are a few things I want to accomplish this year.
"
Indeed, the World Triathlon Twitter account posted a timely reminder to those competing in Auckland this weekend that the big show in Rio de Janeiro isn’t too far away and that points aplenty are up for grabs:
It’s difficult to see anything other than wins for both Gomez and Jorgensen in their respective races in New Zealand. Both were in fine shape at the season opener, and after dominating their classifications last year, they will be bristling with confidence coming into the first full-distance event of the series.
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