Held
on the Japanese island of Honshu, the race course
has been designed within the precinct of the Japan
Expo Yamaguchi 2001. With a man made lagoon to accommodate
the 1500m swim, and a hill built specifically to increase
the difficulty of the 40km bike and 10km run disciplines
for the ITU World Cup, the race will draw over 100,000
sports fans from the prefecture, all in hope of a
Japanese success.
Sekine
will face the women's race favourites, including two
Olympic heroes, Sheila Taormina (USA) and Carol Montgomery
(CAN).
The
tenacious Taormina won Olympic Gold at the Atlanta
Olympic Games in 1996, before stepping up to the challenge
of triathlon. Taormina has yet to capitalise on the
lead she regularly takes onto the bike leg, however
is determined to make it to the podium on Sunday.
Montgomery,
however, has a record of ITU World Cup success, and
is the only woman in the world who has represented
her country for two sports at the Olympic Games -
10,000 metres track and field and triathlon in Sydney,
2000.
The
lean form of Montgomery is an enormous advantage during
the run. However this same characteristic becomes
a challenge for the Vancouver triathlete susceptible
to poor performance in cold climate races, as she
experienced at the Toronto World Cup and the Edmonton
World Championships last month. With the weather expected
to tip around 33 degrees Celsius on Sunday, Montgomery
is looking forward to the Yamaguchi race.
Also
suited to hot weather is Rina Hill (NZL), who just
missed a World Championship medal in Edmonton. Consistent
in the conditions of Japan, Hill put her plans for
retirement on hold after her fantastic race last month
and will now race at least another season of triathlon.
Rina
Hill's namesake, Chris Hill (AUS), World Championship
silver medallist, is clear favourite in the men's
race, and could take the number one world ranking
position with a solid performance on Sunday. Andrew
Johns (GBR) will not race in Yamaguchi, leaving his
position open for Hill to pounce.
However
Hill will need to overcome his training partners,
Miles Stewart (AUS) and Shane Reed (NZL) for a victory.
Stewart will revel in the technical twists and turns
of the bike course and has an impressive career record
of success in Japanese races. Having won his first
world title over ten years ago, the steadfast athlete
is very popular in Japan and will benefit from the
spectators in Yamaguchi.
Reed,
who has taken a break from racing so far this season,
will go into the race as an unknown quantity on Sunday.
With the experience of ITU World Cup podium finishes,
and the hunger to race, Reed may be the dark horse.
"I
feel really fresh," said Reed. "While the
other guys have been travelling and racing all season,
I have been taking it pretty easy. I am really excited
to be here because it feels like such a long time
since I have lined up!"
The
ITU World Cup Yamaguchi has been selected by several
National Federations as an introduction to their youth
to World Cup racing. The Australian, Spanish, Canadian,
Japanese and Mexican Federations have all included
fresh team members.
Carole
Peon, Yohann Vincent, Cedric Deanaz, Cedric Fleureton
and Guillame Dechacanne will race their first World
Cup for France. Hitomi Natori, Saki Yoshikawa, Makoto
Nagatome, Hirokatsu Tayama, Hiroaki Asakawa and Tsukasa
Hirano, for Japan, will build towards the 2004 Athens
Olympic Games. Emma Snowsill, Annabel Luxford, Levi
Maxwell and Bryce Quirk will hope to become the next
generation of Australian successes in triathlon.
"The
Olympic Games have become the important priority for
National Federations," said ITU Chief Technical
Delegate, Michel Gignoux. "There are still three
years until the Athens Olympic Games, but already
you will see young athletes preparing themselves for
this important event. The ITU World Cup racing is
the method for their qualification for the Olympic
Games and their best preparations for the race."
Allsport
pictures will be available, free of charge in editorial
use, within two hours of the event completion by request
(please email to address below), and six hours within
the Allsport archives.
For
further information, interview or picture requests,
please contact:
Nici
Andronicus
Email: nici.andronicus@sportsworld.net
Tel: +81 (0) 90 8993 6008 (local Japanese mobile phone)
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