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ITU GAMAGORI WORLD CUP TESTS 2005 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS COURSE
Gamagori, Japan, For immediate release: Gamagori, which is an annual favourite
stop on the World Cup circuit, has moved from the motor boat stadium to “Laguna Gamagori” to test the new venue selected
for the 2005 World Championships when Japan will host the event for the first time. The new course features a 2 laps, 1500m
swim in the Laguna Yacht Harbour, following by a 6 lap, 40km bike course
which includes a steep 92 metre climb up to the gigantic Buddha statue. The bike course also includes some
challenging, technical corners. The final 3
lap, 10km run is around the Laguna.
The new course is very spectator-friendly for the thousands of spectators expected to watch the
event.
ITU
President Les McDonald, who selected the new venue and designed the bike
course said, “The bike course was intentionally designed to go around the prominent
Buddha statue on the top of the hill.
The Buddha statue is a symbol of peace for the people of Gamagori and is consistent with our
belief that world peace is possible through all sport and particularly triathlon.”
Teams
from around the world have arrived in Gamagori to contest the World Cup and to test the venue for the 2005 World Championships. Germany has sent their #1 World Ranked Anja Dittmer who will
be trying to solidify her position at the top. Dittmer has already won 2 World Cup titles this year
(Tiszaujvaros and Hamburg) and will be looking for her triple crown. In the men’s event Germany has entered Sebastien Dehmer and
Steffen Justus who took the gold and silver at the 2004 Under 23 World Championships. Justus made the podium at the Salford World Cup earlier this year, while
Dehmer just missed the podium at the Mazatlan World Cup. Andreas Raelert
who had strong performances in both the Athens Olympic Games and the Hamburg
World Cup is also someone to watch.
The
Aussies are also in Gamagori in full force including Anabel Luxford, Pip Taylor and Maxine Seear – world ranked 2, 3, and 4
respectively. All will be in the hunt
to take over the top spot from Dittmer.
Nicole Hackett, the 2000 World Champion is also returning to
World Cup racing following her time
off to have a family. Greg Bennett who
won this event in 2002 and narrowly missed the podium at the Olympic Games is
always a threat in the men’s event. Bryce
Quirk missed the World Cup swing through Europe after placing 2nd
in Tongyeong, and is an odds on favourite to move up the World Rankings with points he earns here.
Stuart
Hayes leads a strong British team into Gamagori. Hayes who is currently ranked 5th
in the World has 2 podiums to his credits
this year (Salford and Madrid.)
Perennial favourite Andrew Johns is returning to World Cup racing following his 16th
place finish at the Athens Olympic Games.
Michelle Dillon and Liz Blatchford are the top British women,
currently ranked 5th and 6th. Blatchford is coming off a podium finish
last weekend in Madrid and is always a threat.
Laura
Reback leads the American team with podium finishes in the past 2 World Championships. Seth Wealing and Joe Umphenour are the top Americans in the men’s
event.
Japanese fans will have lots to cheer about as Akiko Sekine,
who placed 12th at the Olympic Games, will be looking to repeat her podium
finish at this event in 2003. Maki
Shimomura, the Olympic reserve is also in good shape for the weekend race. In the men’s event the young Japanese team is led by Tsukasa
Hirano, the best swimmer in the circuit, who is expected to impress the crowd
when he exits the water in first position.
Hirokatsu Tayama who stunned the triathlon world with his thrilling swim-bike
performance at the Olympic Games is
also expected to perform well in front of his home-country crowd. Other Japanese athletes to watch are Machiko Nakanishi and Ai Ueda in the women’s event. Among the men, keep your eye on Hiroyuki
Nishiuchi, one of the best runners in the field, Junichi Yamamoto, who won
last weekend’s ITU Makuhari Asian Cup Triathlon, and Ryosuke Yamamoto, who
was Olympic substitute and will also be out to please his home-country fans
and impress Japanese TV viewers.
In the
coming years the World Cup events in Asia will be an important stepping stone to the
Beijing Olympics Games in 2008. Kyung-Sun
Yu, President of the Asian Triathlon Confederation, Chiharu Igaya (IOC), ITU Vice President and JTU
President will be meeting with ITU President, Les McDonald in Gamagagori to discuss plans for future growth of the Olympic sport of Triathlon.
ITU
Media will cover the Gamagori World Cup live on www.triathlon.org
with audio by former World Champion Jackie Fairweather (nee Gallagher), live text
updates, full live timing and pictures from Gamagori. Coverage begins at 11 a.m.,
local time which is 4:00 a.m., in Madrid, 10:00 p.m. in New York, 7:00 p.m. in
Vancouver and 12:00 a.m. in Sydney.
For more information on the ITU Gamagori Triathlon World Cup, or for further information on triathlon, visit www.triathlon.org
For 2005 Gamagori Elite Triathlon World Championships, visit http://www.gamagori.world-triathlon2005.com/6pm
and for the race venue "Laguna
Gamagori", visit http://www.laguna-gamagori.co.jp
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