World Triathlon Para Series Montreal expected to determine final Paralympics rankings • World Triathlon

On Saturday, the world’s para-triathletes will tackle the now familiar F1 course in Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, Canada, for the last time in this Paralympic cycle.

The final blue carpet action of a year-long qualifying phase will take place two months before the focus shifts to the challenge of a major medal hunt at Paris 2024 on the streets of the French capital on 1 and 2 September.

As a reminder, on July 1, the top nine in the rankings of each class will qualify for all but the women’s PTS3 (five who will move up to a higher class to compete with the PTS4 athletes) and a maximum of two per nation. A further 16 places will then be allocated via invitations from the Bipartite Commission.

In Montreal, the program includes a 750m swim, 20 fast and flat kilometers on the bike/handbike and then a 5km run/racing wheelchair, which will determine the final ranking. The start is at 7:55 a.m. local time. The weather could be challenging, with rain forecast, so the race is in full swing.

Stefan Daniel hopes for attack in Paris

The men’s PTS5 kicks things off, with favourite Stefan Daniel currently comfortably in first place and, as the only Canadian in the men’s field, eager to finally win Paralympic gold after silver in Rio and bronze in Tokyo.

The battle for gold in Montreal could be exciting against Chris Hammer, but further down the starting list, Turkey’s Ugurcan Ozer, France’s Antoine Besse and Ireland’s Tom Williamson know that a medal here would all but guarantee them a place in Paris, and even Japan’s Keiichi Sato, ranked 16th, could enter the competition.

Next up are the PTVI men and women, and another Frenchman, Thibaut Rigaudeau B3, will face Sam Harding B3 (AUS) and Kyle Coon B1 of the USA. The American is currently ranked 8th, with Japan’s Satoru Yoneoka B1 in 9th, but only eight points ahead of Spain’s Jose Luis Garcia Serrano B1. It’s close, but the door to Paris remains open for a great performance from Poland’s Lukasz Wietecki B3 or even Italy’s Manuel Lama B3 in 14th place.

Rodrigues on the road to success

Since finishing 5th in Rio 2016, Spain’s Susana Rodriguez B1 has been the PTVI queen of the last two Paralympic cycles and she will use the race as another opportunity to work on refining her partnership with new coach Sara Perez Sala after being eliminated from the Vigo Para Cup in early June.

Reigning world champion Francesca Tarantello B3 of Italy has established herself as a major threat in the race for Paralympic gold, while Ireland’s Chloe MacCombe B3 is coming off her first series win in Swansea. Brazil’s Leticia Freitas B1 is currently 10th in the rankings, just seven points off a top nine finish, with Australia’s Maggie Sandles B3 a further 14 points behind in 11th.

The wheelchair athletes start at 8:55 a.m. The American Howie Sanborn H1 leads the starting grid, the Japanese Jumpei Kimura H1 and the Tunisian Fathi Zwoukhi H1 are currently in 8th and 9th place and should secure their starting places in Paris. Ahmed Andaloussi H1 hopes to join Louis Noel H2 and secure two starting places for France on September 2nd.

In the women’s race, reigning Paralympic champion from the USA, Kendall Gretsch H2, will make her final stroke before defending her title, while her compatriots Emelia Perry H1 (currently ranked 9th) and Skyler Fisher H2 (1st) vie to become the second American to win the PTWC.

Gral gets a new chance

In the women’s PTS5 race, Kamylle Frenette will be favourite to take home the gold medal on home soil, while France’s Emilie Gral will be hoping to add a series medal to her 4th place finish in Swansea a week ago, which would catapult her from 10th place in the rankings into the top 9.

In the women’s PTS2 race, it is the familiar faces of the US trio of Hailey Danz, Melissa Stockwell and Allysa Seely who will be hoping to climb out of the uncertainty of an invitational spot. Only 15 points separate the latter duo after Tokyo 2020 champion Seely won in Swansea.

Mohamed Lahna and Mark Barr from the USA have secured their places for Paris 2024 and want to take positive results from their last race before the Paralympics. Frenchman Geoffrey Wersy, who is currently in 9th place, also seems to have a place on the starting grid, but he must expect the pressure to increase further from Gianluca Valori (ITA) and Glen Jarvis (AUS) in 10th and 11th place.

Spanish duo in PTS3 battle for Paris

In the men’s PTS3, Kini Carrasco and fellow countryman Diego Lardon Ferrer are vying for the chance to represent Spain in Paris alongside Daniel Molina, Korea’s Hwang Tae Kim seems to have secured his spot on September 1, and Dutchman Flip Breuer remains a Paralympic contender. In the women’s PTS3, a direct shootout for gold is expected between Mexico’s Kenia Yesenia Villalobos Vargas and the USA’s Rachel Watts.

In the women’s PTS4, American Kelly Elmlinger will be looking to extend her 100% record since silver at the 2022 World Championships, while Emma Meyers, who finished second here last year, will be looking to continue her remarkable rise in the sport and head to her Paralympic debut in good form. Australia’s Sally Pilbeam and Germany’s Elke Van Engelen are ready to make a competition out of the action.

Finally, the ever-impressive Alexis Hanquinquant will compete for France. He is favourite for the Paralympic title but is taking nothing for granted as he prepares for the big Games in his own country. Carson Clough of the USA will also be a hot medal contender on September 1 and Finley Jakes of Great Britain will be hoping to join them with a top result, although Hideki Uda (JPN) and Jorge Luis Fonseca (BRA) are also poised to push for safe top nine spots.

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