Triathlon News & Notes: Alcatraz Start List, Sub 7/8 Pacemakers Announced, and Andrea Hewitt Named to Commonwealth Games

This article originally appeared on Triathlete

Escape from Alcatraz pro list announced

The list of pros slated to compete at the 41st Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon on June 5 has been announced. Headliners include Olympian Ben Kanute (a four-time Alcatraz champ) and recently-minted North American Ironman 70.3 champion Jackie Hering, both of the U.S., along with Great Britain's Holly Lawrence, who placed second in last year's race, and Jason West, who is also fresh off his win at the 70.3 North American championships in Chattanooga. There is a $50,000 prize purse up for grabs. The race covers a 1.5-mile swim from Alcatraz Island, an 18-mile bike, and an 8-mile trail run, which includes the infamous 200-plus step Sand Ladder.

Andrea Hansen named to fourth Commonwealth Games team

New Zealand pro triathlete Andrea Hansen (nee Hewitt) has been a fixture on the elite triathlon scene since she won the U23 World Championship in 2005. 17 years and a baby daughter later, she is still racing with the best of them. Hansen, now 40 and a new mom to daughter Flossie, 15 months, was recently selected for her fourth Commonwealth Games, where she will represent New Zealand in the individual event and potentially the mixed team relay.

Remaining pacemakers revealed for Sub7 and Sub8 Project

This week Pho3nix Foundation revealed the remaining pacemakers selected by Alistair Brownlee, Kristian Blummenfelt, Nicola Spirig, and Kat Matthews for the Pho3nix Sub7 and Sub8 Project. The pacemakers include International Marathon Swimming Hall of Famer Angela Maurer and Swiss marathon national record holder Maja Neuenschwander (who will pace Spirig in the swim and run, respectively); triple Olympic medalist Jonathan Brownlee (who will pace his brother, Alistair, on the swim and run); and 2:09:12 Kenyan marathoner Barnaba Kipkoech (who will pace Blummenfelt on the run). The Sub7 and Sub8 Project will take place on June 5 or 6, weather dependent.

RELATED: What is the Sub7/8 Project?

Dates locked in for Sprint and Relay World Champs

Hamburg, Germany will be the site for the 2023 World Triathlon Sprint & Relay Championships between July 13 and 16 next year. The four-day event will feature the recently added mixed relay for elites, junior/U23, and age-group categories, plus a draft-legal sprint event for junior and age-group. The elites will compete in an eliminator format, where athletes have to qualify for the final over the super sprint distance (300m swim, 7km bike, 1.5km run) via semi-finals or repechages. The first edition of this championship event takes place next month, from June 22-26 in Montreal.

Age-group duathletes to compete at World Games

Team USA will send four duathletes to the 2022 World Games this summer, USAT announced. Kari Giles (Austell, Georgia), Deanna Newman (Mountain Brook, Alabama), Albert Harrison (Moscow, Idaho), and Alex Arman (Boulder, Colorado) will compete in the international competition, set to take place in Birmingham, Alabama, in July. Held every four years, the World Games mostly showcase sports not featured in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

NYC Triathlon adds a duathlon

And speaking of duathlon, the New York City Triathlon is adding a bike-run option to its lineup of events, scheduled for July 24. The race, a fixture in the city since 2001, will feature the standard Olympic-distance triathlon as well as the duathlon event, comprising a two-mile run, a 24.8-mile bike, and a 6.2-mile run (the latter two elements are held on the same course as the triathlon). Registration is now open and is limited to 3,000 athletes.

Pro triathletes band together for peace in Ukraine

Dozens of pro triathletes gathered together for a photo to show the Professional Triathlete's Organization (PTO) support for peace in Ukraine at the recent Ironman World Championships in St. George, Utah. "It was important for PTO Professionals to take a moment out of their preparation and join all peace-loving people to support those who are suffering the horrors of the war," said two-time Ironman World Champion Patrick Lange, who helped lead the gathering. "We are supporting the Ironman Foundation Ukrainian Relief Fund as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross, both of whom are providing vital assistance to refugees and others suffering." Those who would like to make a donation to either cause may do so here or here.

Podcast Notes

• The Triathlete Hour brings on Taylor Knibb--who rehashes her breakout 2021 season, which included a surprise qualification to the Olympics, a Collins Cup win, and her 3rd place finish at the 70.3 World Championship. Plus, she reveals a bit more about herself, including her plans for 2022.

• That Triathlon Life brings on its first-ever guest: Talbot Cox, who creates all of Lionel Sanders’ YouTube videos, along with other pro triathletes.

• The IronWomen podcast features pro triathlete Sarah Karpinski, who details her recent battle with COVID and how she's clawing back to peak performance shape.

• ProTriNews recaps recent races, including the 70.3 North American Championship in Chattanooga.

• The REAL Triathlon podcast showcases Dr. David Minkoff, founder of Body Health Nutrition and author of The Search for the Perfect Protein, who shares his journey within the sport of triathlon and how he created the Perfect Amino product.

• MX Endurance chats about the pacemakers for Sub7 and Sub8 Projects, as well as the prospects of Norway's Gustav Iden, who has confirmed he will race at the Ironman World Championships in October.

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