Hosted by British Triathlon, Swansea will welcome some of the world’s best paratriathletes on Saturday 6 August for a day of action-packed paratri racing.
This event is important for the sport of paratriathlon because it’s Britain’s first-ever standalone World Triathlon Para Series event (WTPS). Here’s everything you need to know…
Swansea WTPS race route
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The sprint course (750m swim, 19km bike, 5km run) will showcase some of the city’s highlights, including the Price of Wales Dock, Swansea Marina and the Tawe Basin, as well as landmarks like the Swansea Arena and the neoclassical Swansea Museum.
The course route will take competitors around a 750m lap of Prince of Wales Dock, athletes will then tear through T1 before taking to the 19km bike for four out-and-back loops along Oystermouth Road (A4067), where there will be plenty of opportunity for spectators to show their support.
Back over the river Tawe, the final 5km run will be along three short circular loops set slightly inland from the dock to finish.
Who’s racing Swansea WTPS?
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A range of paratri classes are set to race, including the PTVI visually-impaired class with British Paralympians Dave Ellis (and guide Luke Pollard) and Alison Peasgood set to be in attendance.
Both will have raced the prior weekend at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, in Birmingham; Ellis representing Team England and Peasgood Team Scotland.
Ellis believes that the race will help paratri gain more exposure: “The more people that see that you can do this if you have one arm, or you can do this if you’re in a wheelchair, then they’re going to be encouraged to actually get involved. Hopefully Swansea [WTPS] will do that.”
The PTS5 (limitations in lower or upper limbs) class will also be racing, which includes the likes of multiple European and world paratri champion Claire Cashmore.
On the men’s side, GB’s cycling powerhouse George Peasgood will be the one to beat: “I’m just really looking forward to being back racing in front of a home crowd.”
Peasgood, who earned silver at Tokyo 2020, believes the landmark event will provide an important platform for athletes and is delighted the event finally has its own place on the calendar.
“Usually, all the para events are mixed in with the non-disabled events,” said the Tokyo Paralympian. “It’s really good we’ve got our own event which we can use as a spectacle for the weekend and showcase paratriathlon.”
Other paratri classes racing include PTS2, PTS3, and PTS4.
Top image: Delly Carr/Getty Images