Triathlon WT World Championship Series 2023

[mpjmcevoy 375]

20 hours ago, Rafa Maciel said:

And Olympic selection for Team GB

GBR Women are in an astonishingly good position. Potter is obviously now booked, and a fit GTB has to go. Which leaves, probably Waugh v Coldwell v Learmonth for the third spot - that's not a bad pool to be picking your third from, or second and third if GTB can't get fit!

 

GBR men on the other hand. Something needs done with the Yee swim leg because its becoming an issue, and behind him, neither Izzard nor Brownlee look good - one wonders if a pure domestique who can do a relay in a pinch might not be the safer bet at this point.

 

Shouldn't leave Fullagar put as a wild card in the women's side, though I think she's more likely for 2028

Edited September 25, 2023 by mpjmcevoy

[Nickyc707 382]

1 hour ago, mpjmcevoy said:

I see the name, and it seems obvious to me (perhaps cause I like cricket) the name is Waugh to rhyme with Raw.

Tugger and Afghan of course!

 

Evelyn and Auberon. Seems to be a concensus. Probably just the commentator not doing his homework.

Edited September 25, 2023 by Nickyc707

[Nickyc707 382]

1 hour ago, mpjmcevoy said:

GBR Women are in an astonishingly good position. Potter is obviously now booked, and a fit GTB has to go. Which leaves, probably Waugh v Coldwell v Learmonth for the third spot - that's not a bad pool to be picking your third from, or second and third if GTB can't get fit!

 

GBR men on the other hand. Something needs done with the Yee swim leg because its becoming an issue, and behind him, neither Izzard nor Brownlee look good - one wonders if a pure domestique who can do a relay in a pinch might not be the safer bet at this point.

 

Shouldn't leave Fullagar put as a wild card in the women's side, though I think she's more likely for 2028

I don't think Jess has competed in a long time due to injury last year and pregnancy this year. I believe she was due to give birth this month.

 

Another you haven't mentioned is Georgia Taylor-Brown who has suffered terribly from injury this year. Is she completely out of the running if fit and in form? She has the advantage of being six years younger than Jess who will be 36 by the time of the Games.

[Rafa Maciel 1,671]

34 minutes ago, mpjmcevoy said:

GBR Women are in an astonishingly good position. Potter is obviously now booked, and a fit GTB has to go. Which leaves, probably Waugh v Coldwell v Learmonth for the third spot - that's not a bad pool to be picking your third from, or second and third if GTB can't get fit!

 

GBR men on the other hand. Something needs done with the Yee swim leg because its becoming an issue, and behind him, neither Izzard nor Brownlee look good - one wonders if a pure domestique who can do a relay in a pinch might not be the safer bet at this point.

 

Shouldn't leave Fullagar put as a wild card in the women's side, though I think she's more likely for 2028

The first selection meeting for GB Triathlon is scheduled for 24th October when I expect Yee and Potter to be formally confirmed. GTB may also be confirmed under Criteria 2 but given she is recovering from injury, the selectors may decide to hold off naming her to the squad. Before yesterday, I would have assumed that Coldwell would get the nod given her stronger performance over the Olympic distance but it looks like it will come down to a 1-race shoot out in2024 to decide the third spot.

 

On the men's side, I'm not unduly concerned about Yee's performance yesterday. He is never going to be leading them out of the water and is happy to sit in the pack 20-25 seconds down. Where he came unstuck yesterday I think, was down to poor positioning during the swim - it looked pretty brutal going round some of the markers during the swim and it wouldn't surprise me if he took a knock on the second lap. One of Yee's strengths has been to bounce back after disappointing results and I think that yesterday was the 1st Olympic distance event that he has lost this year after victories in Cagliari and Paris. 

 

I really don't know what to make of Brownlee. He was injured over the summer so perhaps he wasn't fully fit, but he put in a truly dismal performance in Paris yet 10 days later he came second in the London leg of the Triathlon Super League. Yesterday he put in a great swim and cycle only to have a complete collapse in the run. The fact that Brownlee is still able to pull out decent performances over shorter distances within smaller fields should likely still make him favourite for the relay selection. 

 

Izzard's recent form has been fairly decent recently so yesterday was really disappointing. I'd like to say that he was hanging back to try to help Yee close the gap, but it was actually Max Stapely that was willing to act as the domestique.  

 

Both Stapely and Izzard are scheduled to take part in the Rome world cup event in a couple of weeks - all has a feeling of deja vu from 2021 with Tom Bishop trying to secure that 3rd GBR quota

[Grassmarket 4,108]

2 hours ago, Nickyc707 said:

I don't think Jess has competed in a long time due to injury last year and pregnancy this year. I believe she was due to give birth this month.

 

Another you haven't mentioned is Georgia Taylor-Brown who has suffered terribly from injury this year. Is she completely out of the running if fit and in form? She has the advantage of being six years younger than Jess who will be 36 by the time of the Games.

Yeah, Jess had her baby, mentioned in commentary.
 

Taylor-Brown has missed 2/3rd of the season so will need to show form early next year.

 

 Fiona Duffy the same, also long injury this year.

[mpjmcevoy 375]

6 hours ago, Nickyc707 said:

I don't think Jess has competed in a long time due to injury last year and pregnancy this year. I believe she was due to give birth this month.

 

Another you haven't mentioned is Georgia Taylor-Brown who has suffered terribly from injury this year. Is she completely out of the running if fit and in form? She has the advantage of being six years younger than Jess who will be 36 by the time of the Games.

If GTB is fit, she goes, imho. She is absolutely world class, a really strong relay runner, and gives a different kind of threat to Beaugrand than Potter - although Potter has really come into her own this year, regardless of Taylor Brown's troubles. I think , IF FIT, Potter and Taylor Brown, both gold medal threats, both go.

 

It's 'woman 3' were the intrigue is. Coldwell is the one closest to her 'peak', and is a proven relay athlete. Jess is definitely an elder stateswoman, but again, is a proven relay athlete. her winter will tell all. Waugh looks to be possibly the next big thing. along with Lombardi, and Waugh broke both Lombardi and Beaugrand yesterday - which makes her, perhaps more than Jess or Sophie, an individual medal threat. Given we know that a fit GTB can take Beaugrand at Olympic distance, have learned this year that Potter can too, and now have strong evidence Waugh can in the right race...

But Waugh is not proven in the relay.

 

If GTB is fit, there is an argument that Waugh or Coldwell or Learmonth are better relay bets than Potter, who really is an endurance based athlete. I think Fullagar and Matthias are likely going to have to wait to 2028, where I suspect Waugh will be #1.

 

So FWIW, if GTB is fit...I think it's Potter, GTB, Waugh. If GTB is not such a sure bet but is still going, maybe Potter GTB, Coldwell (coldwell being a stronger relay bet)...and obviously if GTB doesn't recover, Potter, Waugh and either Coldwell or Learmonth.

[Grassmarket 4,108]

Also, the season is not quite over - two more Super League races to go, which most of the big names will be doing.  Not your classic triathlon, but definitely relevant for relay legs.

Edited September 25, 2023 by Grassmarket

[mpjmcevoy 375]

58 minutes ago, Grassmarket said:

Also, the season is not quite over - two more Super League races to go, which most of the big names will be doing.  Not your classic triathlon, but definitely relevant for relay legs.

Yes, it's these that still give Brownlee the edge as things currently stand for me - He has always been slightly sharper over sprint/relay distances.

[mpjmcevoy 375]

8 hours ago, Rafa Maciel said:

The first selection meeting for GB Triathlon is scheduled for 24th October when I expect Yee and Potter to be formally confirmed. GTB may also be confirmed under Criteria 2 but given she is recovering from injury, the selectors may decide to hold off naming her to the squad. Before yesterday, I would have assumed that Coldwell would get the nod given her stronger performance over the Olympic distance but it looks like it will come down to a 1-race shoot out in2024 to decide the third spot.

 

On the men's side, I'm not unduly concerned about Yee's performance yesterday. He is never going to be leading them out of the water and is happy to sit in the pack 20-25 seconds down. Where he came unstuck yesterday I think, was down to poor positioning during the swim - it looked pretty brutal going round some of the markers during the swim and it wouldn't surprise me if he took a knock on the second lap. One of Yee's strengths has been to bounce back after disappointing results and I think that yesterday was the 1st Olympic distance event that he has lost this year after victories in Cagliari and Paris. 

 

I really don't know what to make of Brownlee. He was injured over the summer so perhaps he wasn't fully fit, but he put in a truly dismal performance in Paris yet 10 days later he came second in the London leg of the Triathlon Super League. Yesterday he put in a great swim and cycle only to have a complete collapse in the run. The fact that Brownlee is still able to pull out decent performances over shorter distances within smaller fields should likely still make him favourite for the relay selection. 

 

Izzard's recent form has been fairly decent recently so yesterday was really disappointing. I'd like to say that he was hanging back to try to help Yee close the gap, but it was actually Max Stapely that was willing to act as the domestique.  

 

Both Stapely and Izzard are scheduled to take part in the Rome world cup event in a couple of weeks - all has a feeling of deja vu from 2021 with Tom Bishop trying to secure that 3rd GBR quota

A third man willing to domestique would be a godsend to Yee.

[Nickyc707 382]

47 minutes ago, mpjmcevoy said:

A third man willing to domestique would be a godsend to Yee.

In someways Brownlee, unintentionally perhaps, might be that man. He appears to remain strong in the shorter distance relay legs but his problem seems to be in the running element of the Olympic distance races. However, with his swimming and cycling legs still very strong he could help get Yee into a position to exploit his formidable running skills.