Brownlee Brothers to race ETU Triathlon Euros
Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee will form part of a powerful GE Great Britain men’s team at the ETU Triathlon European Triathlon Championships in Athlone, Ireland, 3-4 July
Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee will form part of a powerful GE Great Britain men’s team at the ETU Triathlon European Triathlon Championships in Athlone, Ireland, 3-4 July. Hollie Avil, the World Under 23 Champion, also steps up to senior level to contest the women’s European title.
Alistair Brownlee made a dramatic return to competition at the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Madrid last weekend, winning despite having missed the first part of the season due to a femoral stress fracture. Brownlee has won world titles at junior, under 23 and senior level as well as the European Junior title in 2007. However, the European senior title has eluded him so far having been beaten by Spain’s Javier Gomez last year in Holten in the Netherlands.
Alistair Brownlee said: “I’ve been very pleased with how things have gone since returning from injury. I genuinely didn’t expect to win in Madrid and am excited by the prospect of another battle with Javier Gomez in Ireland for the European title.
“European athletes are doing very well this year, and the event has attracted a very strong field. It’s going to be tough, but there are no easy wins in triathlon and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Will Clarke, Olly Freeman and Phil Graves complete a strong GE Great Britain Team, with Will Clarke having had a good result at Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon Elite Cup in Des Moines, Iowa, where he came sixth on Sunday.
Katie Ingram will race the first triathlon championship event of her career, whilst Hollie Avil returns to action having missed the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Madrid through illness.
Ingram was recruited to triathlon through the trigold talent initiative. The 24 year old recently finished 3rd at the Senec ITU Triathlon European Cup and will look to gain more experience from racing in Athlone.
Thorrington races at senior European level for the first time and Vanessa Raw takes part having won the third event of the British Triathlon Super Series, the Nokia Windsor Triathlon on Sunday.
Performance Director, Heather Williams said: “We are sending a strong team to the Europeans. Obviously Alistair Brownlee is going to be closely watched, but Will Clarke also had a strong performance at the weekend.
“Most of the team will spend the next two weeks at a preparation camp in Portugal, so they will race straight off the back of a period of hard work. Our key goals remain the Dextro Energy ITU Triathlon World Championship London and the Grand Final in Budapest.”
GE Great Britain Triathlon Team
Men: Alistair Brownlee, Will Clarke, Jonny Brownlee, Olly Freeman, Phil Graves
Women: Hollie Avil, Katie Ingram, Vanessa Raw, Abbie Thorrington
Matt Baird
Editor of Cycling Plus magazine 
