British triathletes race in Florida
Top Brits to race in Florida this weekend
On Saturday 5 March, five British triathletes will be racing in the 2011 Clermont ITU Sprint Triathlon Pan American Cup in Florida.
The sprint distance race will see competitors race around the Lake Louisa State Park, completing a 750m swim, 20km bike (four laps) and 5km run (two laps). Triathletes will race around the traffic free course, basked in warm Florida sunshine, with water temperatures expected to be around 15 degrees Celsius.
Helen Jenkins will get her season started in Florida, racing alongside Kerry Lang who also makes her season debut. Non Stanford will join the two triathletes, who are both members of the UK Sport Lottery funded British Triathlon World Class Programme, on the start line in the women’s race.
In the men’s race, Todd Leckie from British Triathlon’s World Class Development squad supported by UK Sport Lottery funding gets his season underway. Todd will be aiming to replicate the podium position he won at the end of last season in the 2010 Eilat ITU Triathlon Premium European Cup.
Todd commented: “I’m looking forward to starting the 2011 season in Florida; ideally I would have probably gone to South America to race in January however I had to have one last operation on my wrist in December. I’d like to get into the top 10 and earn some much needed ITU points but I’m not putting too much expectation on myself as the first race normally involves blowing out the cobwebs and reminding yourself just how hard racing is!”
Marc Jenkins completes the team of British triathletes racing in Florida, as the Welshman makes his second journey across the Atlantic this year following the early season Pan American Cup races in South America.
Matt Baird
Editor of Cycling Plus magazine 
