London: The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has announced a stellar start list for the inaugural PTO European Open women’s race in Ibiza on Saturday 6 May, led by PTO World #1 Ashleigh Gentle (AUS), #2 Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR), #3 Paula Findlay (CAN) and #4 Daniela Ryf (SWI).
In total, the field for the first PTO Tour women’s race of the new season includes all of the top 10 PTO ranked female athletes and 19 of the top 30 – covering 13 different countries, including home favourite and PTO World #20 Sara Perez Sala (ESP).
“Everyone knows the PTO Tour races were huge for me last season,” said Ashleigh Gentle, who ran away with three victories in three appearances in 2022, after winning the PTO Canadian and US Opens as well as beating Laura Philipp and Chelsea Sodaro in her Collins Cup match for Team International.
“But this is a new season, a new PTO Tour event and another exciting new venue, so I certainly won’t be taking anything for granted. I have had a consistent summer down here in Australia and the training has been going well but I know the competition for podium places is going to be really intense in Ibiza. It’s going to make for some thrilling racing and I’m excited to get to the start line and get the PTO Tour underway,” continued the 32-year old Australian, who started her 2023 season by winning the middle-distance Hell of the West event in Queensland on March 26.
PTO World #2 Lucy Charles-Barclay is yet to race this year, but having been injured for significant chunks of last season, she will be raring to go around the Ibiza Town course to try and claim her maiden PTO Tour win.
“Having missed out on two of the PTO Tour races last term, nothing was going to stop me lining up for the first-ever PTO European Open in Ibiza. I can’t wait for the opportunity to test myself against the very best athletes in the world and, hopefully, start my 2023 race season with a win,” explained the twenty-nine year old from Great Britain.
The PTO European Open women’s automatically qualified start list can be found here and includes:
- Ashleigh Gentle (AUS)
- Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR)
- Paula Findlay (CAN)
- Daniela Ryf (SWI)
- Anne Haug (GER)
- Chelsea Sodaro (US)
- Laura Philipp (GER)
- Holly Lawrence (GBR)
- Emma Pallant-Browne (GBR)
- Lisa Norden (SWE)
- Fenella Langridge (GBR)
- Kat Matthews (GBR)
- Jocelyn McCauley (US)
- Tamara Jewett (CAN)
- Sara Perez Sala (ESP)
- Ellie Salthouse (AUS)
- Daniela Bleymehl (GER)
- Grace Thek (AUS)
- India Lee (GBR)
- Lucy Byram (GBR)
- Rebecca Clarke (NZL)
- Lusia Baptista (BRA)
- Lotte Wilms (NED)
- Barbara Riveros (CHI)
- Maja Stage Nielsen (DEN)
Commenting on the field announcement, PTO CEO Sam Renouf said:
“We want the PTO Tour to be the pinnacle of the sport, giving the professional triathletes a global platform they deserve and the fans of the sport the drama of the world’s best going head-to-head throughout the season. This start list is very much in keeping with that ambition and will hopefully whet the appetites of not just our incredible athletes but also the fans in Ibiza and around the world. A special note of thanks should also go to our partners from the Spanish Triathlon Federation and World Triathlon.”
The PTO European Open will feature a women’s and men’s 100km race (2km swim; 80km bike; 18km run) in Ibiza Town, set against the island’s idyllic Balearic backdrop and co-hosted alongside the 2023 World Triathlon Multisport Championships. The two PTO races take place on Saturday 6 May, with the men starting at 0815 CET and the women at 0945 CET. Both will be broadcast live around the world to 170+ territories, courtesy of the PTO Tour’s partnerships with Warner Bros. Discovery (you can watch the action live on Eurosport 2 from 0800 CET) as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters including DAZN, beIN Sports and SPOTV.
The 2023 PTO European Open men’s start list will be confirmed tomorrow (Wednesday 12 April). The four wildcards for each of the races will be announced on Thursday (13 April).
The 2023 PTO Tour starts in Ibiza on 6 May before going to Milwaukee on 4-5 August for the PTO US Open and then to Singapore for the first-ever PTO Asian Open on 19-20 August.
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For Further Information
Professional Triathletes Organisation
Anthony Scammell E: [email protected]
About the Professional Triathletes Organisation
The PTO is a new body, co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of Triathlon and take it to the next level. Each PTO Open is raced over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run). 2023 PTO Tour races announced include: the PTO European Open in Ibiza on 6 May, the PTO US Open in Milwaukee on 4-5 August and the PTO Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August. The season will be underpinned by the PTO World Rankings, helping to create a compelling season-long narrative in the sport for the first time.
