San Francisco, USA: All eyes will be on the City by the Bay in California early tomorrow morning when two of the strongest fields so far this year are ready to take the plunge into the cold waters off Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco T100.

It’s certainly a venue and a course that’s got all the professionals talking…

Canadian World #6 Paula Findlay: ‘‘It’s a really unique place to race. I’d done Escape from Alcatraz twice before so I’m familiar with it. It’s certainly not like any other long course race in the world. There’re really steep climbs, a lot of laps and insane views. Just riding past the Golden Gate bridge that people recognise from movies and TV shows is really cool and it feels surreal. For the T100 to host these big events in these cities that everyone knows and will look amazing on the broadcast is really special and I feel lucky to be here. I’m excited about the venue and I think it’ll be a race we haven’t seen before.’’

Britain’s double Olympic champion, Alistair Brownlee: ‘‘It’s an event that I’ve known about for a long time. It’s always been on my bucket list to do and it’s cool that I’m here. The cold-water swim is one-way off the boat. It’s unique and something I’ve not done before, and the bike course has those tough hills and I’m looking forward to that. I think this T100 distance is really exciting because it’s bringing the best talents from across the spectrum. We have Marten Van Riel here for the first time this weekend and he’s probably one of the best people in the world at this distance, I’d say. I think what I’m most excited about is having that range of competitors on the course.’’

Four-time Escape From Alcatraz winner, Ben Kanute from the USA: ‘‘Every race I go into I’m motivated to try and win and compete against the best. That’s what I want to do every time, but I feel like I have a little bit more behind this race because I’ve been so many times. ‘I’ve been able to win Escape from Alcatraz so many times before and I just want to go off, put on a good show and take some risks and go for the win.’’

2021 winner Emma Pallant-Browne: ‘‘I raced here in Escape from Alcatraz three years ago. It’s a slightly different course but the swim is as I remembered it. The bike has the toughest climb so that’s good, I’m hoping that’ll separate the bike out a bit and then the run is flat and far so I’m looking forward to that. It’s going to be a hard race but a good one to push.”

Miami T100 winner Magnus Ditlev: ‘‘I went off going from Miami on a high note and then to Singapore for the next race in this series but then I crashed my race and wasn’t able to race there so I went from super high to super low. I think that motivated me to get back to work and work even harder for this one. I’m more motivated and fitter than I’ve been in a long time now and I’m really excited to get to San Francisco and race on an iconic course.’’

New T100 ingredient Belgian Marten Van Riel, who was one of subjects of the Countdown to San Francisco preview show: ‘‘I’ve been in the short distance a long time and doing the same courses every year and having the same competition every year gets a bit boring.  Now it’s super exciting because we’ve got an awesome course here in San Francisco and it’s going to be crazy. I’m racing new people, it’s just a whole new vibe with T100 around the race and I’m really fired up to race here and be part of it.’’

The other athlete featured in the preview show, American Taylor Knibb, is itching to make up for lost T100 time.

“Have I been keeping track of the T100 season?,” said the American fresh from our latest Olympic qualification, this time for cycling. “It feels like it’s a train leaving the station, and if you never get on it, you just miss it for life. Already two really fantastic races. You’re getting the best athletes in the world not only at the races but really wanting to perform and excited to race, and incredible destinations and incredible places. I’ve heard some rumours that it’s going to be a very hard course [in San Francisco]. I am concerned about the cold water we will be diving in. The water in San Francisco, the first weekend in June, is very, very, very cold. It’s not like I won’t fight and put my best foot forward. I know I love the racing format, I know I love the distance. “It’s a bonus race, because the prep is for Paris now. I have no expectations,” she told the San Francisco Chronicle today.

For more on Taylor’s predicted battle with Australian Ashleigh Gentle, watch here. For a trip down triathlon’s memory lane, watch Alistair Brownlee and Javier Gomez talking ahead of Saturday’s race here.

Meanwhile, the new men’s PTO World #1 Sam Long told CNN’s World Sport show that he was “focusing on my own process. I have the winning formula within me and have gotten close. It’s a matter of when, not if, and while I would love for it to happen this weekend. If not, I will keep focusing on my own mastery of the craft… especially the swim!”

And last night the PTO found time to team up with the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), in partnership with Purple Patch Fitness, to raise money for CAF and its mission to help athletes with physical challenges live full, active lives. The event raised almost $75,000 USD that will be given out in grants announced at the Lake Las Vegas T100 races on 19-20 October and also included a Q&A with Ashleigh Gentle, Jan Frodeno and Alistair Brownlee. 

The broadcast for the San Francisco T100 will be anchored by Alex Payne. Jack Kelly will be the lead commentator with expert analysis from T100 regular Jan Frodeno and the returning Vicky Holland. It begins at 0545 PST in the US, with the men starting at 0600 and the women at 0645.  It will be live in the US on Max, beIN and Outside or via PTO+ for the rest of the world and shown on Eurosport 1 after the French Open Tennis Final from Roland Garros at 10pm CEST. For details of how else to watch and start times around the globe, as well as the course, visit: https://t100triathlon.com/san-francisco/pro/

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Notes To Editors:

Please find the link to T100 photography access below, including instructions on how to set up your account.

• Go to this link and set up an account https://t100triathlon.photoshelter.com/ by clicking Login in the top right hand corner.
• If you have already signed up for multimedia access before, you will be immediately approved and ready to download T100 race images. If you’re new, pls visit our accreditation link here.
• You’re aiming for the ‘Media Selects’ folder which will include pictures from San Francisco T100

For Further Information:

Anthony Scammell E: [email protected]

About Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO)

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It is a season-long schedule of eight T100 races during 2024 that will be competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and will feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October), Dubai (16-17 November) and at the Grand Final (29-30 November). There will also be racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at six stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and at the Grand Final. The global broadcast shows the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.