The picturesque Lake Crackenback in New South Wales, Australia is the venue for this weekend’s 2016 ITU Cross Triathlon World Championship. The race presents the rare opportunity for a fusion of the world’s top traditional and off-road triathletes to clash.
Text By Rob Sheeley | Images By ITU, Witsup and Xterra Planet
A 1.5km swim, 32.8km mountain bike and 10km cross-country run provides the framework for the race, which has attracted a field boasting some top-shelf credentials.
Reigning champion Flora Duffy from Bermuda returns to defend the title that she won in Sardegna a year ago. Duffy has been nothing short of devastating in both forms of triathlon in 2016 and will line up as a resounding favourite.
Duffy not only won the ITU World Championship, defeating Olympic gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen in the process, but she also took out her third consecutive Xterra World Championship. It will take an almighty effort to dethrone Duffy in this race.
One of the most likely to usurp Duffy is Barbara Riveros. The diminutive Chilean finished second on this race last year and has the all-round style that makes her competitive in anything she enters.
Great Britain’s Jacqui Slack has been one of the most consistent performers at this race in recent years. She finished fourth last year, sixth in 2014 and fifth in 2014. Slack will be right at home in the conditions that Lake Crackenback will present and if anyone has earned a podium at this race, it is her.
Renata Bucher regularly races on the Xterra scene these days but has extensive experience in this race. The Swiss athlete has finished in the top ten at the event for the past five years with her best being a fourth in 2013.
Suzie Snyder is a multiple Xterra title winner who took out the Pan American Championship this year. She finished fourth in 2012 and has the experienced required to put herself into contention for a top three here.
2012 Olympic bronze medalist, Erin Densham, took out the Snowy Mountains OTU Oceania Championship last year. While there is no doubting that this race will be much tougher, she does have experience on the course, which should be of some assistance.
Charlotte McShane landed her first WTS podium when she finished third at the ITU Grand Final in Cozumel a few weeks ago. She has since finished third at the Nepean Triathlon and the Noosa Triathlon. While she may not often dip her toe into the off-road side of things, she does boast an Under 23 World Championship win back in 2008.
ITU Cross Triathlon World Championship 2016 Start List
41
Flora
Duffy
BER
42
Jacqueline
Slack
GBR
43
Renata
Bucher
SUI
44
Elizabeth
Orchard
NZL
45
Belinda
Hadden
AUS
46
Holly
Khan
AUS
47
Catherine
Sterling
USA
48
Myriam
Guillot Boisset
FRA
49
Erin
Densham
AUS
50
Anne-Sophie
Maréchal
BEL
51
Suzanne
Snyder
USA
52
Charlotte
McShane
AUS
53
Jessica
Richards
AUS
54
Penny
Hosken
AUS
55
Jessica
Simpson
AUS
56
Barbara
Riveros
CHI