The World Multisport Championships will be held off-road. Following the elite duathlon on Friday and Sunday, the cross triathlon will be the next sport to be held in Townsville, where athletes will take on a particularly exciting course. Opening with a 1km sea swim. Luckily, the area's crocodiles migrate north for the winter in search of warmer climates.
Next up is a 20.5km bike course with some steep climbs, including a big one around the 18km mark that will put some riders at risk. Finally, the riders will complete two laps of a 6km course filled with steep climbs and dangerous descents – definitely not for the faint of heart. Read on to find out who the key people to watch out for are.
Elite women
Sandra Meyerhofer will not be coming to Townsville, having won the world title at this event last year. In fact, none of the athletes who made it onto the podium in Ibiza will be returning. In their place, the athlete to watch may be Marta Menditto (Italy). The Italian won the European title in 2023, and she also came in sixth in Ibiza. With no results in international competitions in 2024, it's a little difficult to gauge her form, but if she's at her best, she'll be a formidable opponent.
Karina Wasl (AUT) finished fourth at the European Cross Country Championships earlier this year and will likely be able to improve on that performance. The Austrian champion has had a long and successful career in multiple sports, winning the European Cross Country Championships in 2010 and the World Winter Triathlon Championships in 2009.
Charlotte McShane (AUS) continues her multisport journey in Townsville. Despite feeling unwell on the morning of the race, she placed seventh in the individual duathlon. She could be a threat for the podium tomorrow as the race begins with a more familiar swim start. Elsewhere, McShane's compatriot Kate Bramley (AUS) won the Oceania title in her final international appearance of 2020. Another Townsville competitor, Jacqueline Allen (GB), finished second in the same event in the Snowy Mountains and has not competed since. When fit, both Bramley and Allen will dominate the off-road course.
Elite men
In the elite men's race, defending champion Felix Forissier will not be competing. His absence therefore gives Czech Republic's Lukas Koquart the chance to improve on last year's silver medal. Koquart also won silver at the 2023 European Cross Country Championships, proving he can perform at the highest level. However, he has not competed in any international races in 2024, so there are some question marks over his form.
Meanwhile, Michele Bonacina (Italy) is in a similar position to Italy's Menditto. Bonacina won the European Cross Triathlon title in 2023 and placed seventh at the World Championships. However, at the 2024 European Championships, Bonacina has dropped back to seventh place. The field is a mix of experienced athletes like Ben Allen (Australia) and up-and-comers like Hugo-Jan Bosscher (Netherlands). On a difficult course, one mistake can change the shape of the race, and the field is more than capable of taking advantage of such an opportunity if it arises.
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