Most of the world's premier elite athletes are descending on the city as they look to start their seasons in earnest and pocket some of the $150,000USD prize money. The field includes Australia's Beijing Olympic champion Emma Snowsill who is excited by the new television and media opportunities the new series will bring to the sport.
"For us, the athletes, this is phenomenal. It is a pretty amazing thing," she said. "The benefit of live TV is that it creates a season. People will know when to watch and when to tune into triathlon. It is moving in the direction that everyone wants to see it".
Although Beijing silver medallist, Portugal's Vanessa Fernandes, is absent following a broken collarbone sustained in early season training, the women's field is one of the strongest ever assembled, with Athens Olympic Champion Kate Allen from Austria, Beijing bronze medallist, Australia's Emma Moffatt, 2008 World Champion Helen Jenkins from Great Britain, last weekend's Ishigaki ITU Triathlon World Cup winner, Japan's Juri Ide and season opening Mooloolaba ITU Triathlon World Cup winner, Kirsten Sweetland of Canada.
The men's race will see the double Olympic medallists, Simon Whitfield from Canada and Bevan Docherty from New Zealand, battling against the Australian pairing of Oceania champion Brad Kahlefeldt and double 2009 world cup winner, Courtney Atkinson. Other contenders include Great Britain's Tim Don who enjoyed victory in Tongyeong in 2008 and Frederic Belaubre from France, the three time European champion.
The women get proceedings underway on Saturday as they take to the two lap 1500m swim course, five lap 40km cycle and four lap 10km run. Despite the warm air temperature it is expected that wetsuits will be required for the swim which circumnavigates Tongyeong harbour. The bike course should be a tough test with two hills on each lap, including a 20% stint, whilst the run leg will be held on flat and fast tarmac roads. The men's race takes place 24 hours later on the Sunday.
Complimentary to the live international television broadcasts will be a premium online service giving viewers the opportunity to watch all the races live and also on demand. Fans can access live video free of charge from each Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship race on www.triathlon.org, but can also avail of the premium service where the races and highlights shows can be watched in high quality when ever they choose.
