There’s US$100k on the line and some of the world’s top triathletes are chasing it at Challenge Family’s first race back on mainland China this weekend – the non-drafting Olympic distance, Challenge Beijing.
The race features top-ranked athlete Kyle Smith (NZL), the winner of The Championship 2024 and Challenge Wanaka, and runner-up at both T100 San Francisco and London. Currently ranked second globally, Smith is joined by German Frederic Funk, ranked 11th in the world and second at The Championship 2024. Also competing are Aaron Royle (AUS), Marc Dubrick (USA), Olympians Henri Schoeman (RSA), and Tyler Mislawchuk (CAN).
The women’s field includes five top 40 athletes including Olympic silver medalist, Julie Derron (SUI) along with Paula Findlay (CAN) who already has two 70.3 wins under her belt in 2024 and is ranked eighth in the world. She is up against Lucy Byram (GBR), Ellie Salthouse (GBR), and Amelia Watkinson (NZL), ranked 11th, 19th, and 20th respectively promising an exciting and closely fought battle, made even more interesting with short course specialist Sian Rainsley (GBR) thrown into the mix.
More than 1,000 Chinese and international age group athletes are expected to join the professionals over the course of the weekend in Yanqing District in Beijing Shi Yuan International Tourism Resort (Beijing Horticultural Expo Park), plus enjoy the Chinese culture with the nearby Badaling Great Wall and Yanqing’s strong Winter Olympic legacy.
