WTCS Abu Dhabi 2023 will take place on a completely different course to the one used at the 2022 WTCS Final.
This time round, the athletes will return to the Yas Marina F1 circuit.
The swim will mostly be an out and back through Yas Bay. Unlike 2022, there will not be any great advantage to certain pontoon positions. Whereas at the 2022 Final the athletes stood to benefit by positioning themselves on the right of the pontoon to avoid the hypotenuse created by the first buoy, there won’t really be any equivalent angles to contend with this time.
Instead, the vital aspect of the swim will be the exit.
At the final stage of the swim, the athletes will tackle a 90 degree turn to head towards transition. Once they exit the water, they will have a narrow funnel through which they will make their way to T1. As there is limited space in the swim exit, positioning will be key.
Expect to see a number of athletes push the pace in the closing 100 or so metres, then, to gain a couple of places. Being stuck behind the wrong person in the swim exit on this course could be the difference between making a pack or missing it.
Thereafter the athletes will still have over 200m to run to T1. Given this run, the first kilometre of the bike will be an ideal moment to press the pace as others may seek to regain their breath.
Perhaps the best approach will be to not be a hero at the start of the swim. Take the early stages carefully and as efficiently as possible in the knowledge that the segment of the last 200m of the swim, the run to T1 and then the first half lap on the bike will be decisive in setting the field.
The bike will take place on the F1 circuit. In a previous instance, a combination of unexpected rain and latent oil on the surface made the course slippery in 2018. Several DNFs followed that day as conditions became a real challenge. No rain is currently expected in Abu Dhabi; nevertheless, a motor circuit will always have a small risk of slick surfaces in places.
As far as the course itself goes, there is only one real dead turn on the bike so the route should offer plenty of speed. While there are a couple of tight corners, there is nothing too tricky.
As a result, there is definitely scope for a breakaway if the right athletes make the front pack.
The run, too, should be flat and fast. It shares the same dead turn as on the bike. Indeed, the dead turn is ideally located for an attack on the second of the two run laps for any athlete looking to strike ahead early for the finish.
On a final note, temperatures are not forecasted to be as hot as they were in November. Moreover as the athletes will be taking on the Sprint distance, heat should not be a significant factor.
