Sunderland will make its bow in the WTCS this weekend. With a new location comes a new course.
The Sprint distance event will involve a sea swim of 750m followed by a slightly longer than normal 21.3km on the bike. A 5km run consisting of two laps will then wrap up the race. You can view the map of the course below.
The first thing to note about the swim is that it is almost guaranteed to involve the wetsuits given that the local sea temperature usually peaks between 14 and 17 degrees (Celsius) in August. Although Saturday is forecasted to be dry at this point, the warm weather seen at the recent race in Hamburg should not be expected.
The swim will be a single lap and some shelter should be offered by Roker Pier. As such, there is a chance the waves remain mild. When it comes to racing in the sea, though, it is never easy to predict how bumpy the swim will be. At its worst, Sunderland could offer a rough ride in cold water with strong waves. For the weaker swimmers in the field, it could prove a real challenge to navigate.
The run up the beach to T1 should offer a chance to make up for any lost time.
Thereafter there are no real dangers to beware on the bike course. There are two dead turns, one of which comes between two long straights during which the athletes will be able to build up a head of steam. In addition there will be a few tight corners, although the course poses few significant technical challenges.
The course is also mostly flat aside from a couple of slight rises on the longer bike straights.
Being in the north of England, rain will always be a slight risk. Should the heavens open, it could prove to be a fairly miserable day for any athletes that miss the front or main packs.
With much of the bike and run taking place along the beach front, wind could be an issue. The section along Marine Walk will be particularly exposed which could lead to several athletes taking tactical decisions to tuck in behind others and hide from the wind.
In general, the course does not really offer anything to break up the field on the bike or run. Without any major hills or high-speed technical sections, the ability to produce a lot of watts on the bike will see plenty of athletes make it to the run course safely.
Overall, difficult swimming conditions may therefore present the only real chance to break up the race. Based on current forecasts, though, that might not be likely. As such, expect the fastest runners – such as Cassandre Beaugrand and Hayden Wilde – to lick their lips at the prospect of a 5km shoot-out for the win.
