After last week’s unfortunate cancellation of the race in Moletai, Jūrmala, Latvia, offers athletes another opportunity to race with just over a month to go until the Youth and Junior Championships in October.
Junior Women
Beate Jansone will have been eager to race in Moletai after claiming gold in Chișinău, but the Latvian will now look to replicate that success this weekend in Jūrmala. With the home crowd behind her, Jansone will hope their support can help push her towards another strong result.
Rachel O’Donoghue of Zambia had also been due to race in Moletai. The experienced African athlete, who has claimed multiple medals this season, will make her first European appearance of the year in Jūrmala. She starts in bib number two, followed by two Lithuanians: Ula Sijavičiūtė in number three and Vilgustė Gustaitytė in number four.
Ava Martha Brambier has raced only in Elbląg this year, and the German will still be searching for her first podium of the season. Starting in bib number seven, she will have the advantage of an early position as the race gets underway.
Belgium’s Clara Robert finished fifth in Holten at the last Junior Cup she contested, before taking 25th place in Elbląg. She will start just ahead of Evamaria Albert, who claimed bronze in Chișinău.
Rosalie Gallant claimed gold in Torremolinos in an adapted duathlon back in April, demonstrating her strength on the run. However, having not raced since May in Italy, she will hope the time away from competition has allowed her to prepare for a strong performance this weekend in Latvia.
Fellow French athlete Maelis Rolin has also not started a Europe Triathlon Cup race since racing in Carole, Italy. The 2008-born athlete will have the opportunity to improve on the 11th-place finish she achieved there.
Rolin is part of a six-strong French squad, with Amélie Piazza and Clara Fattori both set to make their international debuts.
Israel will also bring seven athletes to Latvia, while Estonia, Belgium and Czechia will each have three athletes on the start list. All three of Estonia’s athletes are 2010-born, making them some of the youngest competitors in the field. The opportunity to gain international experience this early in their careers could prove valuable as they look to develop on the European stage.
Junior Men
A huge field of 61 athletes will line up for the Junior Men’s race, with Nathan Max Centlivres Chase of Namibia leading the field. The African athlete has enjoyed a strong season so far, claiming gold at the Africa Triathlon Junior Cup in Ebotse and silver in Swakopmund. He will now look to replicate that form on European soil.
Dominik Ivančík claimed bronze in Olsztyn and followed that with sixth place in Elbląg at the end of July during the Junior Sprint Championships. The Slovakian also took gold at his National Championships in May and will be looking to add another medal to his collection in Jūrmala.
South Africa’s Antony Clayton starts in bib number three. The national champion has also claimed gold in Mossel Bay and Swakopmund in the Africa Triathlon Junior Cup and will be one to watch in Latvia.
Kalmer Kiiver, the winner in Moletai, starts in bib number four. The Estonian will be hoping that this weekend’s race can go ahead without interruption and give him the opportunity to showcase his strength once again.
Germany’s Christian Ache has enjoyed success in Latvia before, claiming gold in Riga last year. A strong performance in Elbląg has put him in a good position heading into Jūrmala, and he will be hoping to replicate his previous Latvian success.
Gold medalist in Tábor, Jakub Marik, lines up in bib number six this weekend, with the Czech athlete looking to add another medal to his tally this season.
Fellow Czech athlete Matěj Procházka has also claimed gold this year, winning the Junior Cup in Holten. Combined with seventh place in Wels and a top-20 finish in Elbląg, those results make him another athlete to watch this weekend.
Gustavs Vīksne, starting in bib number eight, is the highest-ranked home athlete on the start list. The Latvian claimed a top-10 finish in Alūksne at the Baltic Championships in June and will have the home crowd behind him in Jūrmala. Fellow Latvian Sebastians Žigarkovs will also have plenty of local support, having raced as recently as last weekend in Moletai.
Belgium will send seven athletes to Latvia, with Benjamin Douglas holding the highest bib number of the Belgian contingent at 30. Despite starting further back, his seventh-place finish in Holten at the beginning of July demonstrates his potential to climb through the field.
Laurent Kral is the only Belgian debutant in the Junior Men’s race and will be looking to make a strong start to his international career.
Six athletes from the host nation will line up on Saturday. All have experience of Europe Triathlon races, giving the Latvian squad valuable experience as they look to challenge for strong finishes and potential podium positions on home soil.
Switzerland’s Gian Tenisch will make his international debut, supported by fellow Swiss athletes Adriano Rosamilia and Leopold Kohlmann as they look to continue showcasing the strength of Swiss junior triathlon.
Ukraine’s Rostyslav Syheiev is one of five 2010-born athletes in the Junior Men’s field. He will be joined by Szabolcs Demjén of Hungary, Laurent Kral of Belgium, Gian Tenisch of Switzerland and Leopold Kohlmann of Switzerland.
With all five among the youngest athletes in the race, they will be hoping to gain valuable experience while also looking to cause an upset against their older rivals.
Full start lists can be found here.