Stefan Daniel stars in home Edmonton race

Edmonton, Canada hosts the third leg of the World Para triathlon Series on Friday (27 July). Local star and world champion Stefan Daniel headlines the big names hoping to secure valuable points for September’s World Triathlon Grand Final.

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Rio 2016 silver medallist Daniel will be hoping to delight the home crowd with a second consecutive win in Edmonton. His German rival and Paralympic champion Martin Schulz is the man in form though, having won all three of his events this year.

In the women’s event USA’s reigning Paralympic and world champion Grace Norman will fight for top spot with Canada’s Kamylle Frenette.

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Reigning Americas champion Fernando Aranha will be the man to beat, but faces strong competition from France’s Alexandre Paviza and Ahmed Andaloussi, who has won two World Cups this year.

Australia’s Emily Tapp and Japan’s Wakako Tsuchida are expected to battle for the women’s title. Tapp is in good shape, having won silver medals at April’s Commonwealth Games and the World Cup in Magog, Canada earlier this month. Tsuchida, a former wheelchair marathon racer, won her home Series event in Yokohama after improving her swimming.

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The men’s event has been dominated this year by Mark Barr. The US athlete is the rankings leader after winning the first two legs of the current Series.

But he will be challenged by Paralympic bronze medallist Mohammed Lahna, formerly of Morocco but now racing under the International Triathlon Union (ITU) flag. Australia’s Brant Garvey, France’s Geoffrey Wersy and Allan Armstrong of the USA also have podium potential.

Japan’s Yukako Hata will try to spoil a US sweep in the women’s race. World No. 1 Allysa Seely has been unbeatable this season, claiming gold in both Series events. Her teammate Hailey Danz, the current Americas champion, will challenge. Paralympic medallist Melissa Stockwell holds a World Cup victory from Eton Dorney and will line up against her compatriots for the first time this season.

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Japan’s Hideki Uda will try to better his silver medal from last year. Ireland’s Cassie Cava is the only competitor in the women’s race.

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World silver medallist Aaron Scheidies of the USA will test his form in only his second race of the season. He will face a tough test from Australia’s Jonathan Goerlach, who is chasing his second gold after a home World Cup win in February. Spain’s Jose Luis Garcia Serrano, silver medallist from the Yokohama Series, is back in action for the first time since a bike crash ruled him out of the European Championships.

US pair Elizabeth Baker and Amy Dixon will be serious contenders for the women’s title in Edmonton, as both have finished on the podium in their two races this year.