Three Aussies To Line Up In Montreal World Para Triathlon Series
Paralympic champ Lauren Parker leads the Australian team
MEDIA RELEASE:
With three Australians currently ranked number one in the world for their respective events in the World Para Triathlon Series, this weekend's WPTS race in Montreal will provide the entree into what looks to be a thrilling finale on the home shores of Wollongong in October.
Anu Francis, the first female PTS2 athlete to represent Australia at a Paralympics in Paris 24, is making waves just three years into her Para Triathlon journey.
She is hoping to repeat her golden efforts in Devonport earlier this year and again in Yokohama where she proved unstoppable in the women’s PTS2, carving out a lead of over two minutes off the bike and then extending that considerably over the 5km run to win by five minutes ahead of her nearest rivals.
"I'm really looking forward to having a good hit out and seeing where my training's got me leading into the Wollongong World Championships," Francis said in the leadup.
"We've had some pretty wild thunderstorms today but the weather is looking much better for Saturday's race day thankfully."
"We went and had a bit of a look at the course today, riding the F1 track and by the regatta where we'll be swimming. It looks really cool so I'm really excited.
It's my first time racing in Montreal and my first time coming to Canada and I'm feeling really privileged to come into the race ranked world number one for the first time ever," she said.
Four time World Triathlon PTWC Champion and dual Paralympic Triathlon medallist, Lauren Parker has had a stellar start to her 2025 campaign winning gold at the first two WTPS events in Devonport and Yokohama along with gold at the World Triathlon Para Cup in Magog, Quebec a week ago.
"I had a good hit out last weekend in Magog and I'm super relaxed leading into Saturday," Parker said.
"I've raced here many times before so I know the course inside out. It's going to be super fast on the Formula 1 circuit for the bike leg and I'm looking to get another good hit out and hopefully another win."
Rounding out the women in the Aussie team this weekend is two-time World Para Triathlon Championship medallist Sally Pilbeam racing in PTS4 for her first WTPS race since winning bronze at last year's World Championships in Torremolinos.
The event starts at approximately 9:30pm Saturday AEST starting with wheelchair events, with other categories getting underway in the couple of hours to follow.