The likes of World Triathlon Series champion Mario Mola and Olympians Jonny Brownlee and Non Stanford are set to dive into Elizabeth Marina on Saturday and Sunday, bringing global appeal and a potential worldwide audience of 300 million.
However, there will be hundreds, if not thousands of Islanders lining the course at the Waterfront this weekend purely as fans of sport … out to appreciate an international event which is being earmarked as the ‘next big thing’. For those people, at least one face will be familiar – that of Jerseyman Dan Halksworth.
Twice a UK ironman champion, the 31-year-old has been handed the single wildcard spot for the elite series races in St Helier, and as he approaches one of the biggest leaps of his career there has been much to consider.
Up until August, his main focus was cycling, and an appearance at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
‘I’m unbelievably nervous,’ said the double Island Games triathlon gold medallist. ‘It’s very different to what I’m used to, and hopefully people do realise that I was a long distance athlete.
‘I would be running 42 km at the end of a bike leg … this weekend it will be 2 km. But the other guys aren’t used to it either. It will be short for them too and it’ll be interesting to see how people last.’
