Canada and Morocco host Irish Triathletes

While matching her ranking of 4 would be a solid result, Chloe Maccombe has a real shot at a medal in Montreal having beaten or been very close to most of the athletes in the race, apart from Rodriguez who is the stand out athlete in the field. Maccombe is coming off a 4th place in the European Championships. 

Donnacha McCarthy is also racing Montreal, ranked 6th going into the race, and again will be thinking a couple of those ranked above him are not that far ahead. A podium would be a stretch but the depth of field in this category is increasing all the time and the gaps to the top are closing. Once again matching their strat number would be a good return.

Both teams, with guides Catherine Sands and Sean Husband, will be looking to maximise the points return as well. Unfortunately the European Championships was changed to a duathlon and only gave 75% of the points on offer. 

Morocco hosts the Larache African Cup race, an event previously won by Con Doherty. Jonathan Oakey goes in the men's race while Erin McConnell, a late addition, and Chloe Pollard are in the women's event.

The course is very interesting with a harbour swim, town based bike with a hard drag and some quick corners and downhill sections and a run through the shopping streets with large crowds.

Coming off an 8th and a 13th place finish in his last two African Cups Oakey should go into this race with a lot of confidence. The field is not quite as strong as his last race in M’Diq and the course looks to suit him. This is the race I’m most looking forward to from a development perspective.

McConnell, who last week looked good in the European Games, was 5th here last year and can be expected to be at or near the front again. There doesn't look to be the same high level bike power in the race this week and what looks to be a more flowing course should suit her. Could be a big result on the cards.

Pollard has shown the potential a few times to make a move forward, 16th in a full field of 70 in the Caorle European Cup in 2021 probably her best result. She looked to be coming bact to a bit of form recently following some injuries and she could well lead this race out of the water. 

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