After sweeping the world titles for Ironman and Ironman 70.3, Daniela Ryf has turned her focus toward the final leg of the Nasser Bin Hamad Triple Crown series. Having won the previous two races in the series at Challenge Dubai and the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, she is the sole athlete eligible for a USD$1 million bonus should she win the final race: the Ironman 70.3 Middle East Championship in Bahrain on December 5.
Ryf is currently training in Phuket for the next five weeks under her coach Brett Sutton’s watch. From there, it’s a few hours’ flight to the Kingdom of Bahrain to race.
The final team line up will be be announced in the next week but expect to see these Bahrain Endurance stalwarts: Ben Hoffman, Brent McMahon, Caroline Steffen, Jodie Swallow, James Cunnama, Sebastian Kienle and Terenzo Bozzone. Fellow double world champion Jan Frodeno will also be racing.
They will also conduct their year-end camp with the Bahrain National Team and the young elite athletes supported by the team. The Bahrain Endurance athletes have each committed to give a portion of their winnings from racing around the world toward the national team’s training and development, opening opportunities for the youth of Bahrain to pursue triathlon as a professional sport.
Team manager Chris McCormack says this has been the most anticipated trip of the year for the Bahrain Endurance Team. He says, “To come and support the biggest race in Bahrain in any capacity is something all the athletes are looking forward to, but more so to get amongst the youth and the future Bahrain stars and share their knowledge and experience at a true grassroots level.
“It was not that long ago that many of the stars of the Bahrain Endurance Team were young aspiring athletes themselves, and all of them understand the importance of knowledge, mentorship and guidance to get them to where they are now.”
McCormack says the team’s achievements along with events like the Triple Crown and the Ironman 70.3 have positioned Bahrain as the new global hub of triathlon globally. “For the team to come back to Bahrain and spend time with the youth and to support the events and the emerging fitness boom in Bahrain is exciting,” he states. “It’s an opportunity for all of us to give back to the Kingdom of Bahrain and spend some time with our Team Captain, the man who has through his actions and guidance made all of this possible and changed the entire landscape of a global sport: His Highness Sheikh Nasser.”
