Four-time world champion, Paralympic silver medallist and MANA athlete Lauren Parker has been selected as one of 15 athletes to represent Australia at the 2022 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in August, the nation’s first outing at the event since 2019.
With the cycling discipline one of her strongest in paratriathlon, Parker’s campaign last year to qualify for hand cycling at the Tokyo Paralympic Games put her on the AusCycling radar. This will be her debut at a para-cycling world championships.
Parker says, “I am so happy that I have qualified for the Para-Cycling World Championships team after what seems like a long time coming to get there. I’m proud to be able to say that I am part of the Australian Para-Cycling team and I’m excited to head to Canada at the end of July for a World Cup in August and the World Championships the week later. My goal is to become para-cycling world champion. Stay tuned.”
Para-cycling Technical Director Warren McDonald says, “After the success of the Tokyo Paralympics, I am confident that this team can represent us strongly and continue our status as one of the strongest para-cycling nations in the world.
“It has been a long time since our last opportunity to represent Australia at a World Championships and I know this team that features world champions, Paralympic medallists and national champions will be one to watch.”
European champion Joe Skipper smashed the 7-hour mark over the full distance of triathlon at the Pho3nix Sub7 Project, Powered by Zwift on the 5th of June 2022 at the DEKRA Lausitzring in Senftenberg, Germany.
He took on Sub7 with barely over a week’s notice, as dual Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee was struck down by injury. Given the short timetable for preparation, it spoke to his caliber and confidence as an athlete that he so quickly assumed this role.
Skipper took the honour of being the second-fastest man over the full distance in 6:47:36, about three minutes behind reigning Ironman world champion Kristian Blummenfelt. Though not considered a world record due to the event format which included assistance from teams of 10 pacemakers and cutting-edge equipment, these times push the boundaries of what is humanly possible.
Skipper said, “The Sub7 was an amazing event to be a part of and if you had told me I would have been competing in a sub-7 hour ironman challenge against Kristian Blummenfelt three weeks ago, I wouldn’t have believed you! I’m so pleased I got the opportunity to compete… to finish the event in 6 hours 47 minutes was the icing on the cake.”
Tyler Mislawchuk has returned to racing action after an Achilles tear sustained during the Tokyo Olympic Games and its complications kept him out of competition for the rest of 2021. The Canadian triathlete knocked off the rust at the Huatulco World Cup taking silver in a thrilling sprint to the finish. He then backed up at the World Triathlon Championship Series race in Montreal, racing in both individual and mixed relay events over the gruelling three-day event.
