Top International Men
Alexander Brukhankov, Russia – The 23-year-old had a breakthrough season in 2009, finishing 11th in the final world rankings. He’s started off strong in 2010, capturing 2nd in the World Championship Series event in Sydney and 5th in Seoul, and is currently ranked #1 in the world.
Alistair Brownlee, Great Britain – The reigning world champion, Brownlee, 22, is the first athlete to win ITU world titles for Junior Men (2006), Under 23 Men (2008) and Senior Men (2009). He finished first in all five of the Dextro Energy Triathlon – ITU World Championship events in which he competed last year (Madrid, Washington DC, Kitzbuhel, London and the Grand Final on Australia’s Gold Coast). The Hy-Vee Triathlon will be his first event in 2010 as he looks to come back from an injury.
Bevan Docherty, New Zealand – A two-time Olympic medalist (silver in Athens, 2004, and bronze in Beijing, 2008), the 33-year-old Docherty won the world championship in 2004, finished 2nd in 2008 and ranks 2nd in the point standings this season after winning at Sydney and finishing 7th in Seoul.
Brad Kahlefeldt, Australia – Edged out at the tape at last year’s Hy-Vee Triathlon, the 30-year old currently ranks 4th in the world, with a win in this year’s World Cup event at Mooloolaba and a third-place finish in Seoul. The former Under 23 world champion has amassed six World Cup Series wins and 19 total podiums in his career.
Courtney Atkinson, Australia – Another 30-year-old from Australia, Atkinson finished 7th in the world last year and currently ranks 6th in the point standings. He was runner-up this year in Seoul and has a total of seven World Cup Series wins and 14 podiums to his credit.
Daniel Unger, Germany – Unger, 32, won the 2007 world championship and finished 6th at the 2008 Olympics.
Ivan Rana, Spain – A three-time Olympian and former world champion, Rana, 30, ranks 11th in this year’s point standings.
Jan Frodeno, Germany – The 2008 Olympic gold medalist, 28, finished a close 3rd at last year’s Hy-Vee event. He ended 2009 in 4th place in the world championship standings and currently ranks 5th in the world, with a win this year in Seoul.
Laurent Vidal, France – The 26-year-old, a 2008 Olympian, finished 6th in the 2009 world championship standings and currently ranks 10th.
Simon Whitfield, Canada – The defending Hy-Vee champion, the 35-year-old Whitfield is three-time Olympian, taking home the gold in 2000 and the silver in 2009. He has won 14 World Cup titles and finished in the top 10 in the world championships six times.
Tim Don, Great Britain – A two-time world champion and three-time Olympian, the 32-year-old has won five World Cup Series events and currently ranks 22nd in the world.
Kris Gemmell, New Zealand – The 33-year-old Gemmell had a good year in 2009, finishing 8th in the final point standings and recording four consecutive Top 10 finishes in World Championship Series events.
Top American Men
Jarrod Shoemaker – The Massachusetts native, 27, is a former Under 23 world champion who represented the U.S. in the 2008 Olympics. He ended last season ranked 10th in the world and currently holds the #16 spot in the rankings, with a top-10 finish this year in Seoul.
Matt Chrabot – The 27-year-old from Virginia currently ranks 12th in the world. The 2009 USAT Elite national champion, he took second at this year’s ITU World Cup event in Monterrey and recorded a top 10 finish in Sydney.
Hunter Kemper – A three-time Olympian with two Top 10 Olympic finishes to his credit, the 34-year-old north Carolina native captured 10th at this year’s World Championship Series event in Sydney.
Top International Women
Barbara Riveros Diaz, Chile – This 22-year-old is off to a fast start in 2010, following up her win at the World Championship Series event in Sydney with a second-place finish in Seoul. She currently holds the world No. 1 ranking.
Emma Moffatt, Australia – The reigning world champion and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist, Moffatt, 25, is also the defending Hy-Vee champion. She has earned the podium in her last seven World Championship Series races and currently ranks 2nd in the world.
Andrea Hewitt, New Zealand – The 28-year-old finished third in last year’s world championships and currently holds that same spot in the 2010 standings. She recorded her 8th consecutive Top 10 finish in World Championship Series events with her recent 5th place finish in Seoul.
Daniela Ryf, Switzerland – The fourth-place finisher in last year’s world championships also ranks 4th in the current standings on the strength of her recent win in Seoul and a Top 10 finish in Sydney. Ryf, 23, was the Under 23 world champion in 2008 and finished 7th at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Emma Snowsill, Australia – The 2008 Olympic gold medalist, 29, underwent hip surgery in 2009 following her runner-up finish at the Hy-Vee Triathlon, an event she won in 2008. In her first outing since returning to competition, the three-time world champion (2003, 2005, 2006) finished 6th at the recent World Championship Series event in Seoul.
Helen Jenkins, Great Britain – The 40-year-old Jenkins was the 2008 world champion and finished 5th in the world last year, with four consecutive Top 5 finishes in World Championship Series events. She currently holds the #9 spot in the 2010 world championship rankings.
Top American Women
Sarah Haskins – Runner-up in the 2008 world championships, the 29-year-old Haskins ended last season ranked 6th in the world and currently holds the #8 ranking. The Missouri native finished 11th in the 2008 Olympics and recorded Top 10 finishes in this year’s World Championship Series events in Sydney and Seoul.
Laura Bennett – The 35-year-old from Florida has been on the world championship podium four times, finishing 2nd in 2003 and 3rd in ’04, ’05 and ’07. The winner of the inaugural Hy-Vee ITU Elite Cup event in 2007, Bennett barely missed out on an Olympic medal in 2008, finishing 4th in Beijing.
