Clash Daytona is back and the athletes will compete over a 1.6k swim, 60.3k bike and 13.2k run. This puts the race in between the new PTO 100k distance and a normal Olympic triathlon. The start list isn’t as stacked as previous years but the number of short course athletes making the step ups does add some intrigue.

Women’s Contenders

Jackie Herring – she finished outside the top 10 at both PTO Tour events but is coming off 7th place at the IM 70.3 world championships. She’ll have extra motivation coming back to Daytona to defend her title from 2021. She will likely come off the bike behind the leaders but will look to run through the field as she did in 2021.

Julie Derron – the only athlete on the women’s side that is racing over all distances at the moment. She has been racing WTCS, was 5th at the Canadian Open and 2nd at IM Italy. She has perhaps showed more promise over long course than short course, she finished 23rd in the WTCS rankings. She beat some big names in Edmonton including several members of this start list.

Sara Perez Sala – she won the Challenge Family championship race in Samorin in May but may be disappointed with her performances in the PTO Tour events, 15th in Dallas and 26th in Edmonton. She will likely lead from the front so will be in the driving seat from the gun.

Rach McBride – a strong year for McBride with two IM 70.3 wins. They were slightly off the pace at the PTO Tour events but came away with two top 15 finishes. They will be looking to improve on their 7th place finish in Daytona from 2021.

Lesley Smith – second behind McBride in Boulder and 4th in Chattanooga behind Herring perhaps puts Smith out of contentions for the win but she should challenge for the top 5. She will be seeking redemption after a DNF at IM 70.3 world championships.

Haley Chura – she will be stepping down from racing predominantly IM distance races this year. She finish 19th in St George world championships and then won IM Mont Tremblant to secure a Kona slot. She went on to finish 13th in Kona, a nice result in a strong field. How will she perform over roughly a third of the distance?

Valerie Bathelemy – she hasn’t race long course before but as this is only slightly longer than Olympic distance she could be in with a chance. The challenge for short course athletes will be riding in the aero position for the whole bike course, especially on a course like Daytona where there are no hills to break it up.

Predictions
I expect to Derron be extremely consisted across all three disciplines and take the win. She has experience across every distance this year and will put that to good use in Daytona. However if she is feeling the fatigue from Abu Dhabi and the travel to the US then Herring will be there to capitalise.
1. Julie Derron
2. Jackie Herring
3. Sara Perez Sala
4. Rach McBride
5. Lesley Smith

Men’s Contenders

Matt Hanson – coming off a busy few months of racing. He raced the US Open, both IM world championships and IM Arizona. His performances improved over those four races, culminating with a strong second place to Joe Skipper in Arizona. He has had success in Daytona as well, 2nd in 2020 and 4th in 2021. Could this be the year he takes the top spot?

Jason West – looking to bounce back from a disappointing result at IM 70.3 world championships. He is one of the top ranked runners in long course triathlon, along with Hanson, so he will be looking to run through the field. He will be fresher than most athletes in the field so could move through the field when other athletes start to fade.

Vincent Luis – returning to Daytona where he finished 8th in 2020. He received a 2 minute penalty in that race and potentially could have challenged Gustav Iden for the title without it. He came second to Lionel Sanders in his only other long distance race in Indian Wells, despite getting hit by a car on the bike! An uninterrupted race will have him near the front all day.

Léo Bergere – freshly crowned WTCS champion after a great display in Abu Dhabi. He isn’t a complete stranger to middle distance winning IM 70.3 Lanzarote ahead of a field of established long course athletes. Both Bergere and Luis will be carrying fatigue from Abu Dhabi, not just the race but the travel will play a part as well. If Bergere can overcome this then he will feature heavily.

Jackson Laundry – has been off the pace at the PTO Tour events but highlights from the year include a big win at IM 70.3 Oceanside and 7th at the IM 70.3 world championships. Finishing outside the top 15 at both PTO Tour events makes me wonder if he prefers the extra distance of 70.3. As this race is even shorter than the 100k distance he could be at a disadvantage.

Roberto Sanchez – finished 20th in the WTCS ranking with his highlight being making the podium in Bermuda. He displayed his run ability in Bermuda, putting down a 30:52 10k. He isn’t as strong a swimmer as Bergere and Luis but will look to run through the field to challenge for the win.

Jonas Schomburg – may not be in with a chance to win the race but he will likely swim with Luis at the front of the race and is a strong cyclist. Every race I see of him he tends to fall apart on the run. If he can pace the bike well then I could see him challenge for a top 5.

Henri Schoeman – returned to WTCS racing in Abu Dhabi. He biked with the front group and ended up finishing 11th. He has experience racing at Daytona, finishing 7th in 2020. Like Schomburg he will be at the front of the race from the gun but may not have the run legs to hang with Luis and Bergere.

Predictions
I think Luis will be in control from the start. He may let Schoeman or Schomburg lead out the swim, work with others on the bike and then unleash his run to take the victory. Bergere will look to challenge for the title but may be carrying more fatigue into the race after winning the title last week. I think this pair will have too much of an advantage over the established long course athletes coming out of the swim.
1. Vincent Luis
2. Léo Bergere
3. Jason West
4. Matt Hanson
5. Henri Schoeman