World's best triathletes in Sydney to open the 2011 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series

It is the first race of 2011 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series and all of the world's best have come out to play. The top ten men in the world from 2010, including World Champion Javier Gomez (ESP), 2009 World Champion Alistair Brownlee (GBR) and 2008 Olympic champion Jan Frodeno (GER), are in Australia for the season opener. In the women's field, nine out of the top 10 women from 2010, plus 2008 Olympic champion Emma Snowsill (AUS) who is back from an injury-ravaged year, are ready to strut their stuff in Sydney. Defending champions Barbara Riveros Diaz (CHI) and Bevan Docherty (NZL) are also in the mix in what is set to be a thrilling opening race-day. As 2011 is an Olympic qualifying season in which every race has qualifying points on offer, the competition will be fast and furious from the start.

About the race: Sydney has played host to some important triathlon moments, but the biggest was the 2000 Olympic Games when triathlon made Olympic debut. Simon Whitfield (CAN) and Brigitte McMahon (SUI) were crowned the sport's first Olympic gold medallists. Sydney is the largest city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales and has a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million.

SCHEDULE:
Elite women start - Sunday, April 10 - 11:15am (UTC/GMT + 10)

Elite men start - Sunday, April 10 - 2:05pm (UTC/GMT + 10)

LIVE COVERAGE:
Live video coverage from Sydney will be available on race day at triathlonlive.tv
Or follow @triathlonlive on Twitter for text updates on race day.

TOTAL PRIZE MONEY:
$150,000 USD (equal for men & women)

COURSE PROFILE:
Swim - Two-lap, 1.5kilometre swim with a pontoon start into Farm Cove, wetsuits are not expected.
Bike - Eight-lap, 40-kilometre leg that starts with transition in front of the Opera house, each lap is flat and technical and goes past the Opera House, down the Cahill expressway and Macquarie Street. Run - Four-lap, 10-kilometre run starts with transition two on College Street and then laps down Macquarie Street, before the finish on College Street.