Prized triathlon trophy arrives in Leeds as city's ITU World Triathlon Series debut nears

The Columbia Threadneedle Rankings Leader Trophy, which is awarded to the leading male and female triathlete after each series event, was unveiled at Leeds Civic Hall today.

In the run up to the Columbia Threadneedle World Triathlon Leeds on Sunday June 12 the trophy will be displayed publicly and also go on a tour of local schools, universities and community groups.

The inaugural event will see a field of world class triathletes including the Bramhope-based Brownlee brothers take on a 1.5km swim through Roundhay’s Waterloo Lake, before a 41.5km bike ride to Millennium Square and a 10km run.

Coun Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “I’m sure the trophy will attract a lot of attention and hopefully it will especially inspire our young people to want to be more active and possibly become the triathlon stars of tomorrow.”

The male and female trophies for 2016 are currently held by rankings leaders Mario Mola, of Spain, and Flora Duffy, of Bermuda, after four of the nine series races in cities such as Abu Dhabi and Cape Town.

Rupert Pybus, of race sponsors Columbia Threadneedle Investments, said: “We hope that having the trophy in Leeds will inspire the future regional stars and everyone taking part in the forthcoming triathlon.”

The June 12 event will see elite athletes and almost 6,000 amateurs take to the streets of Leeds on the same course on the same day for the first time. The pre-Olympic race weekend will also feature a series of events at Roundhay Park on June 11.

For more on the race, organised by British Triathlon in partnership with the council, visit leeds.triathlon.org.