Three-way fight up in Xterra Albay

Aussies Penny Slater and Leela Hancox and Kristy Jennings of New Zealand gear up for another fierce showdown as they slug it out in the centerpiece women’s pro division of the Xterra Off-Road Triathlon unfolding Sunday in Albay, Legazpi City.

The troika saw action in Xterra Danao ruled by absentee Carina Wasle last April with Slater finishing second and Hancox and Jennings placing fourth and fifth, respectively. But a down-to-the-wire battle looms in the upcoming event with a different kind of challenge awaiting the elite field in Albay, particularly in the mountain biking and trail running stages.

But Slater remains confident of her chances, particularly in the opening 1.5km swim leg where she even edged Wasle in Danao. But Hancox and Jennings hope to strike in the 28km bike part and the closing 8km run of the event, which marks its return to Albay after a one-year break.

Slater switched from hockey to offroad triathlon in 2015 and recovered from a car accident to qualify for the ITU World Cross Triathlon Championships in 2016. She placed third in the Amateur Female ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships and topped the Nationals Champions Elite – ITU Cross Triathlon last year.

Hancox, on the other hand, has achieved a world ranking of No. 14 after the ITU World Cross Triathlon Championships. She also placed seventh in Xterra Asia-Pacific Tour last year and is currently ranked second in the sport in Australia.