San Francisco T100: ‘Big Unit’ Long eyes escape from rivals at Alcatraz triathlon
Preview of the third leg of the tour featuring the world's top male and female triathletes.
Recently elevated to No1 in the world and set to compete on home soil – and sea – US triathlete Sam Long knows he will have a target on his back at this week’s San Francisco T100.
Long – nicknamed Big Unit for his 6ft 4in frame – will be the man to beat in the third leg of the revamped T100 Tour, which features 40 of the world’s best male and female professional triathletes competing over 100km.
The 28-year-old, who is self-coached, has finished second in both previous races this season in Miami and Singapore and is keen to go one better in front of a home crowd on the world-renowned Escape From Alcatraz course on Saturday.
“I have the winning formula within me and have gotten close,” said Long. “I’ve continued to fine-tune things since the last two second-place finishes. I just have to keep focusing on my own process. It’s a matter of when, not if.”
Long’s ascent to the pinnacle of the Professional Triathletes Organisation rankings is in spite of his weaker swimming, which leaves him making up ground on the bike and run.
“I would love for it to happen this weekend. If not, I will keep focusing on my own mastery of the craft… especially the swim,” he quipped.
Britain’s Alistair Brownlee will be among those challenging Long and looking to climb from 10th place in the T100 season leaderboard on a course he has been waiting to try.
“It’s been on my bucket list for a long time so I’m very happy I finally get to go,” Brownlee said.
“Now I feel like I’m in a good place and I keep getting told in San Francisco the heat is not going to be an issue, so that’s something.”
Dutchman Youri Keulen heads the leaderboard as the T100 Tour arrives in San Francisco after his win in Singapore, with Long second and Miami champion Magnus Ditlev of Denmark third.
Britain’s Lucy Charles-Barclay leads the women’s standings but has skipped this race to focus on London next month, so Australian rival Ashleigh Gentle will face competition in the Bay Area in the form of PTO world No2 Taylor Knibb.
Knibb is taking part in her first T100 race of the year, just weeks before the Paris 2024 Olympics where she is set to represent the US in triathlon and two road cycling disciplines.
“I will just be like racing from the gun. There will be no hiding. It’s very important for me to score high in San Francisco. Every race I start, I believe that I can win and I want to win,” she said.
“Already two really fantastic races. You’re getting the best athletes in the world not only at the races but really wanting to perform and excited to race, and incredible destinations and incredible places.
“I’ve heard some rumours that it’s going to be a very hard course. The water in San Francisco the first weekend in June is very cold.
“I know I love the racing format, I know I love the distance. So now to be able to race a T100 in San Francisco against the best in the world, that’s one thing I can check off my bucket list.”
