Great Britain’s modern pentathletes are set for a busy 2017 with a packed international calendar featuring new events and all of the traditional major championships.
The season gets underway in Hungary this weekend at the Hungarian Indoor Competition before the first World Cup of the year in Los Angeles from 23rd-27th February. Further World Cups follow in Cairo (21st-25th March), Drzonkow (4th-8th May) and Kecskemet (25th-29th May) before the World Cup Final in Druskininkai, Lithuania from 23rd-25th June.
The first half 2017 will also see a series of Under 19 European Cup events taking place, which will provide great international experience for some of Pentathlon GB’s youth athletes.
The first major championship of 2017 will be the Junior European Championships in Barcelona which get underway on June 26th. A busy period follows with the Under 17 European Championships, Senior European Championships, Under 19 World Championships, Junior World Championships, Senior World Championships and Under 19 European Championships all taking place by September 3rd.
There are other World Ranking Competitions including the Swiss Women International (Senior) and the Milan Kadlec Memorial (Junior) taking place during the first half of the year ensuring many of Pentathlon GB’s Senior (22+) and Junior (19-21) athletes will be in action internationally.
Qualifying for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games begins this year with a GB Team Selection Competition at Hartpury College followed by the continental qualifier for the Games in Portugal in August.
The end of 2017 will also be a busy period with the new Under 23 European Championships organised for mid-October. Additionally, the Kremlin Cup and Olympic Hopes are both set for October before the Champion of Champions closes a 10 month international season in Doha in mid-November.
As well as these overseas events, Pentathlon GB will host the GB Youth International in Solihull on Saturday 4th March. This World Ranking event for Under 19 aged athletes will see pentathletes from across the world competing on British soil in the modern tetrathlon format (swim, fence, combined laser-run). Over 60 athletes competed at the event in 2016 and another strong field, featuring some of the best U19 athletes in the world is expected again this year.
The revamped British Modern Pentathlon Championships in Bath on 3rd and 4th June will see Great Britain’s best senior and junior pentathletes competing in a high quality competition on British soil. All four of Team GB’s 2016 Olympic modern pentathletes – Kate French, Samantha Murray, Joe Choong and Jamie Cooke – are set to compete as they look to capture the title of British Champion.
All Senior and Junior internationals will be modern pentathlons (swim, fence, ride, combined laser-run) with Under 19 internationals run in the modern tetrathlon format and Under 17 events modern triathlons (swim, combined laser-run).
The busy schedule promises to provide a fantastic year of modern pentathlon across all age levels as Great Britain’s best athletes battle with their rivals from across the world.
Full 2017 Major International List
World Cup 1 – Los Angeles – 23rd-27th February
World Cup 2 – Cairo – 21st-25th March
World Cup 3 – Kecskemet, Hungary – 4th-8th May
World Cup 4 – Drzonkow, Poland – 25th-29th May
World Cup Final – Druskininkai, Lithuania – 23rd-25th June
Junior European Championships – Barcelona – 26th June – 2nd July
Under 17 European Championships – Pazardzhik, Bulgaria– 30th June – 3rd July
Senior European Championships – Minsk – 17th-24th July
Under 19 World Championships – Prague – 17th-24th July
Junior World Championships – Szekesfehervar, Hungary – 7th-14th August
Senior World Championships – Cairo – 21st-28th August
Under 19 European Championships – Caldas da Rainha – 28th August-3rd September
Under 23 European Championships – Drzonkow – 15th-21st October
Above photo shows Sam Murray (right) and Francesca Summers (left)
Report courtesy of Pentathlon GB
