Jocelyn McCauley and Andrew Starykowicz join Team US for the Collins Cup, replacing Heather Jackson and Chris Leiferman.
Team US captains Mark Allen and Karen Smyers have had to make a couple of changes to their Collins Cup roster after news that US #2 Heather Jackson and Captains’ Pick Chris Leiferman wouldn’t be making the trip to Samorin.
Jackson, who was one of the athletes covered in the PTO’s Beyond Human documentary, chose to stay in the US and race 70.3 Timberman alongside her sister as part of a celebration of life for her late grandfather.
Her spot on the team has been filled by Jocelyn McCauley, who Smyers and Allen drafted in after her second-place performance at the Ironman European Championships in Finland. While world #41 McCauley has only just returned from maternity leave, the US athlete is a real powerhouse. In 2019, McCauley pushed world #1 Daniela Ryf right to the line at Ironman Texas – finishing less than two minutes behind and nearly 20 minutes clear of third place.
Add in the fact that McCauley was already in Europe and wouldn’t have to contend with additional covid-related travelling issues and she’s a savvy pick from the team captains.
On the men’s side, Andrew Starykowicz, who was already named as a reserve for Team US in the captains’ picks broadcast, will take over from Chris Leiferman, who’s injured and unable to attend.
World #33 Starykowicz is known as Ironman’s fastest cyclist, out-splitting the best of the rest on the bike with regularity. He’s has also gained notoriety for his frank views which are always relayed un-sugar-coated and with brutal honesty.
Starykowicz is also an athlete that the PTO publically backed following his four-year ban by Ironman for racing without a therapeutic use exemption following a serious illness. The PTO began investigations into his case after a year of independent arbitration concluded that Starykowicz’s sanctions should have been 13 months rather than four years.
Final Team Line-ups
With the addition of McCauley and Starykowicz, we now have the full rosters for Team Europe, Team US and Team Internationals.
All that now remains is to find out who will face who in the 12 Collins Cup matchups – questions that will be answered in the live Match Draft Draw, which will form a key part of the Collins Cup opening ceremony on Wednesday 25 August at 18:00 CEST.
You can watch the ceremony via the Collins Cup app or on the Collins Cup website. Don’t forget to check how you can watch the Collins Cup in your local reason on the Collins Cup’s broadcast information page.
