Flora Duffy is excited at the prospect of returning to the top of the ITU World Triathlon Series leaderboard when she takes part in the series’ oldest event in Hamburg, Germany, tomorrow.

The Bermudian missed out on the previous event in Leeds, England, last month and, in the process, lost her place at the top of the WTS table, but returns to a very strong start list as the season winds down to its final four races of the season.

“I’m excited to be back in Hamburg for two reasons: one, I had to skip Leeds for injury and am thankful to be able to start here,” Duffy said. “And secondly, it is one of the biggest, oldest, most prestigious races of the year, with fantastic crowds and on a big-city-centre-stage.

“It is a strong field this year with all the women in contention for the overall lining up.”

Duffy dropped to fourth overall, but still has 2,000 points after winning the two races she completed this season — MS Amlin World Triathlon Bermuda in April, and in Yokohama in May.

She missed Leeds with a foot injury and crashed out of the first race of the season, in Abu Dhabi in March, on a corner of the bike section that also claimed several other competitors.

Katie Zaferes, of the United States, leads the overall standings on 2,637 points, with Vicky Holland, the Leeds winner from Britain, second on 2,384. Rachel Klamer, of the Netherlands, is third on 2,215.

Duffy was victorious in Hamburg last year on her way to a second consecutive WTS title. After this weekend, only three events remain as the series goes to Edmonton, Canada, in two weeks, and Montreal on August 25 before the Grand Final on the Gold Coast, Australia — where Duffy became the first woman to win Commonwealth gold for Bermuda in April — on September 15.

“Winning WTS Hamburg 2017 was a highlight of the year for me, as it was my first time racing here since 2011 and returning to win it meant a lot to me,” Duffy said. “I look forward to trying my best to repeat that.”