Bermuda triathlete Tyler Butterfield hopes to compete for the first time this year in the Ishigaki World Cup in Japan later this month.He has finally shaken off the shine-splint problem that ruled him out of the recent Mooloolaba Triathlon, in Australia, and is now training Down Under with his former housemate, and top Aussie triathlete, Brad Kahlefeldt.Although he admits he is a far cry from reaching the form which won him bronze at last summer’s CAC Games, Butterfield is looking forward to his first competitive race since October’s Hawaii Ironman.“Everything is going great. I’m back training with my old friend Brad Kahlefeldt who has been on the podium for the last two years in the World Championship Series. It’s great to get back into the routine with him,” said Butterfield, who became a father recently when his wife, former professional cyclist, Nikki Egyed gave birth to their daughter Savana.“I didn’t race Mooloolaba because of my leg injury as I’d not done enough running. The next World Cup is in two weeks in Ishigaki, I chose to race this one instead. I’m not expecting a great result as I’ve only been running for three or four weeks, but I’m looking forward to seeing where I’m at.”The Olympic hopeful believes he will be running at full pelt in time for the crucial ITU London World Championship Series in August, where the world’s best triathletes will have the last opportunity to test themselves on the proposed London 2012 Triathlon Course. That event will serve as a key Olympic qualifier for many National Federations. Even if he doesn’t regain full fitness until early summer Butterfield is confident of earning enough points to qualify for the Olympics by the end of the season.“I expect to be doing well in June-July, or maybe even August if my running is not interrupted again, we will see, so far so good though,” he said.A former professional cyclist, Butterfield will be heading from Australia to Europe in mid-May with his young family to prepare for ITU races in Spain and Austria.“I’m booked to fly out of Australia next Wednesday to race Ishagaki, I then come straight back to Australia from Japan again,” said Butterfield.“We are based here in Australia until the May 11 when I’m due to fly out to race either Yokohama World Championships Series or Seoul Asian Cup. From there Nikki, Savana and I head straight to Europe for four weeks where my race schedule depends on which races the ITU gives me starts in, ideally Madrid and maybe Kitzbuehel.”Butterfield and fellow Bermuda triathlete Flora Duffy have been awarded London 2012 Scholarships to help them prepare for next summer’s Games. A total of 16 triathletes, eight men and eight women, received Olympic Solidarity awards by the International Triathlon Union (ITU), the largest number ever handed out.All of the recipients were identified by their own National Olympic Committees as potential stars on the international triathlon scene.The Ishigaki World Cup takes place on April 17.Butterfield’s ITU race scheduleMay 14: ITU Yokohama World Championship Series, JapanJune 4: ITU World Championship Series, MadridJune 18: ITU World Championship Series, KitzbuehelJune 26: Philadelphia Insurance TriathlonAugust 6: ITU London World Championship Series, Great BritainSeptember 10: ITU Beijing World Championship Series Grand Final, ChinaOctober 23: ITU Pan American Games Guadalajara, MexicoNovember 6: ITU Guatapé World Cup, Colombia