World Triathlon Series: Leeds to host first event next June

Alistair Brownlee won Olympic gold in the Triathlon at London 2012

The International Triathlon Union has confirmed that the Leeds leg of next year's World Triathlon Series will be held on 11-12 June.

It was announced last month that the Yorkshire city would be replacing London on the schedule for 2016.

Olympic gold medallist Alistair Brownlee, who is from Leeds, won this year's London race and is currently fifth in the ITU rankings.

"In Leeds, the entire city is going to be behind the triathlon," he said.

"It's going to be the major event of the summer. Hopefully, hundreds of thousands of people are going to come out to support the sport."

Leeds is joined on next year's calendar by Abu Dhabi (UAE), Gold Coast (Australia), Yokohama (Japan), Stockholm (Sweden), Hamburg (Germany), Edmonton (Canada) and Cozumel (Mexico).