SOUTH Africa’s Maude Elaine Le Roux says she is up for the task as she takes part in the 2017 Bonaqua Troutbeck ATU Triathlon African Cup on Saturday.

Le Roux from South Africa, is the youngest participant expected to take part in the elite women this year and it’s her first year as an elite triathlete.

“It’s a bit nerve racking but I am not expecting to obviously go out there and win the race. So I am just hoping to get a better result than my previous races this year because I have been a bit sick ...There has been ups and downs but I am hoping to get a better result tomorrow. Age is but a number.

“This is my first year as an elite triathlete. I have been here before but as a junior, the super sprint and sprint races, so tomorrow it’s going to be quite a test because this course it’s a really tough course. But I am just going out there to have fun,” said the 20-year-old.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the triathlon event as being sanctioned by the International Triathlon Union as an African Cup, which is a points scoring race for elite athletes within the ITU ranking system.

South Africa are dominating in the elite women as they have four of the athletes – Le Roux, last year’s runner-up Cindy Schwulst, Vicky Van Der Merwe and Jodie Berry competing.

The other two athletes in this section are Chika Sato and Aoi Kuramoto of Japan.

Jonas Schomburg of Turkey, participating under the ITU headlines the elite men having finished seventh in the previous edition.

They will do a 1 500m swim, 40km cycle followed by a 10km run.

Elite Men: Jonas Schomburg (Turkey), Dylan Nortje, Jacobs Kruger (all South Africa), Linus Stimmel (Germany), Jean-Paul Burger (Namibia), Ren Sato, Takumi Higo (all Japan).

Elite Women: Aoi Kuramoto, Chika Sato (all Japan), Cindy Schwulst, Vicky Van Der Merwe, Jodie Berry , Maude Elaine Le Roux (all South Africa).