Yilan, Chinese Taipei: A busy and hectic month of triathlon in Asia wraps up this weekend with the 2011 ASTC Triathlon Asian Championships in Yilan, Chinese Taipei. After the Grand Final in Beijing earlier this month, followed by the Yokohama round of the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series this past Monday, the best triathletes in Asia will race for the third straight weekend in their Continental Championships.

It will no doubt be a battle within each athlete after most are coming off grueling, energy-sapping performances in sweltering conditions in Yokohama. This year's event is a testament to the sport's development in the region with competitors from 11 different nations including Jordan, Mongolia, the Philippines, Uzbekistan and Iran, over the elite, U23, junior and mixed team events.

But across the board it will be a question of who can beat Japan. The largest and undoubtedly strongest contingency among the elites is Japan with six women and five men. The traditional triathlon powerhouse of Asia will be seeking podium sweeps in both races. (International Triathlon Union)