Dann Brook (www.dannbrook.co.uk) checks in from Zarautz, Spain, with a preview of this weekend's TriGrandPrix Basque Country 2010.

This Saturday sees the second installment of the acclaimed TriGrandPrix (www.TriGrandPrix.com) series, taking place in Zarautz, in the Basque Country, northern Spain. The new and innovative series, based around the mantra of "Serious about Athlete Care", is incorporating the half-iron distance Zarautz Triathlon, which is an extremely prestigious and important event on the Basque Sports calendar, and have added a very impressive €40,000 prize purse for professional athletes

The 2010 event will be the first edition in the events 24-year history to be run on 100% closed roads. 7 times Ironman New Zealand Champion and TriGrandPrix UK winner Jo Lawn (NZL) will be looking to add another victory to her already impressive string of results in 2010. Great Britain's Leanda Cave will certainly be hoping to improve on her second place in Kent after a puncture put her out of contention, and Australia's Mirinda Carfrae is joining the series off the back of an impressive victory in Rev3 Quassy last weekend – but with only six days from race to race and a long haul flight to take into consideration, will it be to much?

Other strong contenders are Spanish triathletes Ana Casares and Anna Burgos, Kiwi Julia Grant, who got her first year as a professional long distance triathlete off to an amazing start with a fifth place at TriGrandPrix UK, Scotland's Catriona Morrison and new Team TBC-SportAid member Jo Carritt.

The men's field is just as impressively stacked, with all eyes on local hero Eneko Llanos after his recent domination in both the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon and Ironman Lanzarote. But with only three weeks to recover from the Ironman and Basque superstars Ciro Tobar, Clemente Alonso, Patxi Villa and Mikel Elgezabel and even his own brother, Hektor Llanos gunning for a victory on home soil, Eneko certainly won't have it easy

Trek/K-Swiss team member Paul Matthews is flying the flag for Australia and will surely be looking to make Zarautz his first victory of the year, Scotland's Scott Neyedli is the only British contender in the male field and is back on form after suffering from a cold the week before TriGrandPrix UK.

The challenging course, including a 2.5km point-to-point sea swim with an expected 3 metre swell, a 3km climb on he bike course which at points reaches 25% gradient, and a 21km fast run course around the quaint Basque town of Zarautz will provide great racing as the worlds best athletes battle it out once again, this time for the title of TriGrandPrix Basque Country Champion.

Full race report, and pictures to follow.

Watch the race unfold on twitter! www.Twitter.com/TriGrandPrix