Swiss Olympic star Julie Derron claimed her first T100 Triathlon World Tour victory in San Francisco over the legendary Escape From Alcatraz course. Derron took the tape ahead of American Taylor Knibb, who had been previously unbeaten in all her T100 races last year. Singapore T100 winner Great Britain’s Kate Waugh was third. The Swiss star crossed the line in 3:38:46, 2:05 clear of Knibb, while Singapore T100 winner Kate Waugh (GBR) rounded out the podium 4:14 behind.
“I’m super excited to get the top step today. I really tried to focus on myself and my own race and just do the best I could out there but honestly it was really motivating not to loose that much time to [Taylor] on the bike. I really backed myself that I could reel her in on the run and put a dent into her performance. I was running scared all the way, you can never be sure as it’s a long race and a lot can happen. I was always worried I would blow up but I knew I had to keep going since she was right behind me. Obviously I saw how the gap was developing but you still have to just stay in it. Only when I got to the carpet did I tell myself, you’ve got this now, enjoy it,” said Derron.
On training in China she said: “The athletes and facilities are really good and there’s a lot of support there. It’s a good place to train for triathlons.”
Second placed Taylor Knibb:
“I’m actually pretty happy with the execution, I feel like I’m just missing a few gears but it’s early season and I’m grateful to be here and racing. I’ll take it. I have a lot of work to do and that shows, but I’m thrilled for Julie and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Third placed Kate Waugh:
“It was a bit of a roller coaster of a day. I was struggling out there on the bike and I was actually slightly worried coming on to the run how I would feel. But luckily my run legs turned up and I just put myself to work and tried to get myself onto the podium and get a good result. So, yeah, I’m really proud to do that.”
How The Race Unfolded
In the women’s race, the sun kissed waters of San Francisco Bay became the playground for star swimmers Jess Learmonth (GBR) and Vittoria Lopes (BRA) with Singapore T100 winner Kate Waugh (GBR) just behind. Like the men’s race, the 2km swim was assisted by the current – Lopes leapt from the water after just 16:17, heading a group of 8 also including favourites Julie Derron (SWI) and Taylor Knibb (USA).
Returning to racing after becoming a mother, Holly Lawrence (GBR) was the early leader on the hilly 80km bike course, a position soon taken by fellow mum Learmonth with Waugh and Derron in close order.
As expected, Knibb was soon picking off her competitors, moving up the field with apparent ease to take the lead within the first lap. However, it wasn’t the usual rocket-launch escape from the rest with Knibb gaining seconds rather than minutes.
By the half-way mark, Knibb’s lead was just 49 seconds to Learmonth and Derron – less than half the time gap she enjoyed by this point in 2024 – with Waugh 1:35 behind the American.
With 20km to go, Knibb had edged her lead to Derron and Learmonth up to 1:02 with Waugh at 2:46 and Paula Findlay (CAN) now leading the chasers in 5th place. Knibb added just 12 seconds to her lead over the next 15km, 1:14 to her chasers with Waugh at 3:30 and Findlay at 5:00.
After Knibb racked her bike with 1:05 in hand, Derron put her Olympic-silver running pedigree to the fore, immediately beginning to chomp away at Knibb’s lead. Slashing her deficit to 29 seconds within 2km, the pass seemed inevitable and Derron made it look easy, giving Knibb no quarter she took pole position by 3km. By 6km, Derron was 30 seconds ahead while Waugh caught and dropped compatriot Learmonth, now 3:42 behind the leader.
At the half way point, Derron’s lead was 1:05, showing that Knibb remained strong, the American still 3 minutes clear of Waugh who was now 1:20 ahead of Learmonth. With 5km remaining, Derron had a comfortable buffer of 1:30 and Waugh at 4:30, while Findlay moved past Learmonth into 4th.
The day was all Derron’s though, the Swiss star powering on to claim her first T100 title in 3:38:46. In doing so, she ended Taylor Knibb’s unbeaten streak, the US athlete settling for 2nd, 2:05 behind while Kate Waugh added a 3rd place to her Singapore T100 win, 4:14 behind.
Findlay claimed 4th – equalling her best T100 performance – while Lawrence rounded out the top-5 in her first race post-partum.
