British star Lucy Charles-Barclay backed up her maiden T100 win in London last month with a second T100 title in Oropesa Del Mar in Spain today.
By topping an all British podium that featured Kate Waugh in second and Jessica Learmonth in third, Charles-Barclay looks to be hitting prime form as the T100 Race To Qatar turns into the home straight, with only three races to go – in Wollongong (18 October), Dubai (13-16 November) and the Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final (10-13 December).
KEY QUOTES
Winner Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR):
“Yeah that was pretty epic actually, a really nice day out there. From the beginning, it was a pretty smooth swim, pretty calm in the sea. And then, just trying to go hard on the bike, see what happens, and then I felt pretty strong on the run. A good day all around, really.”
“As you can see, the Brits were pretty strong today with a 1-2-3. I knew I was riding strong, the other girls were right there as well. It was just about holding my game plan together the whole way and knowing that I had a little bit left in the run to make a dig at the end.”
“I had a really solid training camp. I was out at Club La Santa in Lanzarote for the last five weeks. I decided I would rather come and do this race than have a big training weekend at home. There is nothing better than getting a great race stimulus and being out there on the race course.”
“Things are definitely heating up [in the T100 Race To Qatar] – I’m feeling strong. I feel like as the season’s progressed I’ve definitely got stronger. I feel so much better each race. The Race to Qatar is definitely on and I’m excited for each race as it comes and putting in the prep to put in a good performance each time.”
Second placed Kate Waugh (GBR):
“I felt good on the swim, it felt pretty comfortable to be honest. And then the bike I just struggled; we lost Jess at one point with an unfortunate penalty. I’m not sure I agreed with that but anyway. And then going onto the run, I felt pretty good for the first 9k and then as soon as Lucy pushed the pace I just didn’t have it in me, and just struggled my way along for the rest of the race to be honest. We as a T100 community lost someone really close to us recently. That gave me the extra strength I needed today and I’m thinking of Sam, Lucy, and the rest of the family.
Third place Jess Learmonth (GBR):
“It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster to be honest, I was absolutely fuming about that penalty. I kept thinking about it and I was like “Oh my god, I was so moody”, but honestly I was so confused. Anyway, never mind. I’m so glad I came third and it’s not like I lost anything from it.”
“I didn’t think I could podium again, I have been running and things have been going well but when things like that [the penalty] happen it’s so hard to overcome. When you’re just riding on your own… yeah.. it was a solid day out. I’m actually really really happy I’m able to manage in the heat because it was really hot and I’m not usually one for the heat.”
On the three drafting penalties handed out to Jess Learmonth in the women’s race and Rico Bogen and Kyle Smith in the earlier men’s race, the Head Referee was clear that all the athletes had been told in the athlete briefing on Thursday no warnings would be issued to athletes considered to be drafting.
HOW THE RACE UNFOLDED
The women got underway in typical fashion with ‘The Mermaid’ Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) leading the field in the 2km Mediterranean swim. The Brit’s high pace formed a select group of strong swimmers including Jessica Learmonth (GBR), Kate Waugh (GBR) and Sara Perez Sala (ESP).
By 1000m, the quartet had 26 seconds to the chasers and by the close of the swim, Charles-Barclay had extended that lead to 1:06 over Caroline Pohle (GER) and Bianca Bogen (GER). Meanwhile French Riviera T100 winner, Ashleigh Gentle (AUS), was 10th, 1:48 off the pace.
The 4 leaders initially settled into the 80km bike together – Perez Sala distanced a little after 20km – with Caroline Pohle (GER) in nomansland at 1:30 and Hanne De Vet (BEL), Hannah Berry (NZL) and India Lee (GBR) leading the rest nearly 2 minutes behind.
That pattern was much the same until the halfway mark when Learmonth was handed a 1-minute penalty for drafting, – athletes had been warned officials would be strict on the open, fast course – which dumped her from the leading trio. Meanwhile Charles-Barclay and Waugh were piling on the power up front.
By 50km, the Brits had a lead of 57 seconds to Perez Sala and Learmonth was 1:18 back after serving her penalty. Meanwhile the chase group (now including Pohle) was 2:30 behind.
Coming into T2, Charles-Barclay and Waugh held 1 minute to Learmonth and 3:23 to the chasers – Berry, De Vet, Pohle and Lee, with Perez Sala having drifted back through the field.
Waugh initially created a lead at the start of the 18km run but within the first couple of kilometres, Charles-Barclay was up onto her fellow Briton’s shoulder, echoing the head-to-head between the two stars at the London T100.
4km in, Waugh and Charles-Barclay remained neck and neck. Learmonth was holding steady in 3rd – 1:41 behind – while Berry was 3:34 back, 10 seconds clear of Lee and Pohle. Behind, Gentle had already made up 4 spots, up into 8th but 6 minutes in arrears.
Around 8km through the run, the leading pair had only extended their lead – now almost 2 minutes to Learmonth, Berry and Pohle in their own battle at 4 minutes. Shortly after, a little daylight began to appear at the front – Charles-Barclay edging a gap which grew steadily, Waugh unable to answer the London T100 winner’s inexorable pace.
With 5km remaining, Charles-Barclay’s lead was well over 1 minute. Learmonth was holding 3rd comfortably, 3:40 back but with a buffer of over 2 minutes herself. Behind, Gentle was ripping through the run course – now 8 places to the better from T2 and up into 4th.
Coming towards the finish, Charles-Barclay continued to look strong and light on her feet, the superstar crossing the line in 3:29:29 to take the Spain T100 Triathlon title. Scoring 35 points, the Brit is now 1st in the T100 Race To Qatar standings (though tied on points with Waugh).
Waugh came home 2nd, 2:01 back to claim 29 points – now on 119 with Charles-Barclay, who leads on tie-breaker, h.
Learmonth claimed her first T100 podium, refusing to let the penalty derail her day, and completing the British 1-2-3. With 26 points added to her T100 Race To Qatar tally, Learmonth now sits 6th overall in the series.
Gentle’s run – the fastest of the day – put her 4th for 23 points, now 3rd overall in the standings while Pohle rounded out the top 5.
