There were changes at the top of the T100 Race to Qatar rankings, French flourishes in La Baule, first international victories and plenty more over the weekend. Take in all that went down in your latest edition of World Triathlon’s Monday Morning Mix.
T100 Oropesa
If there is one thing Hayden Wilde (NZL) has gotten the hang of this year, it is winning in the T100. The Olympic silver medallist brought home a fourth gold medal from four races, with his latest victory coming in Spain. Taking the silver medal was Jelle Geens (BEL). Geens recovered from a crash on the bike to arrive in T2 alongside Wilde. However, he could not respond to his Kiwi rival’s 55:58 18km run split. As part two of a gruelling back-to-back schedule, Jonas Schomburg (GER) then rounded out the podium less than a week removed from a 6th place finish at the Ironman World Championships.
Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) nabbed a second ever T100 win as she beat Kate Waugh (GBR) in a showdown on the run. The two women were exactly tied out of T2 before Charles-Barclay out-split Waugh by 2 minutes on the dot (1:04:01 to 1:06:01) in the final discipline. Completing a British sweep of the podium was Jess Learmonth (GBR), matching the bronze medal she earned at T100 Vancouver. The winners in Oropesa both now assume the leadership of the Race to Qatar rankings, although Charles-Barclay and Waugh stand level on points. View the full results here.
Asia Cup Gamagori
Takumi Hojo (JPN) is certainly ready for WTCS Weihai. After winning the Asian title over the Olympic distance in Istanbul, the World Cup gold medallist was back atop the podium on home soil in Gamagori. He was made to work for it, though, as the men’s sprint distance race came down to a flying finish with Hojo beating out Saxon Morgan (NZL) by 2 seconds and Henry McMecking (NZL) by a further 3. Hojo and Morgan actually ran identical 14:58 5km splits. As such, the 2 seconds Hojo gained in T2 proved decisive. Following consecutive victories and in the most open WTCS field seen in years, the Japanese star could be primed for a big day in Weihai.
Meanwhile, Kanae Takenaka (JPN) came away with a maiden international victory in the women’s race. Takenaka had also enjoyed a strong performance in Istanbul, leaving with the bronze medal. In Gamagori, she went even better with an electrifying solo breakaway out of the water. Her 9:49 swim split was the best of the field by 10 seconds, while her 31:18 helped her to establish a lead of a minute over her nearest chasers. Although Takenaka lost a bit of time on the run, she had done more than enough to earn a 9 second win. Mako Hiraizumi (JPN) was next home while Martina Ayu Pratiwi (INA) made a return to the Asia Cup podium in 3rd place. View the full results here.
Africa Cup Taghazout
There was a first senior international win for Jarno Pousada Troitiño (ESP) in Morocco as the young Spanish athlete bested the German pair of Jonas Osterholt and Benedikt Bettin over the sprint distance 5km run. The head of the field had remained tightly bunched throughout the 750m swim. Osterholt and Bettin were only a few seconds behind swim leader Pao Millo (FRA), with Pousada further back. It was on the bike that the split around the midpoint of the field then widened.
There were plenty of candidates for the gold going into the run, with World Cup medallist Kevin Tarek Viñuela Gonzalez (ESP) and Africa Cup medallist Til Kramp (GER) lurking. Pousada, however, was a cut above as he won by 15 seconds. Osterholt then denied Bettin the silver by a mere second at the death.
Over in the women’s race, Mariana Vargem (POR) recorded a maiden international win of her own albeit in rather different fashion. Once again, the swim did not break the field up significantly at the front; Alessia Orla (ROU) was the quickest of the lot. In addition, there was a similar mid-pack fracture on the bike. It was only on the run that the real change was apparent as Vargem obliterated the field with a split (16:51) that was over a minute faster than anyone else on the day. She therefore won handily, with a margin exceeding a minute, ahead of silver medallist Chiara Lobba (ITA) and bronze medallist Orla. View the full results here.
Around the world
For those wondering why we have not seen Alex Yee (GBR) on any start lists since his season bow at WTCS French Riviera, the Olympic champion has revealed that he will be attempting a second marathon this year, this time in Valencia. That will take place in December as one of triathlon’s biggest stars looks to make a splash in a new sport.
In France, the fourth round of the French Grand Prix took place with Tom Lerno (FRA) and Lea Coninx (FRA) taking the gold medals in La Baule. The next day brought the latest round of superti. Upon the competition’s return to Jersey, Jeanne Lehair (LUX) added another victory in the women’s race. Csongor Lehmann (HUN) backed up his return to the WTCS podium in Karlovy Vary with a win of his own in the men’s event. Finally, Adrien Briffod (SUI) came out on top at Ironman 70.3 Emilia Romagna in a time of 3:46:53, while WTCS medallist Manoel Messias (BRA) won Ironman 70.3 Sao Paulo, stopping the clock at 3:36:27. Notably, the Brazilian split 1:09:06 for the half-marathon run.
