Firsts were a theme of the weekend with almost all of the gold medallists across the various World Triathlon events claiming a first victory in one shape or another. In addition, the weekend brought the curtain down on the supertri season, although not without one unexpected moment after the race. Find out all that happened in this week’s Monday Morning Mix.
Rome World Cup
There was a first World Cup win for Austria’s Carina Reicht as she overcame Sandra Dodet (FRA) and Franka Rust (GER) with a late surge in the sprint distance 5km run. An early breakaway by Robin Dreijling (NED) and Katie Rodda (GBR) had threatened to upend the race, however the two leaders were caught early on in the run. That set up a showdown between five athletes. Already a two-time Europe Cup winner this year, Reicht was not going to be beaten and continued her winning ways with a perfectly timed kick. Dodet’s silver medal was her first World Cup medal of the season, while Rust’s medal was her first ever from only her second appearance.
Later on, there was another first-time winner in the men’s race as Arnaud Mengal (BEL) triumphed in an even closer finale. In contrast to the women’s race, the field came almost entirely together on the bike, with thirty-seven men in the lead group. The run therefore started in a highly tactical manner, with no one willing to risk overplaying their hand. As the tension ratcheted up, Mengal made the decisive move in the last kilometre and held on by a mere second ahead of his chasers. Taking a maiden medal in 2nd place was Spain’s Izan Edo Aguilar while Nathan Grayel (FRA) likewise claimed a first medal as he snatched bronze in the flying sprint finish. View the full results here.
Europe Cup Ceuta
There was another first win and close finish in store at the women’s race in Ceuta. Ana Carballo Gómez (ESP) and Asia Mercatelli (ITA) had enjoyed almost identical splits throughout the sprint distance event. Both clocked 10:09 for the 750m swim and shared a time of 33 seconds in T2. In between, Mercatelli was 12 seconds faster in the long first transition while Carballo gained 10 seconds back on the bike. The gold thus came down to the run, where Carballo got the better of her Italian rival by 5 seconds. Crossing in 3rd place only 5 seconds behind Mercatelli was Natalia Castro Santos (ESP), giving the home fans plenty to celebrate.
Louis Vitiello (FRA) was the star of the show in the men’s race. He was actually one of the only athletes this weekend to have already won at the level at which he was racing. Back in 2023, Vitiello won a Europe Cup in Melilla. He came into Ceuta in good form having pushed former world champion Dorian Coninx (FRA) all the way to the line at a recent French Grand Prix. That sharpness was on full display as Vitiello clocked 14:43 over the 5km run in Ceuta, the fastest time of the day and one of two splits under 15 minutes, to win handily. The experienced Vicente Hernandez (ESP) was the next man home while 3rd place went to Eloy Canales Escribano (ESP). View the full results here.
Africa Cup Hurghada
In an act of Danish double trouble, Clara Carlquist (DEN) powered to a maiden international victory in Egypt. Carlquist was never far from the front; having been the third woman out of the water, she maintained her position at the head of the race throughout the 20km bike. She did not have things all her own way, though. Isabel Sterr (GER) and Genesis Carolina Ruiz Volcan (VEN) were among the fairly large group on the bike and then stuck with Carlquist through practically every step of the 5km run. It was only at the very end that Carlquist’s win was assured as her fast finish took her 2 seconds clear of Ruiz. Finishing 3rd just a second back of Ruiz was Sterr.
The second half of the Danish double act came with Andreas Nikolajsen (DEN) running away from his rivals in the men’s race. As it happened, Nikolajsen had a near-identical race to his compatriot, leaving the water as the third man before settling at the front of a bike pack that gradually grew in number. Like Carlquist, he also had the best run of the field. The only real point of difference came in their respective winning margins; thanks to a 14:17 5km split, the best by 26 seconds, Nikolajsen earned his first international win in relative comfort. Jaspar Ortfeld (GER) took the silver while Roman Mineev (AIN) finished in 3rd place. View the full results here.
Africa Junior Cup Hurghada
There was a home triumph for Egypt’s Joudy Fathy at the Junior Cup event as the youngest starter in the field won by over 4 minutes. Only one athlete could stick close to Fathy in the swim – Nour Elshabory (EGY) – but she then rode away to her solo gold. Elshabory would go on to take the silver medal while Joury Abdelaziz (EGY) rounded out the podium.
Ryan Lundy (IRL) came away with his first international win in the men’s race, beating out home talent Abdelaziz Sobhy (EGY) by 71 seconds. In a similar fashion to Fathy, Lundy broke up the field in the swim, sitting at the front with a select group of athletes. Once onto the bike, he promptly attacked and broke clear of everyone else. Lundy would actually out-split Sobhy by over 2 minutes on the bike. However, Sobhy came back at him on the run, running 17:17 for 5km to the Irish athlete’s 19:18. The difference between them ultimately came in the swim. After swimming and riding with Sobhy, Karim Mostafa (EGY) settled for 3rd place after being dropped by his teammate on the run. View the full results here.
Around the world
The supertri season drew to a close in Toulouse with Csongor Lehmann (HUN) and Jeanne Lehair (LUX) coming away with both the race victories and the overall series titles. Both have won multiple stops this year in addition to claiming medals in the WTCS. Completing the overall podium in the men’s series was Portuguese pair Vasco Vilaca and Ricardo Batista.
On the women’s side, Leonie Periault (FRA) finished 2nd overall while Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) ended the series in 3rd. An unexpected twist came after the race, however. As Lehair stood atop the podium, she turned to find her partner, fellow triathlete Nathan Lessmann (FRA), on one knee. The overwhelmed Lehair accepted his proposal, completing a weekend she will doubtless never forget.
