After a 6 year hiatus, WTS made its return in Gold Coast on an updated race circuit.
Organizers paid tribute to past champion Jackie Fairweather who passed away this past November. Symbolically, the #1 race bib number was placed in the transition zone.
This race featured an old school beach start with buoys placed in the shape of a triangle. As a result, we witnessed many navigation mishaps which caused for a big compact group to stay together for most of the swim leg which was led by Zaferes (USA) and Learmonth (GBR). A gap was created on the last straight away. The first group to come out of the water counted around 15 swimmers separated by a mere 20 seconds. Notables of this group were Jorgensen (USA), True (USA), Zaferes (USA), Kretz (CAN), Hall (GBR), Duffy (BER), Routier (ESP) and Klamer (HOL)
This was ironically the first time this season that Jorgensen found herself in the lead pack coming out of the first transition. The lead group quickly gained a 30 second edge over the chase group which included the likes of Hewitt (NZ), Moffatt (AUS), Findlay (CAN), Brault (CAN), Denshaw (AUS) and Reid (IRL).
The third group included Haug (GER), Riveros (CHI) and Charayron (FRA).
The technical circuit victimized many riders as early as the first lap. Routier crashed while Kretz, Klamer, Ackerman, Takashi and Sato were all caught in no man’s land, never able to regain contact with the leaders.
Duffy, former cyclist and non-drafting triathlon specialist imposed a strong pace on the bike and ensured a small leading group of only 8 riders on this very technical course. They were able to remain 30 seconds ahead of the main chase group who gave up on their mission to bridge the gap to the leaders with 3 laps remaining.
The chase group rolled into T2 roughly 1 minute behind the leaders which included the American trio of Jorgensen, True, and Zaferes. The three teammates were able to work in cohesion thus executing their race plan to the tee.
Jorgensen was handed a 15 second penalty because she had improperly racked her bike. This penalty proved to have little effect on the outcome of the race. She once again produced an incredible run, clocking in at 33:35 (including the 15s penalty) on a fairly difficult course.
Zaferes and True, both members of Joel Filliol’s squad battled it out for the 2nd and 3rd positions with Zaferes coming out on top and giving the Americans a podium sweep.
This is only the second time that a nation was able to sweep the podium (a feat accomplished by Snowsill, Moffatt and Jackson of Australia).
Andrea Hewitt was the first non-American to finish which gives her a season low 4th place finish.
The race’s results are not entirely surprising, though we still await a return of the British and Swiss athletes at the top of the standings. Kretz of Québec had a very strong showing finishing 13th, and that in spite of getting trapped on the bike following Routier’s crash. This is surely a highlight in her career.
Brault’s 28th place is most likely the result of a grueling WTS racing schedule taking its toll. This is her 3rd race in the last 5 weeks. Charayron rounds off the Canadians in the standings with a 40th position.
Next stop is Cape Town on April 25th which should give others a chance to shine as we expect Jorgensen to sit this one out.
| Pos | First Name | Last Name | Country | Time | Swim | T1 | Bike | T2 | Run | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gwen | Jorgensen | USA |  |
01:56:59 | 00:19:25 | 00:00:28 | 01:03:06 | 00:00:26 | 00:33:35 |
| 2 | Sarah | True | USA | |
01:58:17 | 00:19:27 | 00:00:28 | 01:03:04 | 00:00:29 | 00:34:51 |
| 3 | Katie | Zaferes | USA | |
01:58:35 | 00:19:25 | 00:00:32 | 01:03:02 | 00:00:31 | 00:35:08 |
| 4 | Andrea | Hewitt | NZL |  |
01:59:00 | 00:19:53 | 00:00:29 | 01:03:41 | 00:00:26 | 00:34:34 |
| 5 | Flora | Duffy | BER |  |
01:59:05 | 00:19:26 | 00:00:28 | 01:03:02 | 00:00:27 | 00:35:43 |
| 6 | Rachel | Klamer | NED |  |
01:59:20 | 00:19:40 | 00:00:31 | 01:03:52 | 00:00:25 | 00:34:55 |
| 7 | Aileen | Reid | IRL |  |
01:59:36 | 00:19:35 | 00:00:28 | 01:03:59 | 00:00:28 | 00:35:07 |
| 8 | Lindsey | Jerdonek | USA | |
01:59:54 | 00:19:47 | 00:00:28 | 01:03:50 | 00:00:26 | 00:35:24 |
| 9 | Pamella | Oliveira | BRA |  |
02:00:03 | 00:19:27 | 00:00:30 | 01:03:02 | 00:00:27 | 00:36:39 |
| 10 | Maaike | Caelers | NED | |
02:00:04 | 00:20:09 | 00:00:31 | 01:05:00 | 00:00:25 | 00:34:01 |
| 11 | Juri | Ide | JPN |  |
02:00:07 | 00:19:37 | 00:00:31 | 01:03:57 | 00:00:26 | 00:35:39 |
| 12 | Emma | Moffatt | AUS |  |
02:00:10 | 00:19:47 | 00:00:30 | 01:03:46 | 00:00:26 | 00:35:44 |
| 13 | Amelie | Kretz | CAN |  |
02:00:19 | 00:19:30 | 00:00:32 | 01:04:04 | 00:00:25 | 00:35:50 |
| 14 | Jessica | Broderick | USA | |
02:00:22 | 00:19:49 | 00:00:29 | 01:03:45 | 00:00:24 | 00:35:57 |
| 15 | Ashleigh | Gentle | AUS | |
02:00:29 | 00:19:55 | 00:00:30 | 01:03:37 | 00:00:28 | 00:36:01 |
| 16 | Claudia | Rivas | MEX |  |
02:00:35 | 00:19:37 | 00:00:29 | 01:04:01 | 00:00:28 | 00:36:03 |
| 17 | Barbara | Riveros | CHI |  |
02:00:41 | 00:20:27 | 00:00:28 | 01:04:46 | 00:00:25 | 00:34:37 |
| 18 | Erin | Densham | AUS | |
02:00:43 | 00:19:49 | 00:00:27 | 01:03:46 | 00:00:27 | 00:36:16 |
| 19 | Ai | Ueda | JPN | |
02:00:45 | 00:20:32 | 00:00:29 | 01:04:40 | 00:00:23 | 00:34:42 |
| 20 | Renee | Tomlin | USA | |
02:00:46 | 00:19:51 | 00:00:29 | 01:05:23 | 00:00:25 | 00:34:41 |
| 21 | Kaitlin | Donner | USA | |
02:00:47 | 00:19:53 | 00:00:29 | 01:03:41 | 00:00:25 | 00:36:20 |
| 22 | Lisa | Perterer | AUT |  |
02:01:17 | 00:20:09 | 00:00:28 | 01:05:04 | 00:00:26 | 00:35:11 |
| 23 | Anne | Haug | GER |  |
02:01:18 | 00:20:35 | 00:00:26 | 01:04:40 | 00:00:25 | 00:35:14 |
| 24 | Rebecca | Robisch | GER | |
02:01:29 | 00:20:11 | 00:00:28 | 01:05:04 | 00:00:27 | 00:35:22 |
| 25 | Lucy | Hall | GBR |  |
02:01:39 | 00:19:27 | 00:00:30 | 01:03:01 | 00:00:27 | 00:38:17 |
| 26 | Simone | Ackermann | NZL | |
02:01:45 | 00:19:30 | 00:00:31 | 01:04:04 | 00:00:27 | 00:37:15 |
| 27 | Yuko | Takahashi | JPN | |
02:01:47 | 00:19:30 | 00:00:29 | 01:04:06 | 00:00:22 | 00:37:22 |
| 28 | Sarah-anne | Brault | CAN | |
02:01:57 | 00:19:50 | 00:00:29 | 01:03:46 | 00:00:27 | 00:37:27 |
| 29 | Agnieszka | Jerzyk | POL |  |
02:02:20 | 00:20:30 | 00:00:28 | 01:04:44 | 00:00:25 | 00:36:15 |
| 30 | Jessica | Learmonth | GBR | |
02:02:31 | 00:19:21 | 00:00:35 | 01:03:04 | 00:00:31 | 00:39:03 |
| 31 | Charlotte | Mcshane | AUS | |
02:02:44 | 00:20:24 | 00:00:28 | 01:04:49 | 00:00:23 | 00:36:42 |
| 32 | Vendula | Frintova | CZE |  |
02:02:58 | 00:19:52 | 00:00:30 | 01:05:20 | 00:00:27 | 00:36:51 |
| 33 | Chelsea | Burns | USA | |
02:03:26 | 00:20:31 | 00:00:29 | 01:04:44 | 00:00:30 | 00:37:15 |
| 34 | Romina | Palacio Balena | ARG |  |
02:03:32 | 00:20:29 | 00:00:28 | 01:04:45 | 00:00:28 | 00:37:24 |
| 35 | Yuka | Sato | JPN | |
02:03:52 | 00:19:27 | 00:00:30 | 01:05:47 | 00:00:24 | 00:37:46 |
| 36 | Anel | Radford | RSA |  |
02:04:01 | 00:19:51 | 00:00:33 | 01:05:20 | 00:00:30 | 00:37:49 |
| 37 | Yurie | Kato | JPN | |
02:05:05 | 00:20:29 | 00:00:31 | 01:04:44 | 00:00:26 | 00:38:57 |
| 38 | Rebecca | Clarke | NZL | |
02:05:11 | 00:19:25 | 00:00:31 | 01:04:51 | 00:00:30 | 00:39:56 |
| 39 | Kirsten | Kasper | USA | |
02:05:12 | 00:19:51 | 00:00:30 | 01:08:45 | 00:00:27 | 00:35:42 |
| 40 | Emmie | Charayron | FRA |  |
02:05:27 | 00:20:31 | 00:00:29 | 01:04:43 | 00:00:29 | 00:39:18 |
| 41 | Celine | Schaerer | SUI |  |
02:05:41 | 00:19:39 | 00:00:30 | 01:05:35 | 00:00:26 | 00:39:33 |
| 42 | Kaidi | Kivioja | EST |  |
02:06:59 | 00:21:30 | 00:00:26 | 01:07:08 | 00:00:28 | 00:37:29 |
| 43 | Romina | Biagioli | ARG | |
02:07:21 | 00:19:53 | 00:00:31 | 01:08:42 | 00:00:28 | 00:37:49 |
| 44 | Melanie | Santos | POR |  |
02:08:39 | 00:19:53 | 00:00:33 | 01:05:19 | 00:00:27 | 00:42:30 |
| DNF | Paula | Findlay | CAN | |
DNF | 00:19:45 | 00:00:41 | 01:03:40 | 00:00:27 | 00:00:00 |
| DNF | Maria | Czesnik | POL | |
DNF | 00:20:27 | 00:00:31 | 01:04:44 | 00:00:33 | 00:00:00 |
| DNF | Margit | Vanek | HUN |  |
DNF | 00:19:23 | 00:00:32 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 |
| DNF | Carolina | Routier | ESP |  |
DNF | 00:19:23 | 00:00:30 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 |
| DNF | Natalie | Van Coevorden | AUS | |
DNF | 00:19:39 | 00:00:30 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 |
| DNF | Jolanda | Annen | SUI | |
DNF | 00:19:53 | 00:00:30 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 |
| DNF | Zsofia | Kovacs | HUN | |
DNF | 00:20:13 | 00:00:30 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 |
| DNF | Carlyn | Fischer | RSA | |
DNF | 00:20:34 | 00:00:26 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 |
| DNF | Miriam | Casillas García | ESP | |
DNF | 00:20:34 | 00:00:28 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 |
| DNF | Tamara | Gomez Garrido | ESP | |
DNF | 00:20:37 | 00:00:32 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 | 00:00:00 |