GB had a great day at the 2016 Beijing International Triathlon with Olympic gold medallist Alistair Brownlee winning the men’s race and the current 70.3 World Champion, GB’s Holly Lawrence taking the women’s.
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This was the first time Ali Brownlee and Lawrence competed in this race, which saw 1,400 professional and amateur athletes from more than 39 countries participate in the fifth annual Beijing International Triathlon, held in the Fengtai District of Beijing.
“I was thrilled to return Beijing to race, this was a challenging course, something a bit different after Rio,” said Alistair Brownlee. “The field of professionals was strong with Josh Amberger setting a fast pace on the swim, followed by Cameron Dye setting the pace on the bike course.
“This was an mind-blowing race in an amazing setting with a stellar field of professional athletes,” said Lawrence. “The swim was fast, followed by a technical bike course and a run that was filled with more than 480 stairs. I knew Ashleigh Gentle, who is an amazing runner, was close to me on the run as I approached the top of the steps. I had to just go as hard as I could and I went down the steps three to five steps at a time to hold my lead.”
The race started and finished amongst the beautiful scenery of Garden Expo Park, in the Fengtai district of Beijing. The Olympic distance race featured a 1.5 km swim through Garden Expo Lake; a challenging 40 km bike race through the villages of Fengtai and up Qian Ling Mountain, the highest peak in Southwest Beijing; and a final 10 km run through the lush gardens and scenic trails of the Garden Expo Park, including a 480-step stair climb.
The field included some of the world’s top professional triathletes; Josh Amberger (AUS); Olympian Greg Bennett (AUS); Olympian Alistair Brownlee (GBR); Kevin Collington (USA); Cameron Dye (USA); Eric Lagerstrom (USA); Olympian Joe Maloy (USA); Vicente Hernandez (ESP); Olympian Ashleigh Gentle (AUS); Lauren Goss (USA); Holly Lawrence (GBR); Barbara Riveros (CHI); Magali Tisseyre (CAN); and Radka Vodickova (CZE).
The sun shone for the 2,000 athletes taking the plunge in Weymouth Bay for the inaugural Ironman 70.3 and Ironman Weymouth.
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In the men’s Marc Threlfall (GBR) was first out of the water leading Harry Wiltshire and Stuart Hayes (GBR) onto the bike. This trio were not to be separated until they laced up their racing flats and hit the Esplanade for the foot race.
Threlfall and Wiltshire were joined at the hip for the first 10k of the half marathon, when Hayes made his move on a slightly faltering Threlfall; Wiltshire managed to pull away whilst Threlfall was paying the price, unable to hold the blistering pace he had set early on, which opened the door for Hayes to step up into 2nd place.
France’s Yvan Kerridge, who was 5th place out of T2 with a 3m23s deficit on the leader, produced a 1hr16m half marathon to beat Threlfall in the dying stages, securing the final step on the podium.
“I’m delighted with the finish today – what a great event! I honestly didn’t know whether my legs would hold out after racing Ironman Vichy,” said Wiltshire. “Marc set a very fast pace and I knew one of us was going to blow, but fortunately I felt good to push through to the finish line. I would love to replicate this performance in Kona in 3 weeks time!.”
In the women’s race, Hannah Drewett (GBR) was first out of the water in what was her first Ironman 70.3, in a time of 25m02s, giving her almost 2 minutes lead on favourite Emma Pallant (GBR). However Emma blitzed the bike course and left T2 with a 2m40s lead over former GB Hockey player, Natalie Seymour and 6m15s over Hannah Drewett, who she passed two-thirds of the way into bike course.
Once on the run course Pallant, buoyed by the spirits of the thousands of the crowds, was not to be stopped, crossing the finishing line victorious in 4:40:16. Her first race on home soil followed a great first season of podium positions. Seymour backed up a brilliant second from the recent Ironman 70.3 Dublin, with Hannah Drewett holding onto to ensure an all British podium.
“I’m really pleased with my performance today and it was amazing to win on home soil,” said Pallant. “It was a lonely race upfront until I stepped onto the Esplanade and the support from the crowds made this good day even better and I am blown away to win my first Ironman 70.3.”
The sun shone for the 2,000 athletes taking the plunge in Weymouth Bay for the inaugural Ironman 70.3 and Ironman Weymouth.
Advertisement
In the men’s Marc Threlfall (GBR) was first out of the water leading Harry Wiltshire and Stuart Hayes (GBR) onto the bike. This trio were not to be separated until they laced up their racing flats and hit the Esplanade for the foot race.
Threlfall and Wiltshire were joined at the hip for the first 10k of the half marathon, when Hayes made his move on a slightly faltering Threlfall; Wiltshire managed to pull away whilst Threlfall was paying the price, unable to hold the blistering pace he had set early on, which opened the door for Hayes to step up into 2nd place.
France’s Yvan Kerridge, who was 5th place out of T2 with a 3m23s deficit on the leader, produced a 1hr16m half marathon to beat Threlfall in the dying stages, securing the final step on the podium.
“I’m delighted with the finish today – what a great event! I honestly didn’t know whether my legs would hold out after racing Ironman Vichy,” said Wiltshire. “Marc set a very fast pace and I knew one of us was going to blow, but fortunately I felt good to push through to the finish line. I would love to replicate this performance in Kona in 3 weeks time!.”
In the women’s race, Hannah Drewett (GBR) was first out of the water in what was her first Ironman 70.3, in a time of 25m02s, giving her almost 2 minutes lead on favourite Emma Pallant (GBR). However Emma blitzed the bike course and left T2 with a 2m40s lead over former GB Hockey player, Natalie Seymour and 6m15s over Hannah Drewett, who she passed two-thirds of the way into bike course.
Once on the run course Pallant, buoyed by the spirits of the thousands of the crowds, was not to be stopped, crossing the finishing line victorious in 4:40:16. Her first race on home soil followed a great first season of podium positions. Seymour backed up a brilliant second from the recent Ironman 70.3 Dublin, with Hannah Drewett holding onto to ensure an all British podium.
“I’m really pleased with my performance today and it was amazing to win on home soil,” said Pallant. “It was a lonely race upfront until I stepped onto the Esplanade and the support from the crowds made this good day even better and I am blown away to win my first Ironman 70.3.”
Are you racing in Tenby this weekend? Make sure you’re prepared for what is renowned as one of the hardest Ironman courses on the circuit, set on the stunning Welsh coast.
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>>> Ironman Wales 2014 gallery
We named Ironman Wales 9th in Iron-distance triathlons: the 11 toughest? Do you agree?
Don’t let that dull your appetite though, says 2013 winner Scott Neyedli: “The support and race atmosphere the Tenby locals create is one of the best I’ve experienced worldwide.”
One
“I would advise anyone to get a practice swim as organised by the Ironman team and drive or cycle parts or whole run/bike loops,” adds Neyedli. “This will help with noting the hard section and also landmarks which will help on race day to break the race up into smaller segments, so nothing unexpected will be presented. Otherwise the swim shouldn’t be too hard, it might be a little cold but it is protected from any big swells.”
Two
“The swim is two loops with an ‘Australian exit’ [exiting and re-entering the water – ed.],” says Neyedli. “So when exiting the water I suggest to most athletes to jog the beach easily before they start the swim second loop to save a shock lactic attack in the arms as they begin the second loop.”
2013 women’s winner Lucy Gossage adds: “The swim can be quite rough, so don’t panic and try and get yourself into a rhythm.”
Three
The bonus for the age-group swim is that it starts at first light, 7am, says Neyedli. “So I would suggest trying to find a spot relative to your ability – if you are a strong swimmer get to the front of line so you have a good chance to swim into open space and avoid the bun fight. Likewise if you know you are a weak swimmer let the race begin and wait until you know you would be comfortable to having an incident-free swim.
“As the swim is at the crack of dawn I would suggest using reactor or orange polarized goggles,” he adds. “The sun could be low if clear but can be dark if overcast so don’t use tinted goggles.”
Four
Gossage says: “The run up the hill from the beach is really tough but is one of the highlights of the race so instead of thinking about the pain, try to focus on the cheers and support and enjoy it, it will go much quicker – and remember to take a second pair of shoes to run up the beach to T1!”
“T1 is epic!” says Neyedli. “From the beach, run up the cliff zigzags then it is a 1km run though the town centre to collect the bikes.”
Five
On to the bike, and Gossage advises: “Hold back on the first lap, particularly on the hills, some of them will take their toll later in the race so it is much better to ride the first lap easy and the second lap hard. Enjoy the support because it is incredible, and eat more on the bike than you usually would just because it is so hilly.”
Neyedli says: “Try to drive the whole bike course if you can. It is very technical with some really sharp corners on some of the fast descents. At the tail end of the two-loop bike course, there is some 15-25% climbs! I would choose a wheel cassette that will allow you to spin up the steep gradients, for example 11-26 or 11-28 men 12-26 or 12-28 for women.”
Six
The run is super hilly so make sure you get your nutrition in, says Gossage. “I tend to take it at the bottom of a hill because I tend to get a stitch when running down the hill. Embrace the support: the crowds are truly amazing and if you use their cheers and shouts to keep you smiling the run will go by much quicker.”
Neyedli says: “The run is hard, hilly and undulating! Last year it was accurately measured to the full 26.2 miles with three or four loops.
“Beginning the run I would suggest taking the hills really easy, especially on the first loop, and try keep your heart rate as low as possible uphill and coast the run down the hills. If you think you have the energy push the last lap going up the hills and go for it!”
Seven
Regarding fuelling, Neyedli says: “Stick to your nutrition you have practiced in training, remember to take most of it on the bike so that you are fuelled for the run. If you feel like you are hitting the wall then get onto the flat coke and water at the aid stations: two cups of coke followed by one cup of water.”
Eight
Lastly, Neyedli says: “Smile at the finish so you get a nice finish photo and enjoy the finish chute because it is awesome.”
Gossage adds: “Keep smiling because it really is my favourite race of all time, and if you are smiling you can’t help but have a good day!”
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Are you racing in Tenby this weekend? Let us know in the comments!
Are you racing in Tenby this weekend? Make sure you’re prepared for what is renowned as one of the hardest Ironman courses on the circuit, set on the stunning Welsh coast.
Advertisement
>>> Ironman Wales 2014 gallery
We named Ironman Wales 9th in Iron-distance triathlons: the 11 toughest? Do you agree?
Don’t let that dull your appetite though, says 2013 winner Scott Neyedli: “The support and race atmosphere the Tenby locals create is one of the best I’ve experienced worldwide.”
One
“I would advise anyone to get a practice swim as organised by the Ironman team and drive or cycle parts or whole run/bike loops,” adds Neyedli. “This will help with noting the hard section and also landmarks which will help on race day to break the race up into smaller segments, so nothing unexpected will be presented. Otherwise the swim shouldn’t be too hard, it might be a little cold but it is protected from any big swells.”
Two
“The swim is two loops with an ‘Australian exit’ [exiting and re-entering the water – ed.],” says Neyedli. “So when exiting the water I suggest to most athletes to jog the beach easily before they start the swim second loop to save a shock lactic attack in the arms as they begin the second loop.”
2013 women’s winner Lucy Gossage adds: “The swim can be quite rough, so don’t panic and try and get yourself into a rhythm.”
Three
The bonus for the age-group swim is that it starts at first light, 7am, says Neyedli. “So I would suggest trying to find a spot relative to your ability – if you are a strong swimmer get to the front of line so you have a good chance to swim into open space and avoid the bun fight. Likewise if you know you are a weak swimmer let the race begin and wait until you know you would be comfortable to having an incident-free swim.
“As the swim is at the crack of dawn I would suggest using reactor or orange polarized goggles,” he adds. “The sun could be low if clear but can be dark if overcast so don’t use tinted goggles.”
Four
Gossage says: “The run up the hill from the beach is really tough but is one of the highlights of the race so instead of thinking about the pain, try to focus on the cheers and support and enjoy it, it will go much quicker – and remember to take a second pair of shoes to run up the beach to T1!”
“T1 is epic!” says Neyedli. “From the beach, run up the cliff zigzags then it is a 1km run though the town centre to collect the bikes.”
Five
On to the bike, and Gossage advises: “Hold back on the first lap, particularly on the hills, some of them will take their toll later in the race so it is much better to ride the first lap easy and the second lap hard. Enjoy the support because it is incredible, and eat more on the bike than you usually would just because it is so hilly.”
Neyedli says: “Try to drive the whole bike course if you can. It is very technical with some really sharp corners on some of the fast descents. At the tail end of the two-loop bike course, there is some 15-25% climbs! I would choose a wheel cassette that will allow you to spin up the steep gradients, for example 11-26 or 11-28 men 12-26 or 12-28 for women.”
Six
The run is super hilly so make sure you get your nutrition in, says Gossage. “I tend to take it at the bottom of a hill because I tend to get a stitch when running down the hill. Embrace the support: the crowds are truly amazing and if you use their cheers and shouts to keep you smiling the run will go by much quicker.”
Neyedli says: “The run is hard, hilly and undulating! Last year it was accurately measured to the full 26.2 miles with three or four loops.
“Beginning the run I would suggest taking the hills really easy, especially on the first loop, and try keep your heart rate as low as possible uphill and coast the run down the hills. If you think you have the energy push the last lap going up the hills and go for it!”
Seven
Regarding fuelling, Neyedli says: “Stick to your nutrition you have practiced in training, remember to take most of it on the bike so that you are fuelled for the run. If you feel like you are hitting the wall then get onto the flat coke and water at the aid stations: two cups of coke followed by one cup of water.”
Eight
Lastly, Neyedli says: “Smile at the finish so you get a nice finish photo and enjoy the finish chute because it is awesome.”
Gossage adds: “Keep smiling because it really is my favourite race of all time, and if you are smiling you can’t help but have a good day!”
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Are you racing in Tenby this weekend? Let us know in the comments!
Less than a week after winning Beijing International Triathlon Olympic Champion Alistair Brownlee has won the Aquathlon World Championships in Cozumel, Mexico with Richard Varga taking second and Tommy Zaferes third.
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The flat and fast course comprises of a 2.5km opening run, 1km swim and then a second 2.5km run. The run course took place around the FONATUR Marina, with the one-lap swim in the crystal clear waters of the Marina Sea.
Swift on their feet, Brownlee and Crisanto Grajales from Mexico ditched the competition on the first run lap, getting to the crystal clear waters of Cozumel first. However despite having a 15-second deficit, Varga, who has led out of the water at every World Triathlon Series race this year, and Zaferes caught and passed both Brownlee and Grajales.
Brownlee managed to stay with them to head out for the second run together and it wasn’t long before he took the lead and stayed there, with Varga crossing the finish line next, while Zaferes won bronze.
“Definitely my first ever run, swim, run,” Brownlee said. “I really enjoyed it, it was hard, really hard. It’s so hot, the running was tough. The other guys went off really hard and I thought ‘I better go with them’. It was weird, it’s not like I was tired, but I felt like I was in oxygen depth the first kilometre after the swim.”
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In the men’s U23 race GB’s Richard Allen took silver behind Turkey’s Jonas Schomburg ahead of Leong Tim Law (HKG) who took bronze.
Less than a week after winning Beijing International Triathlon Olympic Champion Alistair Brownlee has won the Aquathlon World Championships in Cozumel, Mexico with Richard Varga taking second and Tommy Zaferes third.
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The flat and fast course comprises of a 2.5km opening run, 1km swim and then a second 2.5km run. The run course took place around the FONATUR Marina, with the one-lap swim in the crystal clear waters of the Marina Sea.
Swift on their feet, Brownlee and Crisanto Grajales from Mexico ditched the competition on the first run lap, getting to the crystal clear waters of Cozumel first. However despite having a 15-second deficit, Varga, who has led out of the water at every World Triathlon Series race this year, and Zaferes caught and passed both Brownlee and Grajales.
Brownlee managed to stay with them to head out for the second run together and it wasn’t long before he took the lead and stayed there, with Varga crossing the finish line next, while Zaferes won bronze.
“Definitely my first ever run, swim, run,” Brownlee said. “I really enjoyed it, it was hard, really hard. It’s so hot, the running was tough. The other guys went off really hard and I thought ‘I better go with them’. It was weird, it’s not like I was tired, but I felt like I was in oxygen depth the first kilometre after the swim.”
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In the men’s U23 race GB’s Richard Allen took silver behind Turkey’s Jonas Schomburg ahead of Leong Tim Law (HKG) who took bronze.
Spaniard Mario Mola has been the leader of the Columbia Threadneedle Rankings for the majority of the season and will enter Cozumel still grasping tightly to that position. However, Great Britain’s Jonathan Brownlee also has the title in his sights after his win in WTS Edmonton. He is only 235 points behind Mola and if he can win in Cozumel and keep Mola off the podium the title is his.
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Trying to help Jonny keep Mola off the podium will be brother and Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee, who won the World Aquathlon Champs on Wed 14 September. Richard Murray (RSA) and Fernando Alarza (ESP) are also competing and will be hoping for podium places.
Swim The odds are Slovakia’s Richard Varga will lead out of the water. In his 33 WTS races in his career, he has exited as the swim leader 28 times. Also a training partner to the Brownlees, having Varga in front in the swim increases his chances of making the lead bike pack with them, which gives the Brits the advantage.
Expect Jonny not be too far behind Varga. His strong ability in the water was seen in Rio when he and older brother Alistair were fourth and fifth out of the water. Other strong swimmers that could make an impact in the ocean is Olympic bronze medallist Henri Schoeman (RSA), Russian brothers Igor and Dmitry Polyanskiy, Aaron Royle (AUS) and the Frenchmen.
The swim will be a critical part of the race for Mola, as he’s not as strong as these men, and a poor swim could cost him both a medal and a world title.
Bike To try and ensure Jonny’s victory it is likely the Brownlees will put forth a similar strategy as the Olympics, where they hammered hard early on the bike in an effort to get an insurmountable gap over the chase.
Training partners Mola and Murray cycle well together, with Murray consistently motivating chase packs to bridge up to the leaders. The key for them will be not overusing their legs on the bike, as well as staying hydrated in the hot, humid Mexican weather.
USA’s Ben Kanute, Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt and Denmark’s Andreas Schilling are all very good cyclists, as is Aussie Royle. Each of the men possess the power to create breakaways that could really shake up the field for both Brownlee’s and Mola’s plan for a world title.
Run Mola and Murray are considered two of the fiercest runners in the circuit. Murray had the fastest 10-kilometre split time in Rio, and Mola holds the record for the fastest split time in ITU history at 28:59, a time that he recorded at last year’s Grand Final in Chicago. Add in that Murray won the World Cup race in Cozumel last year in blasting heat, and cards could be stacked in his favour.
But the Brownlees are also very good runners. The mentally tough Alistair is not a competitor you want to push your chances with down the finish chute. That said, all bets are off if Mola, Murray and the Brownlees are near each other onto the run.
Other factors… The hot weather could favour Mola and Murray as the Brownless have not traditionally fared well in warmer conditions. Though this wasn’t the case at the Rio Olympics, Alistair suffered at the Test Event last year with both injury and heat, while Jonny suffered heat stroke at the Gold Coast this year, causing him to finish third.
And having Alistair in the race may not be a good thing for Jonny for while he may opt to work for his brother during the final WTS race of the year, Alistair could actually be a factor in keeping the world title from his brother if Alistair beats Jonny…
Rankings Men
1.
Mario Mola
ESP
3940
2.
Jonathan Brownlee
GBR
3705
3.
Fernando Alarza
ESP
3444
4.
Pierre Le Corre
FRA
2694
5.
Jacob Birtwhistle
AUS
2165
6.
Adam Bowden
GBR
2105
7.
Ryan Bailie
AUS
2080
8.
Crisanto Grajales
MEX
2070
9.
Richard Murray
RSA
2025
10.
Kristian Blummenfelt
NOR
1971
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The men’s race takes place at 3pm (local time) 9pm British time and you can watch it live on triathlonlive.tv/live if you have a pass or is available on the red button. We will also be tweeting all the action live throughout the race @220Triathlon and highlights will be shown on Monday 19 September at 13:45 BBC2
Spaniard Mario Mola has been the leader of the Columbia Threadneedle Rankings for the majority of the season and will enter Cozumel still grasping tightly to that position. However, Great Britain’s Jonathan Brownlee also has the title in his sights after his win in WTS Edmonton. He is only 235 points behind Mola and if he can win in Cozumel and keep Mola off the podium the title is his.
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Trying to help Jonny keep Mola off the podium will be brother and Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee, who won the World Aquathlon Champs on Wed 14 September. Richard Murray (RSA) and Fernando Alarza (ESP) are also competing and will be hoping for podium places.
How the race could play out
Swim The odds are Slovakia’s Richard Varga will lead out of the water. In his 33 WTS races in his career, he has exited as the swim leader 28 times. Also a training partner to the Brownlees, having Varga in front in the swim increases his chances of making the lead bike pack with them, which gives the Brits the advantage.
Expect Jonny not be too far behind Varga. His strong ability in the water was seen in Rio when he and older brother Alistair were fourth and fifth out of the water. Other strong swimmers that could make an impact in the ocean is Olympic bronze medallist Henri Schoeman (RSA), Russian brothers Igor and Dmitry Polyanskiy, Aaron Royle (AUS) and the Frenchmen.
The swim will be a critical part of the race for Mola, as he’s not as strong as these men, and a poor swim could cost him both a medal and a world title.
Bike To try and ensure Jonny’s victory it is likely the Brownlees will put forth a similar strategy as the Olympics, where they hammered hard early on the bike in an effort to get an insurmountable gap over the chase.
Training partners Mola and Murray cycle well together, with Murray consistently motivating chase packs to bridge up to the leaders. The key for them will be not overusing their legs on the bike, as well as staying hydrated in the hot, humid Mexican weather.
USA’s Ben Kanute, Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt and Denmark’s Andreas Schilling are all very good cyclists, as is Aussie Royle. Each of the men possess the power to create breakaways that could really shake up the field for both Brownlee’s and Mola’s plan for a world title.
Run Mola and Murray are considered two of the fiercest runners in the circuit. Murray had the fastest 10-kilometre split time in Rio, and Mola holds the record for the fastest split time in ITU history at 28:59, a time that he recorded at last year’s Grand Final in Chicago. Add in that Murray won the World Cup race in Cozumel last year in blasting heat, and cards could be stacked in his favour.
But the Brownlees are also very good runners. The mentally tough Alistair is not a competitor you want to push your chances with down the finish chute. That said, all bets are off if Mola, Murray and the Brownlees are near each other onto the run.
Other factors… The hot weather could favour Mola and Murray as the Brownless have not traditionally fared well in warmer conditions. Though this wasn’t the case at the Rio Olympics, Alistair suffered at the Test Event last year with both injury and heat, while Jonny suffered heat stroke at the Gold Coast this year, causing him to finish third.
And having Alistair in the race may not be a good thing for Jonny for while he may opt to work for his brother during the final WTS race of the year, Alistair could actually be a factor in keeping the world title from his brother if Alistair beats Jonny…
Rankings Men
1.
Mario Mola
ESP
3940
2.
Jonathan Brownlee
GBR
3705
3.
Fernando Alarza
ESP
3444
4.
Pierre Le Corre
FRA
2694
5.
Jacob Birtwhistle
AUS
2165
6.
Adam Bowden
GBR
2105
7.
Ryan Bailie
AUS
2080
8.
Crisanto Grajales
MEX
2070
9.
Richard Murray
RSA
2025
10.
Kristian Blummenfelt
NOR
1971
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The men’s race takes place at 3pm (local time) 9pm British time and you can watch it live on triathlonlive.tv/live if you have a pass or is available on the red button. We will also be tweeting all the action live throughout the race @220Triathlon and highlights will be shown on Monday 19 September at 13:45 BBC2
On Saturday 17 September the women’s 2016 World Triathlon Series will come to an end at the World Triathlon Grand Final Cozumel, but who will emerge World Champion?
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Two-time reigning world champion and Olympic gold medallist Gwen Jorgensen (USA) will attempt to defend her title and beat present WTS leader Flora Duffy (BER).
Jorgensen is currently sitting second in the Columbia Threadneedle rankings, 166 points behind Flora Duffy from Bermuda, and earning the title once again would make it three in a row, an accomplishment no elite woman has ever done.
In order for Duffy to be crowned World Champion, she needs to finish first or second in the race. While Jorgensen could still win on Saturday, if Duffy is right behind her in second, Duffy will still beat out Jorgensen for the title.
However for Duffy to podium she needs to beat the British squad of Helen Jenkins, Vicky Holland, and Non Stanford.
How the race could play out
Swim Duffy is a strong swimmer and that sets her up to be among the top cyclists when entering T1 and that is where her talent really lies. She can handle the ocean swim, so there should be no worries about Duffy excelling in the water.
While at one point in her early career Jorgensen’s toughest discipline was the swim, she now has mastered the waters and has continued to thrive amongst the leaders. However, sometimes she can find herself missing the mark and exits the waters in the middle of the pack, which prevents her from making the lead bike pack. If Duffy wants a fighting chance from Jorgensen, she needs to hope that Jorgensen has a bad swim.
Bike Duffy is arguably one of the best riders in the history of ITU. She is a World Champion in cross triathlon (we named her in our top 6 Xterra athletes of all time) and excels when the course is challenging – the more technical the better. The world also witnessed her famous solo ride in WTS Stockholm, when she completed nearly the entire 40-kilometre course on her own to take victory. Knowing that Jorgensen is strongest on the run, it will be up to Duffy to attempt some breakaways and have a fighting chance to ward off Jorgensen’s power.
The question then will remain, who will go with Duffy? We all saw in Gold Coast when Duffy, Andrea Hewitt (NZL) and Helen Jenkins (GBR) rode away as a trio, it created enough of a gap to fend off Jorgensen from claiming the gold. If that strategy worked in Australia, it could work in Mexico.
However, with such high stakes on the line, it may be hard to get the chance to breakaway, as evidenced in Rio. Brits Vicky Holland and Non Stanford typically do well on the bike, even more so when they are riding together.
Run Obviously this is Jorgensen’s strongest discipline and one her competitors fear her on. This year in Leeds, she won the race despite being down 94 seconds off the bike, which was a run that made it in the record books for a victory from the largest come-from-behind deficit. So if she is anywhere within that margin coming off the bike, it could mean trouble for her competitors.
Duffy is going to need to put a lot of work in on the bike in order to benefit herself for the run, but also ensuring she saves enough on the run to perform in the final 10km of the race.
And don’t forget the Brits. Holland, Stanford and Jenkins all are good runners. Each woman has proven their speed and tactics on the run course, so it is very likely that at least one Brit will be on the Grand Final podium.
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The women’s race takes place at 3.30pm (local time) 10.30pm British time and you can watch it live on triathlonlive.tv/live if you have a pass or is available on the red button. We will also be tweeting all the action live throughout the race @220Triathlon and highlights will be shown on Sunday18 September at 14.30 BBC2