Luis and Taylor-Brown take World Titles in Hamburg Thriller
After many months of no racing, the much anticipated World Triathlon Championships got under way this weekend in Hamburg where GB’s Georgia Taylor-Brown and France’s Vincent Luis took the men’s and women’s 2020 titles.
Men’s Race:
In the men’s race there was a strong French showing, with three of the top six finishers from the French team. However the standout performance on the day was from Vasco Vilaca, the 20 year old from Portugal competing in not only his first senior world championship, but his second race at world series level.
Alois Knabl was the early leader in the water, but lost that placing to eventual winner Vincent Luis around halfway through the swim. Despite the long 260m leg to the first turn there was no lack of social-distancing violations at the first buoy, with the traditional physicality clearly evident for all but the first few swimmers around the turn. Britain’s Alistair Brownlee came past Luis with 200m to go, setting a strong pace to lead out of the water, showing good form to come from his last-ranked position despite a distinct lack of short-course racing over the last few years. Most of the pre-race contenders exited the water near the front of the race, with Luis, Jonathan Brownlee and other French hopes Léo Bergere and Dorian Coninx all out in the top 8 within 5 seconds of the leader. Notably, Portuguese youngster Vasco Vilaca was merely a second further back. In fact it was tight at the front of the race coming out of the water, with the top 20 all out within 9 seconds of Brownlee senior.
Casper Stornes might be in the market for a new wetsuit before the season gets going next year, losing a minute in transition after getting stuck in his wetsuit. This ultimately led to his disqualification after he needed the assistance of one of the Norwegian coaching staff to free himself from his neoprene nightmare.
Alistair Brownlee set a characteristically aggressive pace coming out of transition, ensuring that despite the tight swim, a group of 12 moved away from the rest of the field on the bike. The pace continued through the bike leg, being driven by the French and British contingents, so much so that by 10km Barcaly Izzard and Jonas Schomburg being dropped, and only 8 made it to the second transition zone with the group.
Meanwhile in the second pack, the attempts to claw back time lost were, as seems to be traditional, led by Norwegians Kristian Blummenfelt and Gustav Iden alongside Jelle Geens, but were only able to make it into transition 20 seconds down.
There was a question around Luis’ transition, as he appeared to brush his bike with his hand as he left his place in transition, knocking it down, but no time penalty was forthcoming from the officials in a critical decision.
Bergere and Vilaca set a furious pace in the opening kilometre of the run, with Luis working hard to catch up to the leading two. This group of three pulled away from the rest of the field, while Alex Yee, Jelle Geens and Richard Murray fought hard to work up to and past the stragglers from the breakaway group, but were never quite within striking distance of the leading trio. In the end, the front three were never bothered by the chasers, and Luis closed out the in convincing style, with one smooth acceleration, giving him time to pull on a headband for the finish line pictures. All Vilaca and Bergere could do was look at each other and fight it out for the other medals, with Vilaca beating Bergere to the line in a close finish. Geens finished strongly to finish in 4th, with Yee rounding out the top 5.
Full results here
Women’s Race:
In the women’s race it was regular swim leader GB’s Jessica Learmonth who forced the pace at the start of the short 750m swim to the first buoy alongside the French athlete Cassandre Beaugrand. Other athletes such as America’s Summer Rappaport and Bermuda’s Flora Duffy were close on their heels.
In the end it was Learmonth who excited the water first in a time of 9:01 and headed into transition one.
Onto the bike Learmonth, Beaugrand and Austria’s Therese Feuersinger who made a small break away at the start, however, not long after Beaugrand lost her place with a small mistake early on, nearly taking out Learmonth in the process. The breakaway of two was eventually shut down after 9km by a group of 10 athletes chasing hard that included Duffy and the 2019 World Champion Katie Zaferes.
The chasing pack were a minute back by this stage still chasing hard that included Germany’s Anja Knapp and GB’s Vicky Holland.
The group maintained their gap until the end of the bike section and all the big names where up there with the race setting up what was to be an exciting and fast 5km.
It was Learmonth who excited T2 first with Duffy right on her shoulder. Zaferes uncharacteristically had some trouble with her right shoe and found herself leaving transition over 8 seconds back from the frontrunners.
Over the first 1km Taylor-Brown caught and quickly passed the two athletes to assert herself at the front and created herself a gap of 8 seconds on the gravel section.
Duffy continued to chase with Learmonth soon being passed by Laura Lindemann and Taylor Spivey.
It was a dominant display from start to finish from Taylor Brown, who had plenty of time to take in her first world title over the last 500m. It was a strong Silver for Duffy who had been blighted by injury over the past couple of years. The bronze did eventually go to the home favourite German Lindemann.
Full results here
Mixed Relay World Championships
The mixed relay world championships takes place tomorrow and we will be bringing you a recap after the race.
