With the focus firmly on the PruHealth World Triathlon Grand Final London starting this week, Britain’s middle, long distance and off-road triathletes set the scene for success by winning medals in the USA and Europe.
Leanda Cave was unable to defend her Ironman 70.3 world title in Las Vegas, Nevada, but Scotland’s Cat Morrison achieved her best result of an up-and-down couple of years with fourth. The 36-year-old overcame Svenja Bazlen (GER) in a sprint finish and was delighted with the result, commenting; “Who'd have thought? Triumphant in a sprint finish!”
Will Clarke continued his progression from standard to middle distance racing with a top ten finish. Stepping up from standard distance requires not just an increase in mileage, but also mastering a solo time trial bike section rather than bunch riding.
Also competing at this distance, London 2012 Olympic silver medal winner, Lisa Norden (SWE) was seventh in the women’s race.
Laura Siddall won gold in the 30-34 Age-Group, adding to the two ITU Age-Group world titles she has from the last two years. She’ll compete in the Age-Group standard distance event at the PruHealth World Triathlon Grand Final London on Sunday.
At the ITU Powerman Long Distance Duathlon World Championships in Zofingen Matt Moorhouse achieved his highest ever elite finish with fourth. His finishing time of 6hours 26:23 over the 10km run, 150km bike and 30km run was less than two minutes away from bronze. Rob Woestenborghs (BEL) won gold in 6:21:39. Britain’s Oliver Mott was 11th in 6:37:27.
The Great Britain Age-Group Team powered through heavy rain to crown three new British world champions, one silver medal winner and one bronze medal winner. Daniel Bailey, the youngest member of the team (20-24) won gold, as did Lucie Custance (30-34) and Gill Fullen (45-49).
There were more Age-Group medals at the ETU Cross Triathlon European Championships in Austria. Strobl am Wolfgangsee hosted a demanding 1km swim, 22km mountain bike and 6km run course and saw three medals awarded to the British Team.
Nick Farnell (55-59) won silver whilst Claire Hotchkiss (25-29) and Natalie Smith (30-34) won bronze.
In the elite events Rory Downie stepped up from U23, where he won gold last year, to senior level and finished 11th. James Anderson was 6th in the junior event.
Attention now turns to the free-to-view PruHealth World Triathlon Grand Final London, which takes places in Hyde Park this week and features over 1200 British triathletes aiming for gold.
Great Britain Age-Group medal winners:
ITU Powerman Long Distance Duathlon World Championships, Zofingen, Switzerland
GOLD
Daniel Bailey, M20-24
Lucie Custance, F30-34
Gill Fullen, F45-49
SILVER
Geoffrey Russell, M65-69
BRONZE
Christopher Dettmar, M40-44
ETU Cross Triathlon European Championships, Strobl am Wolfgangsee, Austria
SILVER
Nick Farnell (55-59)
BRONZE
Claire Hotchkiss (25-29)
Natalie Smith (30-34)
