The British Paratriathlon team secured a total of seven medals from the ITU World Paratriathlon Series in Montreal.
The team’s focus was on securing the first stage of nomination for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games by winning a medal in Canada.
The PTS5 category saw the closest finish of the day with Claire Cashmore winning gold after just beating Lauren Steadman to the line. Cashmore led the race out and got to T1 just ahead of Steadman before extending her lead at T2.
Cashmore improved on her performance in Yokohama while Steadman claimed her first medal of 2019. Grace Norman (USA) took the bronze medal.
“I’m really pleased to have won my first ever World Paratriathlon Series gold medal,” Cashmore said. “My preparations for the event went really well and I was feeling good on the start line.
“The Montreal course is pretty special, and it’s really cool to race on the F1 circuit. It really suited the way I race, and it was great to have Lauren pushing me the whole way. It was a really exciting finish but I’m so happy to have got that tape.”
The British team’s medal haul was started by triple world champion Dave Ellis (PTVI) who took the gold medal ahead of Spain’s Hector Catala Laparra and Jose Luis Garcia Serrano. Ellis and his guide Luke Pollard took the top step of the podium after taking the tape having led throughout the race.
Hannah Moore (PTS4) won the gold, three minutes ahead of American Kelly Elminger after leading the race from the start. Moore carved out a two-minute lead in the swim section before maintaining her lead throughout the bike and run legs. Japan’s Mami Tani won bronze.
Paralympic silver medallist Alison Peasgood (PTVI) continued her medal form with silver alongside her guide Nikki Bartlett. The pair’s Bike split was the fastest in the field which out them in a strong position ahead of the run. They finished behind Spain’s Susana Rodriguez.
George Peasgood secured the bronze medal in the PTS5 category. He led until the run section when he was overtaken by Martin Schulz (Germany) and Stefan Daniel (Canada).
In the PTWC category, Jade Jones-Hall led from the start of the race and had the fastest swimming split but was overtaken in the final leg. The Brit finished in third place just behind Japan’s Wakako Tsuchida and Emily Tapp (Aus) who won gold.
Joe Townsend finished in fourth place in the PTWC category while Steven Crowley took 10th place in the PTS4 category.
Jonathon Riall, British Paratriathlon’s Head Coach, said: “I’m really pleased with the team’s performance today. To see such fantastic racing on a world stage is great and I believe we can build on the performances moving forwards. The conditions were challenging but to come home with seven medals is a really good result.
“We have come off the back of our two-week camp in Florida and I’m pleased with the impact that it had on the athletes ahead of this competition.
“It’s great that so many of our athletes have secured the first stage of Tokyo 2020 qualification and we’re all looking forward to the Test Event in August.”
The British Paratriathlon team consists of:
| Name | Category | Based |
|---|---|---|
| Claire Cashmore | PTS5 | Loughborough |
| Steven Crowley | PTS4 | Exeter |
| David Ellis | PTVI | Loughborough |
| Jade Jones-Hall | PTWC | Leeds |
| Hannah Moore | PTS4 | Loughborough |
| George Peasgood | PTS5 | Loughborough |
| Alison Peasgood | PTVI | Stirling/Loughborough |
| Lauren Steadman | PTS5 | Portsmouth |
| Joe Townsend | PTWC | Eastbourne |
| Name | Guiding | Based |
|---|---|---|
| Nikki Bartlett | Alison Peasgood | Loughborough |
| Luke Pollard | David Ellis | Loughborough |
