Swim, Bike and Rerun: 2015 World Triathlon Series revisited

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With ten stops on the 2015 World Triathlon Series, athletes travelled the globe in search of medals and series points.

The first event on the calendar saw Abu Dhabi host its first ever World Triathlon Series (WTS) race as athletes competed over the sprint distance in the UAE.

Representing Great Britain in the men’s race was the 2014 series bronze medallist Jonathan Brownlee, alongside Adam Bowden, Gordon Benson and Mark Buckingham.

After the 750m swim there were no clear leaders which saw a large group of cyclists all emerge from T1 together. However, Brownlee was a little way off the lead having been pushed back on the single-lap sea swim.

This group stayed together across the bike leg with Brownlee making his way to the front halfway through the 20km ride. The top runners in the pack were able to navigate their way into strong positions ahead of the 5km run to the finish with Richard Murray (RSA) gaining an early lead.

The South African was soon joined by Vincent Luis (FRA) and Mario Mola (ESP) as the three pulled ahead to guarantee themselves medals and battle over the order. Brownlee, Javier Gomez (ESP) and Joao Silva (POR) were a little further back.

With a kilometre to go, Mola put his foot down to make his move and established an unassailable lead with Luis able to pull ahead of Murray in the closing stages. Brownlee was outsprinted on the blue carpet by Silva, settling for fifth.

In the women’s race, Jodie Stimpson raced alongside Lucy Hall, Heather Sellars and Emma Pallant having narrowly missed out on a place on the podium in the 2014 overall standings.

Following the swim, Hall was well positioned amongst the leaders as the fourth athlete out of the water and left T1 in the front group.

Around 10km in, Hall, Lisa Norden (SWE), Flora Duffy (BER) and Lindsey Jerdonek (USA) made a break for it and, despite the likes of Stimpson, Anne Haug (GER) and 2014 series champion Gwen Jorgensen (USA) chasing, were able to maintain a lead of just over a minute at T2.

Above: Abu Dhabi raised the curtain on the 2015 series

Out on the run, Duffy made her way to the front, however, Jorgensen was rapidly moving through the field and soon had the Bermudan in her sights, passing her to make the lead her own.

Jorgensen crossed the line to pick up where she left off in 2014, with compatriot Katie Zaferes second and Duffy third. Stimpson was the highest placed Brit in 17th.

From Abu Dhabi, the series moved down to New Zealand and to Auckland.

Having come second in the city for the previous two WTS races there, Brownlee once again spearheaded the British men with Tom Bishop, Philip Graves and Grant Sheldon racing as well.

Brownlee finished the 1500m swim in third as a long train of athletes made their way from the water and into T1. Out on the bike he was joined by Bishop as part of a 15-man lead group that rode together for the eight-lap course.

Despite the lead constantly changing as they worked together, the group established a lead of over 30 seconds on the chasers which included WTS Abu Dhabi winner, Mario Mola.

Driving out of T2, Brownlee established an early lead on the 10km final leg. Running through heavy rain in the final stages, he was able to celebrate as he approached the line to win by over 15 seconds from Javier Gomez (ESP) in second. Pierre Le Corre (FRA) finished third, with Bishop 13th.

Lucy Hall and Jessica Learmonth were the only British athletes to take part in the women’s race, the latter suffering a DNF on the bike following a mechanical issue on her WTS debut.

Learmonth made an instant impact by leading the first leg of the swim ahead of Hall. The two Brits were joined by Carolina Routier (ESP) to lead coming into T1.

Above: Jonathan Brownlee won gold in Auckland

Cycling with some of the strongest women in the sport, Hall maintained her position at the front and worked hard with Lisa Norden (SWE) to drive the pack forwards.

Norden had been 40 seconds behind the leaders coming out of the swim, however, was now setting herself up for a battle over the 10km run against the likes of Gwen Jorgensen (USA) and home favourite Andrea Hewitt.

Once out on the run, the podium athletes were determined early on, with Jorgensen, Hewitt and Katie Zaferes (USA) breaking away. Norden was forced to pull out of the race with an Achilles problem.

Jorgensen showed typical running strength to set a time nearly 50 seconds faster than anyone else on the day, with Zaferes finishing second and Hewitt third. Hall recorded one of her best WTS performances and finished 17th.

A couple of weeks later, the athletes made the journey across the Tasman Sea to the Gold Coast in Australia with Brownlee the current men’s series leader.

Philip Graves was the only other Brit racing in the men’s event, but it was Brownlee who was at the front of the race from the beginning.

Coming out of the water second only to Richard Varga (SVK), Brownlee and the Slovakian raced alongside Dmitry and Igor Polyansky (RUS) as they left T1. Working together, the four were able to establish a strong lead.

Four were cut to three as Igor suffered a bike failure as his front wheel buckled, almost taking Brownlee out as he hit the floor.

Reaching T2, the trio had established a lead of over 20 seconds over the chase group which included Mario Mola (ESP), Javier Gomez (ESP) and Richard Murray (RSA).

Brownlee set a rapid pace from the beginning of the 10km run, running the whole distance on his own to take the tape by 18 seconds. Mola and Gomez ran through the pack to finish second and third.

The women’s race saw Lucy Hall and Jessica Learmonth fly the flag for Britain, with Learmonth looking to achieve her first WTS finish having recorded a DNF on her debut.

Learmonth showed her strength in the water as the first athlete to complete the swim, however it was Hall who was able to stay with the leaders on the bike leg.

Above: Learmonth showed her strength in the swim once again

Also in the lead group was Flora Duffy (BER), joined by first and second place finishers from the race in Auckland, Katie Zaferes (USA) and series leader, Gwen Jorgensen (USA).

It didn’t take long for Jorgensen to show her superiority on the run, however with a 15-second penalty to take for not racking her bike properly, she knew she’d have to be at her best.

That’s what she was able to do, and she was joined by her compatriots Sarah True and Zaferes to complete an all-American podium. Hall and Learmonth finished within a minute of each other in 25th and 30th respectively.

Round four of the 2015 series kept the athletes in the southern hemisphere as they headed to Cape Town, South Africa for a cool and damp race.

Helen Jenkins and Vicky Holland made their 2015 series debuts in the race, representing Great Britain alongside Emma Pallant who was returning to WTS racing for the first time since the opening event in Abu Dhabi.

Jenkins was the third athlete to complete the 750m swim behind Katie Zaferes (USA) and Pamella Oliveira (BRA). The trio were joined by Flora Duffy (BER) at the beginning stages of the bike leg, with the four athletes trying to put as much distance between themselves and the rest of the field as possible.

There lead was short lived however, because Nicola Spirig (SUI) and Sarah True (USA) were driving the chasers forwards to create a 27-athlete group by the end of the second lap of eight.

Coming into T2, the athletes were all set for a foot race to the finish with 2012 Olympic champion, Spirig, setting the early pace.

Holland and Jenkins were well-placed amongst the lead group alongside Spirig and Zaferes, until Holland seized the initiative with a well-timed kick that nobody could match.

Racing down the blue carpet ahead of Zaferes and Spirig, Holland achieved her first ever WTS medal and win having broken away on the final lap.

Above: Holland claimed her first ever WTS medal and victory in Cape Town

Jenkins and Pallant both secured top-ten finishes, crossing the line within a minute of Holland in seventh and tenth, respectively.

Alistair Brownlee raced in the WTS for the first time in 2015 in Cape Town and was the sole Brit to take to the course.

He was well-placed exiting the swim, however it was Spaniard Javier Gomez who led the way to lay down the gauntlet early on.

Managing to negotiate the traffic of transition, Alistair was able to move to the front of the chain of cyclists leaving T1. This chain would stay together throughout the 40km cycle, with 60 athletes all making their way into T2 within a matter of seconds.

Having not raced on the series so far that year, Alistair found himself in the middle of the rush to get out onto the run course. Managing to avoid incident, he soon found himself amongst the front-runners including home favourite, Richard Murray.

One-by-one a group of five, Alistair, Murray, Gomez, Mario Mola (ESP) and Vincent Luis (FRA), were whittled down to just Gomez and Alistair, with the Brit finding an extra gear to surge to victory ahead of Gomez and Luis.

Moving from Africa to Asia, the series continued in Yokohama in May 2015. In the men’s race a quintet of athletes were led by Alistair Brownlee following his win in Cape Town.

Brownlee found himself coming out of the water neck-and-neck with 2014 race and series winner, Javier Gomez of Spain.

Racing alongside Aaron Royle (AUS) and Henri Schoeman (RSA) in a group of seven, they were soon caught by the chasing packs to see a large group of 50 make their way around the course. That was until Martin Van Riel (BEL) made his move halfway through the 40km bike leg to take the lead.

He sustained this all the way until the final bend of the bike where he suffered a crash, allowing the rest to catch him up.

Brownlee, Mola and Gomez made the race their own with Mola dropping off the pace to see an intense battle decided by a sprint down the blue carpet with the Spaniard taking the win to maintain his position as series leader.

Above: Alistair Brownlee was outsprinted by Javier Gomez

On what was a good day for British athletes, Mark Buckingham finished fourth, with Adam Bowden seventh.

Returning to the series for the first time since Abu Dhabi, Heather Sellars was joined by Non Stanford for the first time in the 2015 series.

In grim conditions, it was a familiar site at the front of the race with Gwen Jorgensen (USA) in a competitive position having won eight consecutive races in which she’d raced leading up the event.

She came out of the swim amongst the leaders and despite falling a little way back across the bike leg to be 15 seconds adrift at T2, she was able to stride to victory by over a minute from Australians Ashleigh Gentle and Emma Moffatt.

2013 World Champion Stanford had not raced since winning in London that year, managing to finish seventh on her return. Sellars crossed the line in 43rd.

A few weeks later, the series made its way to Europe and to London for the final race to be hosted in the British capital before the race moved to Leeds in 2016.

Nine British men and women raced at the event, including both Brownlee brothers for the first time that series.

Both Jonathan and Alistair completed the swim amongst the top-ten athletes, with South Africa’s Henri Schoeman leading the way.

Jonathan suffered a puncture early on to drop him out of contention following a change of wheel and further bike issues, this left older brother Alistair to battle it out at the front in a group of 18.

The 18 soon started to spread out, with Alistair looking to extend the lead of his rivals Javier Gomez (ESP) and Richard Murray (RSA) in the chase group over the 20km stage.

Attacking from the get-go, Alistair made the run leg his own to make it two golds and a silver from his three WTS races in 2015.

Having been the only woman other than Gwen Jorgensen (USA) to win a WTS race so far that year, Vicky Holland was one of the British athletes racing against the American on home soil.

Racing in her first elite event, it was fellow Brit Sophie Coldwell who was the amongst the first athletes out of the water, completing the 750m swim in the third fastest time.

Above: Sophie Coldwell made a big impression on her elite debut

Finding herself amongst Jorgensen and her fellow Americans Katie Zaferes and Sarah True, Coldwell was able to hold her own against the more experienced athletes.

The 20-year-old was soon left by the Americans as they extended their lead to see an all-American podium as Jorgensen once again showed her dominance ahead of Zaferes and True. Holland was the fastest of the home athletes as she crossed the line in fifth.

Staying in Europe, the action moved to Hamburg for the sprint distance race. Just as she had in London, Sophie Coldwell was among the leading trio alongside Carolina Routier (ESP) and Margit Vanek (HUN). The Spaniard was known as one of the strongest swimmers in the series.

Out on the bike, Jodie Stimpson had to retire from the race after suffering mechanical issues, whilst Coldwell, Vicky Holland and Non Stanford were all amongst the 26 group leaders heading out onto the run.

Holland and Stanford raced alongside series leader Gwen Jorgensen and her compatriot Sarah True. As Jorgensen tried to break away, Holland pushed her all the way to the blue carpet finish in front of the grandstand with the American just having enough to secure her eleventh consecutive win. Further back, Stanford outsprinted True to make it two Brits on the podium.

Gordon Benson and Mark Buckingham were the only British men to race in Hamburg, finishing 28th and 32nd, respectively. Vincent Luis (FRA) and Javier Gomez (ESP) led the way throughout, making the race their own on the 5km run leg.

It wasn’t long before they created a 17-second lead ahead of the rest to battle for the top spot on the podium. The Frenchman kicked at the right time to break away from the Spaniard to take his maiden WTS victory.

Behind them, Mario Mola (ESP) ran the fastest ever 5km WTS run split with 00:13:55 to get himself on to the podium and make it silver and bronze for Spain.

Hamburg once again also played host to the ITU Mixed Relay World Championships in 2015, with Holland, Benson, Stanford and Buckingham the quartet to represent Great Britain.

Vicky Holland got the team off to a great start, handing over in the lead after the 300m swim, 6.6km bike and 1600m run, despite a fall dismounting from her bike. Gordon Benson, the European Games champion, also slipped on wet tarmac during the run but kept the British team in contention.

Non Stanford had a stellar performance propelling Great Britain into a lead after a storming run. Mark Buckingham had the pressure of completing the final leg, and held the lead through the swim, but the teams from Germany, Australia and France joined him into the first transition and were all together at the start of the run.

Vincent Luis of France ran brilliantly to claim gold ahead of Australia’s Ryan Baillie. Germany’s Gregor Buchholz ran ahead of Buckingham but had to serve a ten second penalty for an infringement by his team mate on the previous leg.

This allowed the Brit to race steadily, knowing that by keeping him in sight, he’d be able to pass him and secure the bronze medal for Britain. Gold to France, silver to Australia and bronze to Great Britain.

Above: Britain won bronze in the Mixed Relay World Championships

The final race on the European leg of the series saw the athletes head to Stockholm, however only two British athletes made the journey across the North Sea to Scandinavia. India Lee made her WTS debut, whilst Matt Sharp raced for the first time on the 2015 series.

The race featured a new standard distance course with a split transition in the Swedish capital. Despite the change, Sarah True was able to defend the title she won the year before under her maiden name, Groff.

Coming out of the water alongside her countrywoman Katie Zaferes, the pair raced at the front throughout and weren’t phased as those around them came and went. Zaferes finished second, with Andrea Hewitt (NZL) finishing third. Lee came 26th on her debut outing.

Javier Gomez has experienced great success around the world on the series, yet victory in Stockholm was something he was yet to taste.

This all changed in 2015 as the reigning series champion left the field in his wake to run clear across the 10km course to win ahead of Joao Periera (POR) and Aaron Royle (AUS). Sharp crossed the line in 36th.

The penultimate race of the year saw the series move to North America for the first time in 2015, with Edmonton welcoming athletes back to Canada having hosted the Grand Final in 2014.

In cold and wet conditions, Vicky Holland, Non Stanford and Helen Jenkins flew the flag for Britain over the sprint distance race.

After having a good swim, Jenkins and Holland were amongst the leaders setting the pace early across the bike course. Stanford was at the head of the chasers as they set about overturning the 50 second deficit that the leaders had established.

Holland, Flora Duffy (BER) and Gillian Backhouse (AUS) were the first athletes into T2, with the Brit and Bermudan soon running on their own on the 5km run course.

With her eyes set on her second win of the series, Holland kicked on to establish a lead which she would hold onto as she enjoyed the cheers of the crowd to lift the tape ahead of Duffy and Backhouse.

Above: Vicky Holland secures her second WTS win

Stanford battled through the field to a well-earned sixth place, with Jenkins finishing 27th in tough conditions.

Tom Bishop and Adam Bowden represented Great Britain in the men’s race under similarly chilly conditions to the women.

Having come out of the water a little way behind Raoul Shaw (FRA), Bishop was able to cycle amongst the leaders for much of the 20km bike leg, leaving T2 with his eyes set on a top-ten position.

As Richard Murray (RSA), Javier Gomez (ESP) and Mario Mola (ESP) battled it out to take the podium places, Bishop just missed out on the top-ten, finishing in 11th. Bowden crossing the line in 27th.

The 2015 ITU Grand Final also took place in North America, with Chicago welcoming the best athletes in the world to crown the 2015 WTS champions. The event would also play host to the World Championships for Paratriathlon, U23, Junior and Age-Group athletes.

The Grand Final will be covered in an upcoming Swim, Bike and Rerun, as we look back to the best of British from the world of triathlon.

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