The 2011 World Triathlon Series was one to savour for British athletes with 15 medals won and athletes standing on top of the overall podium at the Grand Final.
Beijing hosted the Grand Final that year, one of three Olympic triathlon courses that athletes would race along during the year, with the athletes sampling the route for the following year’s London 2012 triathlon during the series.
The first event of the year saw racing take place on the course used at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Seven British men and five British women headed to Australia in 2011 for the season opener.
In the men’s race, a group of athletes emerged from the water together including both Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee and 2010 champion Javier Gomez (ESP).
As the rain came down across the 40km bike course, multiple athletes found themselves skidding along the tarmac, including Gomez. By the time the athletes arrived in T2, the lead pack housed a large number of athletes who had negotiated the bike leg to be near the front of the race.
Above: Jonathan Brownlee took second in Sydney
Both Brownlees, as well as Tim Don and Stuart Hayes were joined by athletes from various other nations in this group, with Gomez having caught up to sit at the back of it.
Part of a small breakaway group, Alistair Brownlee took a tumble on the run that saw him fall back through the field as an inspired Gomez came through the field to win. Jonathan Brownlee finished 2nd with Tim Don 7th.
In the women’s race, it was home favourite Emma Moffatt who set the pace early on. Coming out of the water amongst the fastest swimmers, she soon found her rhythm on the bike to lead the front pack with Britain’s Vicky Holland and Helen Jenkins close on her tail.
Having been the first athlete out of the water, Laura Bennett (USA) re-established her lead on the run course. The 10km run saw the race leader change multiple times before Paula Findlay (CAN) help on to take the tape.
Liz Blatchford was the highest place Brit, coming across the line in 8th place, with Holland in 12th.
From Sydney, the series was due to head to Yokohama for the second race of the series. However, due to the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the race was moved to the end of the season with the points going towards an athlete’s 2012 total.
Madrid hosted the second race of the series. In front of a home crowd, it was Javier Gomez who was pushing hard to set the pace. Keen to avoid letting him develop a lead, both Brownlees battled hard to stay with him on the bike course as the lead group stretched out.
Above: Brownlee one-two in Madrid
As they entered T2, 12 athletes were racing together almost 90 seconds ahead of the chasers. Despite the heat, it was the two British athletes who broke clear on the run with Alistair leading the way and enjoying a parade down the finish line alongside his brother to take gold and silver.
Another large contingent of British women raced in Spain, seeking to achieve the first podium of the year in the women’s series.
Helen Jenkins was amongst the leaders all the way through the race as the lead pack maintained a 30-second lead. 16 athletes entered T2 together before heading onto the run.
Jenkins and Paula Findlay (CAN), winner from Sydney, battled in out as they pushed hard in the run. It was the Canadian who took it with Jenkins taking the second step on the podium.
The racing would stay in Europe until the Grand Final, with the next race taking place in Kitzbühel, Austria.
Above: Alistair Brownlee took his second gold of 2011 in Austria
With four past champions racing, it was set to be a competitive field for the men’s race in the rain and cooler conditions. Despite this, it was Alistair Brownlee who led out of the water amongst a large pack.
It was Brownlee and compatriot, Stuart Hayes, who set the pace alongside Reinaldo Colucci (BRA) to lead by 35 seconds as they entered T2. Brownlee would set off onto the run ahead of the other two and run on his own to the finish.
Hayes dropped back to finish 13th, with fellow Brit William Clarke finishing 4th – over a minute behind Brownlee.
Having won the first two races of the year, Canada’s Paula Findlay was the woman to beat once again in Austria. Having come second to her in Madrid, once again it was Helen Jenkins who fought hard at the front of the race.
Above: Helen Jenkins took silver in consecutive races in 2011
Sarah Haskins (USA), racing for the first time in the 2011 series, led the way out of the water to get onto the bike alongside Jenkins.
The two had a lead of over 30 seconds, however the chasers worked together to reel them in.
Findlay made her way to the front with Jenkins on the run alongside Emma Moffatt (AUS) and Sarah Groff (USA). The four battled it out across the run course, with Findlay taking the tape and the top step on the podium ahead of Jenkins and Groff to make it three from three races for the Canadian.
From Kitzbühel the racing moved to Germany, as Hamburg hosted the fourth leg of the series. This was the 10th race to be held in the city, and more than 250,000 spectators were expected to line the streets.
Richard Varga (SVK) was the first man out of the water and onto the eight-lap bike course closely followed by a large group of athletes. Throughout the technical leg, this group stayed together, and it was anyone race as they took to the run.
Javier Gomez (ESP) was well placed knowing he could top the overall standings with Alistair Brownlee not racing. Britain’s Will Clarke was amongst the leaders during the run and came home in second as Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) won gold.
Above: William Clarke took his sole 2011 podium in Hamburg
Paula Findley didn’t race in Hamburg meaning, for the first time in 2011, it would mean someone else would top the podium. Jodie Stimpson was the highest place British women in Hamburg, finishing 9th as three Australian Emmas took the podium places – Moffatt 1st, Jackson 2nd and Snowsill 3rd.
Britain’s Lucy Hall pushed the swim pace and a broken-up field moved through T1 and onto the bike course. A lead group of over 30 athletes gained nearly a two-minute lead over the chasers with Stimpson amongst the first athletes onto the run.
Moffatt moved away from her compatriots in the closing stages to take the win and match her boyfriend in the men’s race the day before.
London hosted the next leg of the series with athletes taking on the course that, for those who were to qualify, athletes would take to for the Olympic Games the following year with many nations using the race as qualification for the Games.
Racing in and around Hyde Park, athletes would swim in the Serpentine before taking on a bike course that would see them pass Buckingham Palace and a run through the park to finish.
Above: Athletes raced on the route for the 2012 Olympic Games in 2011
The women were the first into the water, with a strong British line-up looking to impress in front of a home crowd. Despite a lead group emerging out of the water, during the bike leg the chasers caught up and saw one large group cycle together towards T2.
Coming out onto the run, Britain’s Helen Jenkins and Jodie Stimpson were among the frontrunners. Jenkins pushed on to take a commanding lead as the rest of the field battled it out behind her. Crossing the line seven seconds ahead of Jorgensen (USA), Jenkins took her first win of the 2011 series.
Following Jenkins’ success, Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee spearheaded the British men’s charge to make it two from two in London.
Coming out of the water, Javier Gomez (ESP) and Jan Frodeno (GER) were at the front of a big pack. A four-man break appeared during the bike leg to see Alistair Brownlee, Bryukhankov (RUS), Rana (ESP) and Elvery (NZL) enter T2 together.
Alistair set out and left the other three behind as Bryukhanov looked set to cement second place. Gomez (ESP) and Jonathan Brownlee caught up with Elvery and battled it out for third. As his brother took the tape, Jonathan broke clear of Gomez to secure an Olympic spot alongside his brother.
You can watch highlights from the London races on the buttons below.
Women's Highlights Men's Highlights
After the double-British success, the athletes headed to Lausanne where they would compete individually and as a team in the mixed relay format. The individual races were over the sprint distance with the team race the following day.
This all-out race saw the athletes sprint through a 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run. A frenetic pace was set through the swim and the trio of Brownlees and Gomez (ESP) made their mark on the bike to pull ahead of the chasers.
The groups merged towards the end of the bike leg saw 30+ men arrive dismount together to get their running shoes on.
Above: Jenkins topped the overall rankings after Lausanne
Jonathan and Gomez set off into the heat of the run course, with the Brit doing enough to claim the victory. Alistair completed the podium in third.
Britain’s Lucy Hall and Helen Jenkins stormed ahead on the 750m swim to give themselves a 30 second lead coming into T1 and worked together on the bike until the rest of the pack, including Jodie Stimpson, caught them up.
As 25 or so athletes headed out onto the run course together, a breakaway group of four made their mark. Jenkins, Jackson (AUS), Riveros (CHI) and Hewitt (NZL) pushed hard and jostled position across the 5km, with Riveros making the break and claiming victory ahead of Jackson and Hewitt.
In coming fourth, Jenkins maintained her position at the top of the rankings heading to Beijing. The men’s result also meant that Alistair Brownlee would head to the Grand Final in Beijing top of the overall standings.
Jenkins and Alistair were joined by Stimpson and Jonathan for the Team Triathlon World Championships. From Stimpson’s start to Alistair Brownlee’s finish, the British quartet were amongst the leaders.
Jonathan Brownlee handed over to Jenkins neck and neck with the French team having raced Vincent Luis all the way through their 275m swim, 6km bike and 1.5km run.
After diving into the water side-by-side, Jenkins created an 11 second lead to hand over to Alistair Brownlee over the Swiss team who were now in second.
Racing all by himself, Alistair crossed the line to claim the gold for Great Britain, with defending champions, Switzerland, second and Germany third.
The 2011 Grand Final will be covered in another edition of Swim, Bike and Rerun as we see if Helen Jenkins and Alistair Brownlee can maintain their positions at the top of the overall standings.
