La statunitense Gwen Jorgensen conquista il titolo iridato elite 2014 e si aggiudica un pezzo di storia del triathlon olimpico, prima atleta USA ad essere campionessa del mondo da dieci anni: un titolo vinto con la strepitosa performance di oggi ad Edmonton, che l’ha vista agguantare la medaglia d’oro della Grand Final con una frazione di corsa finale che può essere definita ‘epica’. Uscita dal nuoto 12^ a circa 20” dalle prime, poi dalla T2 20^ ad 1 minuto dalla testa della gara, in soli 3 km a corsa ha recuperato 37 secondi ed ha continuato, falcata dopo falcata, a riprendere una dopo l’altra tutte, ma proprio tutte le avversarie, superando da vero caterpillar le 19 concorrenti che erano davanti a lei e tagliando il traguardo con un distacco di 16”.
Bravissime ma impossibilitate a frenare l’exploit della loro avversaria Jorgensen, le due atlete della Nuova Zelanda, rispettivamente oggi ad Edmonton, medaglia d’argento e medaglia di bronzo nella Grand Final, le ‘kiwi’ Andrea Hewitt e Nicky Samuels.
Andrea Hewitt, grazie a questo prestigioso podio, riesce così a conquistare anche la terza posizione assoluta del rank della World Triathlon Series, nuovamente alla ribalta nel Gotha mondiale, subito alle spalle dell’altra americana Sara Groff, giunta 4^ oggi in Grand Final e brillante argento della classifica finale generale della WTS, regalando e completando così la storica doppietta degli Stati Uniti in campo elite femminile.
Le prestazioni azzurre sono state delle due portacolori delle Fiamme Oro, Alice Betto ed Anna Maria Mazzetti, purtroppo assente all’ultima ora per una brutta influenza intestinale, la notte prima della gara, Charlotte Bonin (GS.Fiamme Azzurre), costretta dalla febbre suo malgrado a rinunciare a completare la sua stagione agonistica l’aveva vista in continua crescita. Charlotte Bonin conclude comunque 20^ del rank finale della WTS.
Alice Betto è stata l’azzurra che ha realizzato il miglior piazzamento, la 14^ posizione nella Grand Final ed il 10° posto assoluto della World Triathlon Series edizione 2014, riconfermando la stessa posizione del rank conseguita lo scorso anno. La sua gara oggi è stata sempre in evidenza, 5^ nel nuoto e uscita 2^ dalla T1, è sempre rimasta anche in bici nel gruppo di testa delle 18 leader. Scesa dalla bici e uscita dalla T2 in 8^ posizione e intrapresa l’ultima frazione a corsa, mentre la Groff, la Hewitt e la Samuels allungavano sulle avversarie infliggendo già il primo significativo distacco e mentre la Jorgensen avanzava e prendeva la testa della classifica, Alice non ha trovato il giusto ritmo per mantenersi avanti ed agganciata dentro la top ten, per consolidare e ottimizzare l’eccellente lavoro fatto fino ad allora.
Anna Maria Mazzetti, più attardata nel nuoto rispetto ad Alice, a circa 30” dalla testa della gara all’uscita dalla T1, è rimasta per i primi due giri di ciclismo al fianco della Jorgensen e della Stimpson nel gruppo delle dirette inseguitrici, pronta a dar battaglia per recuperare posizioni, ma alla fine del secondo giro è scivolata in una curva ed ha perso definitivamente ogni possibilità di rientrare in gara, concludendo 32^ nella classifica della Grand Final e 21^ del rank di world triathlon series.
- Seguono approfondimenti -
Classifica Finale
| Pos | First Name | Last Name | Country | Time | Swim | T1 | Bike | T2 | Run | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gwen | Jorgensen | USA |  | 02:00:05 | 00:18:52 | 00:01:06 | 01:06:19 | 00:00:26 | 00:33:24 |
| 2 | Andrea | Hewitt | NZL |  | 02:00:21 | 00:18:41 | 00:01:05 | 01:05:25 | 00:00:25 | 00:34:47 |
| 3 | Nicky | Samuels | NZL | | 02:00:31 | 00:18:53 | 00:01:05 | 01:05:12 | 00:00:26 | 00:34:56 |
| 4 | Sarah | Groff | USA | | 02:01:20 | 00:18:42 | 00:01:04 | 01:05:27 | 00:00:26 | 00:35:44 |
| 5 | Aileen | Reid | IRL |  | 02:01:21 | 00:18:59 | 00:01:06 | 01:06:13 | 00:00:29 | 00:34:37 |
| 6 | Claudia | Rivas | MEX |  | 02:01:22 | 00:18:52 | 00:01:15 | 01:05:06 | 00:00:27 | 00:35:43 |
| 7 | Sara | Vilic | AUT |  | 02:01:24 | 00:18:47 | 00:01:09 | 01:05:16 | 00:00:26 | 00:35:48 |
| 8 | Pamela | Oliveira | BRA |  | 02:01:26 | 00:19:02 | 00:01:08 | 01:05:02 | 00:00:28 | 00:35:49 |
| 9 | Katie | Hursey | USA | | 02:01:27 | 00:18:43 | 00:01:05 | 01:05:25 | 00:00:31 | 00:35:45 |
| 10 | Rachel | Klamer | NED |  | 02:01:30 | 00:18:55 | 00:01:11 | 01:05:05 | 00:00:25 | 00:35:55 |
| 11 | Vendula | Frintova | CZE |  | 02:01:41 | 00:19:16 | 00:01:04 | 01:05:57 | 00:00:28 | 00:34:58 |
| 12 | Juri | Ide | JPN |  | 02:01:46 | 00:18:57 | 00:01:07 | 01:05:06 | 00:00:25 | 00:36:13 |
| 13 | Jodie | Stimpson | GBR |  | 02:01:49 | 00:19:13 | 00:01:06 | 01:05:57 | 00:00:28 | 00:35:08 |
| 14 | Alice | Betto | ITA |  | 02:02:00 | 00:18:41 | 00:01:04 | 01:05:28 | 00:00:26 | 00:36:23 |
| 32 | Annamaria | Mazzetti | ITA | | 02:05:30 | 00:19:09 | 00:01:06 | 01:07:37 | 00:00:28 | 00:37:12 |
Classifica Finale Rank ELITE DONNE
| Position | First Name | Last Name | Country | Events | World Cups | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Gwen | Jorgensen | USA |  | 6 | 0 | 5085 |
| 2. | Sarah | Groff | USA | | 6 | 1 | 3987 |
| 3. | Andrea | Hewitt | NZL |  | 6 | 1 | 3845 |
| 4. | Jodie | Stimpson | GBR |  | 6 | 0 | 3453 |
| 5. | Nicky | Samuels | NZL | | 6 | 0 | 3073 |
| 6. | Helen | Jenkins | GBR | | 5 | 1 | 2903 |
| 7. | Emma | Jackson | AUS |  | 6 | 1 | 2647 |
| 8. | Aileen | Reid | IRL |  | 6 | 0 | 2543 |
| 9. | Kirsten | Sweetland | CAN |  | 5 | 1 | 2540 |
| 10. | Alice | Betto | ITA |  | 6 | 1 | 2518 |
| 11. | Juri | Ide | JPN |  | 6 | 0 | 2309 |
| 12. | Vendula | Frintova | CZE |  | 6 | 1 | 2269 |
| 13. | Pamela | Oliveira | BRA |  | 6 | 2 | 2174 |
| 14. | Rachel | Klamer | NED |  | 6 | 2 | 2118 |
| 15. | Claudia | Rivas | MEX |  | 6 | 2 | 2089 |
| 16. | Katie | Hursey | USA | | 5 | 2 | 2036 |
| 17. | Emma | Moffatt | AUS | | 5 | 1 | 1965 |
| 18. | Sarah-Anne | Brault | CAN | | 5 | 0 | 1854 |
| 19. | Ai | Ueda | JPN | | 6 | 2 | 1732 |
| 20. | Charlotte | Bonin | ITA | | 5 | 0 | 1679 |
| 21. | Annamaria | Mazzetti | ITA | | 6 | 1 | 1616 |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gwen Jorgensen (USA) golden at Edmonton Grand Final to be named 2014 ITU World Champion Edmonton, Canada (30 August 2014) - American Gwen Jorgensen today claimed a slice of history in winning the 2014 ITU World Championship Grand Final in a trademark come from behind performance. Jorgensen moved into triathlon royalty securing an unprecedented five WTS wins this season, joining Alistair Brownlee as the only other athlete to have won five titles in one season. Jorgensen's win today saw her crowned as the 2014 ITU World Champion. www.triathlon.org For the first time ever, the US women finished 1-2 in the overall world ranking with Sarah Groff in second. New Zealand's Andrea Hewitt took silver in the race, which helped her to a third-place finish overall in the rankings. Also on Saturday, Dorian Coninx (FRA) repeated back to back world titles moving from the junior world champ to the U23 king. Additionally, 10 world champions were named in paratriathlon, six of them winning the title for the first time. Elite Women's Review Gwen Jorgensen has dominated the 2014 Word Triathlon Series and today was rightly rewarded, standing on top of world triathlon after another powerhouse display. Jorgensen's win today also secured her the overall ITU World Championship final winning in a time of two hours and 5 seconds, finishing 16 seconds ahead of New Zealand's Andrea Hewitt (NZL). Hewitt's second place secured her third in the overall standings. Nicky Samuels (NZL) finished a brilliant third in a race that saw some of the pre race contenders struggle. "I don't think it's really sunk in at all, I just want to thank everyone that has helped me so much, Patrick, Jaime (Turner). Sarah Haskings was huge today. I'm really happy," said Jorgensen. Jorgensen again had to draw on her lethal weapon run speed to make up another big deficit but had some help from teammate Sarah Haskins (USA) on the bike. Jorgensen went into the final race of the season a clear Rankings leader but it was an outstanding performance by Sarah Groff who was in the mix all day eventually finishing fourth that secured her second in the overall Rankings, knocking Jodie Stimpson (GBR) out of contention. Hewitt has not recored a race win since 2011 and after finishing second in Stockholm last weekend and a silver medal today was very pleased with the second half of her season. "For things to come together at the end of the season it means so much, second here and second last weekend, I just had a great race today," said Hewitt. Carolina Routier (ESP) lead the swim from start to finish with Alice Betto sitting right on her feet and Groff nicely placed in the group. But little separated them from the big pack that entered transition. On the first lap of the bike a group of 17 had formed and settled into a good rhythm Great Britain's Lucy Hall established herself in the work group along with four New Zealander's, Hewitt, Samuels, Kate McIroy and Rebecca Clarke. Over the the six-lap bike leg they amassed a 70 second lead over the chasers that included all teh top chances including Jorgensen. As they hit the final 10km run leg it was Hewitt, Samuels and Groff that forged ahead over the first lap but Jorgensen put the pedal down and on the third lap moved into the lead recording the fastest run split of the day (33.24) to win her first World Championship title. "I didn't really execute too well in the swim and first lap of the bike I got a little nervous and let that get to me. I just had to try and reel it back in," said Jorgensen. 2014 ITU Elite Women's World Championships - 30 August Final Results - Junior Women - 1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run
Montoya claims second world title in Edmonton In a thrilling finish that came down to the wire in Edmonton, France's Raphael Montoya (FRA) clinched the 2014 ITU Junior Men's World Championship on Friday. The 2014 European Champion was well placed in the 750m swim and 20km bike leg but he produced a personal best 5km run split to out sprint Australia's Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) by the narrowest or margins. Fellow Australian Calvin Quirk (AUS) also produced a personal best performance to run himself into the bronze. "I had a good swim and we tried to make a move but they stayed with us. After that I stayed behind and waited for the run. What a sprint with Jacob," said Montoya. After a fourth place last year in London this was retribution for Montoya. "It was my focus of the year. To win this is fantastic. Last year, I finished fourth for me, it was unfair for me." In a race that saw the top three run just over 15 minutes for the 5km Birtwhistle was devastated to miss the gold but paid tribute to Montoya. "I really wanted that win. It was a tough race. Full credit to Montoya. He made me work for it," said Birtwhistle. For 17-year-old Quirk it was his first championship race and a career best result. Norway's Jorgen Gundersen gunned it through the one-lap 750m swim but a massive 40 strong lead group formed early and remained unchanged over the four lap course. At the end of the bike, transition was frantic with all 40 athletes hitting the pavement for the final 5km run together. But noted runners Montoya and Birtwhistle didn't take long to make the break and run together for the majority of the 5km. As they hit the top of the blue carpet the sprint was on and not even Birtwhistle's running background could help him in the lunge for the line. For Birtwhistle it was a bittersweet silver medal as he came agonizingly close to gold after crashing in London last year to eventually finish sixth. "I thought if I just sat on him a bit on that run, I come from a track background so I thought I might be able to take him in a sprint. I did what I could today. Who knows maybe another day but today he got the better of me," said Birtwhistle. 2014 ITU U23 Men's World Championships - 30 August Final Results - U23 Men - 1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run
|
