Today’s World Triathlon Cup in Napier didn’t unfold as expected, defying predictions of a Hayden Wilde victory.
Despite an electrifying performance where Wilde staged a remarkable comeback in the closing leg, it was Callum McClusky who emerged victorious, showcasing exceptional strength. Similarly, in the women’s event, Sophie Linn demonstrated formidable prowess, clinching the win.
The women’s race commenced with Sophie Alden of Britain leading the swim, closely followed by athletes like Olivia Mathias, Emma Jeffcoat, and Zsanett Kutton-Bragmayer. Linn trailed in ninth place initially, trailing by a margin of twelve seconds.
However, during the biking stage, Linn and a group of eight women collaborated effectively, extending their lead to almost forty seconds over a larger peloton.
Linn’s determination to secure victory became evident during the run as she swiftly surged ahead of her competitors. By the end of the race, she triumphed with a time of 56:36, with Alden (+0:09) and Mathias (+0:10) claiming second and third positions respectively.
In the men’s race, the excitement peaked during the run segment. While the swim saw a minor reshuffling with Alessio Crociani of Italy and New Zealand’s Dylan McCullough leading, a sizable peloton formed during the bike stage, with Hayden Wilde trailing by over 45 seconds initially.
Despite efforts to maintain their lead, the peloton couldn’t deter Wilde, who closed the gap to 27 seconds by the transition to the run. Wilde’s phenomenal running performance propelled him past competitors rapidly.
However, McClusky, maintaining a steady pace, secured a remarkable victory in 49:42, with Wilde closely following in second place at 49:48. Alberto Gonzalez Garcia of Spain claimed third position with a time of 49:50.
