High Performance Racing: Cork & Hamburg Recap
Europe Triathlon Senior Cup Cork
Cork City was host to its first Europe Triathlon Cup this weekend, alongside a coming together of the whole triathlon community.
Not only were many of Europe’s best Elite and Junior triathletes in action on Sunday, athletes from as far as Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Jordan, and Mexico travelled to battle it out in Cork City.
In the Men’s Elite race Great Britain’s Hamish Reilly broke the tape in a tightly fought race with Italy’s Nicolo Astori only two seconds behind, with Australia’s Christopher Deegan rounding out the podium a second later.
Representing Ireland in the Men’s race were Ian Manthey, Russell White, Jonathan Oakey, and Luke McCarron. Manthey was the best of the Irish crossing the line in 22nd position, posting strong bike and run splits. White and Oakey crossed the finish line on the same time for 25th and 26th respectively, while Luke McCarron was forced to withdraw during the bike section due to a puncture.
In the Women’s Elite race Sandra Dodet of France stormed to victory with the fastest run of the day, followed closely by Great Britain’s Sian Rainsley and Annabel Morton in second and third.
Elizabeth Carr and Erin McConnell were in action for Ireland, while Hollie Elliott raced under the World Triathlon flag as she goes through the process of switching representation from Great Britain to Ireland.
McConnell led the race out of the water into T1, however the chase pack were able to make contact with the leaders before returning to T2. Carr produced a strong bike and run split to finish in 11th place, just over 30 seconds from the podium.
EUROPE TRIATHLON JUNIOR CUP
Not only was Cork City host to its first Europe Triathlon Cup this weekend, the city also hosted a Europe Triathlon Junior Cup.
After the success of the 2023 Europe Triathlon Junior Cup in Dublin last year, the Cork City event attracted almost 30 of the best up and coming triathlon talents between the Junior Men’s and Women’s races.
Ireland’s Mathys Bocquet exited the water in 3rd position, with Archie Bremner hot on his heels as the Irish duo raced into the front pack. Pearse Gallagher was less than 15 seconds behind them but had to settle for a chase pack and losing another 20 seconds on the leaders during the bike section.
Bocquet ultimately crossed the line in 6th position, while Gallagher produced a strong run to bring himself back up to 8th. Bremner narrowly missed the top 10, finishing in 11th position, with Ethan Doherty rounding out the Irish Junior Men in 17th position.
The Junior Men’s race was won by Mexico’s Osvaldo Darell Zuñiga Fierro, after outrunning Australia’s Mitchell Blackbourn to the line. The podium was completed by Alfredo Miguel Rodríguez Figueroa, also from Mexico, who had swam and biked with the pair, making it a three
man race for the top spot of the podium as they left T2.
The Junior Women’s race had a clear winner in María López Faraudo of Mexico, with Isla Watson and Alexandra Field completing the podium. Both Aimee Carr and Nessa Mangan were in action for Ireland. In a reduced field the pair found themselves just off the swim pace required to make the most of the draft legal bike packs. The pair finished in 6th and 7th respectively, and will now switch their focus to the 2024 Europe Triathlon Sprint Relay Championships Balikesir in August, where they will be joined by Bocquet, Gallagher, and Bremner.
World Triathlon Championship Series Hamburg
James Edgar was in action at the 2024 World Triathlon Championship Series Hamburg, Germany, this weekend.
The Sprint distance race featured a single lap 750m non-wetsuit swim in the Binnenalster, one of two artificial lakes within the city limits of Hamburg, six laps of a flat but technically demanding 20km bike course, followed by two laps of a flat paved run course. Athletes who are struggling on the bike section have the added pressure of being pulled from the race, as the run course allows for a “first runner – last biker” scenario.
The race was won in an incredible 50 minutes and 3 seconds by American Matt Hauser, current World Triathlon ranked number 4. He was followed shortly after by Vasco Vilaca of Portugal, and Pierre Le Corre of France, with all three using the race as final preparations for the Paris Olympic Games.
Edgar exited the water as part of a steady stream of athletes, producing a solid bike split to maintain his position in the chase pack. He went on to run a strong 14:38 for the 4.91km course to cross the finish line in 33rd place at his debut World Triathlon Championship Series race.
His next scheduled race is currently 2024 Europe Triathlon Sprint & Relay Championships Balikesir, Turkey, which is due to take place from 9th to 11th of August.
