At the weekend Leonie Periault took on the Cannes International Triathlon.
Opting for the Long distance, the double WTCS medallist raced across a 2km swim, 90km bike and 21km run. She ultimately finished 2nd in a time of 4:42:17.
Marjolaine Pierre won in Cannes after producing a total time of 4:35:38. Pierre gained 9 minutes 1 second over Periault on the bike which was the primary driver of her victory.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Periault’s day was her run split of 1:15:40. Her split would have been competitive as a standalone half marathon and was better than several of the men in the top-10.
As a short distance triathlete, Cannes amounted to little more than a training exercise near her Saint-Raphaël training base. With her attention now turning to her next training block, she can proceed with confidence that her running (and general) fitness is in a good place.
She will not be racing at WTCS Yokohama next month and her next race is still to be confirmed. After her 5th place at the WTCS Final in Abu Dhabi last season, Periault has already qualified for French selection at the Paris Olympic Test Event. As such, she is not affected by the French federation’s requirement of a top-5 finish at WTCS Yokohama or WTCS Cagliari to earn a starting slot in Paris this coming August.
Yokohama was the site of her most recent WTCS medal (a silver in 2022). There may have therefore been a temptation to return to the venue in search of extra success.
Nevertheless, Periault’s endurance is evidently coming along and once she has had the opportunity to add more speed she will no doubt contend for additional medals this season.
