On any given WTCS weekend, it is fairly common for the racing to dominate the storylines in triathlon. Over the last few days, though, there were several noteworthy stories to be found beyond those of the races in Montreal.
Danish Champs
The Danish Championships were decided over the Sprint distance at the weekend as Alberte Kjær Pedersen triumphed over Anne Holm.
In the end, Pedersen’s running speed was enough to carry her to victory. Although Holm pushed her close throughout, she did not quite have that final gear to match her compatriot. Nevertheless, after a spell out with injury, Holm will be heartened by her strong showing on her path back to full fitness.
For Pedersen, it was a second victory in the space of a week. The first was all the more personal as she graduated from her degree in dentistry. With her degree wrapped up, Pedersen will now be transitioning into becoming a full-time triathlete with her focus on the Paris Olympic Games next year.
In the more immediate term, both Pedersen and Holm will be competing at the European Games this week and will target high finishes.
Meanwhile the men’s race was won by Valdemar Solok. A former Danish Junior champion, Solok finished 7th at the European U23 Championships last year. However, after the championships, an infection nearly derailed Solok’s career.
Unable to train and suffering both physically and mentally, Solok was forced to take a break from university. A period of what he described as “close to depression” also followed.
Ten months later and back on his feet, Solok earned the win in style in Aalborg. With a Senior national title in his pocket, he is due to make his return to the international scene at the African Cup in Larache next month. In Morocco, the 21 year old will be looking to regain his upward trajectory.
Perterer takes on Austrian cyclists
WTCS athlete Lisa Perterer took on several of the best cyclists Austria had to offer at the National Road Race Championships. Until the final few metres, it even looked like Perterer was about to snatch a major victory.
Unable to run due to injury, Perterer founded her own team, LP Sport Club, and spontaneously signed up for the race. For much of the day, she stunned her rival cyclists and commentators alike as she produced a huge effort. Up the final climb, only Carina Schrempf, the Austrian champion of 2020 and 2021, could hang with her. Schrempf will be racing at the women’s Giro d’Italia which serves as a testament to the quality of Perterer’s opposition.
In the end, Schrempf had the final kick to claim the national crown ahead of Perterer. A silver medal nonetheless represented a fantastic achievement for the triathlete.
Although she cannot run right now, Perterer’s performance indicates that her cycling is in exceptional shape. She is slated to start at the Tiszaujvaros World Cup and, if she does, look for her to make a big impact on the bike.
Olympic rankings shake ups
The racing at WTCS Montreal had several wider implications, not least in affecting the Olympic Qualification rankings.
After winning the bronze medal, Summer Rappaport moved up 4 places into 8th. As a result, there are now three US women in the top-8 of the rankings. The two Taylors, Spivey and Knibb, currently lie ahead of Rappaport.
Another woman ascended into the top-10 as Jeanne Lehair gained 6 places to rise into 10th. Lehair has therefore all but sealed her Olympic qualification. She is by far and away Luxembourg’s highest ranked athlete and now has a very healthy buffer of over 2000 points to the likely cut-off for individual qualification. That is not to say that she can afford to not race again, however her prospects look rosy indeed.
To a similar extent, Zsanett Bragmayer improved her chances of going to Paris. Her gain of 10 places elevated her to 33rd in the rankings. While that is not as safe as Lehair, Bragmayer is increasingly looking like a secure presence in the list of likely qualified athletes.
On the Spanish front, Noelia Juan and Marta Pintanel Raymundo continue to race one another up the rankings. Both enjoyed solid showings in Montreal and improved their rankings over the weekend. Juan gained 5 places to move to 49th. Meanwhile, Pintanel gained 7 places to move to 61st.
Both have also moved clear of their compatriot Anna Godoy Contreras. While Miriam Casillas Garcia remains the overwhelming favourite to take the first Spanish place in Paris, the race for the second slot is becoming quite tight.
Among the other high risers in the Olympic rankings were Katie Zaferes who gained 36 places into 53rd, Sophie Linn 11 places into 59th and Dominika Jamnicky 15 places in 62nd.
On the men’s side, two jumps to note were that of Charles Paquet (who gained 23 places to rise into 44th place) and Tim Hellwig (who jumped a whopping 43 places into 73rd).
The examples of Paquet and Hellwig go to show that, over the coming year, a couple of big results may be the difference between an athlete making it to Paris or not.
Coninx’s fast track session
While he was absent from WTCS Montreal and saw his lead of the Series taken by Vasco Vilaca, Dorian Coninx still made his presence known.
On Instagram, he shared a running session which consisted of 12x400m at 1:08 per 400 pace with a rest interval of 40 seconds. For anyone with the inclination to attempt the session, it is fairly schnell to say the least.
The Frenchman has been in fine form this season, with top-5 finishes at all three WTCS races he has attended. While the plaudits were elsewhere during WTCS Montreal, in his own way he offered a gentle reminder of the running speed he possesses. When he returns to the WTCS fray, look for him to be make the most of his ability.
Mixed Team Relay in Montreal
Environmental hazard saw the Mixed Team Relay cancelled in Montreal. Smog ultimately made the conditions unsafe and, in prioritising athlete welfare, World Triathlon opted to delay the start and then cancel the event.
This is a slightly different case to the incident at the European Championships at Madrid. Most obviously, communication from the officials was a little clearer and there were no glaring U-turns.
Beyond the loss of the event itself, the cancellation will have consequences for Olympic qualification. Montreal was one of a limited number of WTCS-level relays on offer this year at which countries could improve their Mixed Relay ranking. As the places for the Mixed Relay are the first to be assigned for the Olympic Games, they acquire real significance for securing slots for Paris.
With that in mind, some countries like Norway had sent athletes just for the relay to hunt points. Men like Vetle Bergsvik Thorn therefore did not just fly across the Atlantic for nothing; they missed a crucial opportunity to improve their country’s shot at Olympic qualification.
In the bigger picture, the cancellation also shows how vulnerable triathlon is to the climate.
Over the coming years, it is no stretch to imagine that issues of heat and air quality will hamper further events. Triathlon may therefore need to look to solutions on the one hand to reduce its carbon footprint and on the other to mitigate such environmental issues as and when they arise.
