Originally published at: Cassandre Beaugrand’s Perfect Season Ends with World Title - Slowtwitch News
Cassandre Beaugrand has claimed her first world championship, capping off an undefeated individual season of World Triathlon Championship Series racing with a win at the Grand Final in Torremolinis-Andalucia.
Although Beaugrand entered the race with a comfortable lead in the Series and the inside track for the world title, the race win was not an easy one to come by. Beaugrand took a position on the swim start pontoon on the far right and veered further and further right once the gun went off. She was forced to swim hard to the first buoy just to latch back onto the back of the field, but then would work her way further through the field over the course of the next 1000 meters to emerge with championship contender Beth Potter in 10th place.
There were 12 women in the lead pack of the bike, including Beaugrand and Potter, as well as swim leaders Bianca Seregini and Lena Meissner. Emma Lombardi was also there, setting up for a potential battle amongst the three leading title contenders (Beaugrand, Potter, and Lombardi). The group rode mostly together into transition, where Beaugrand, Potter, Lombardi, and Jeanne Lehair broke away during the course of lap one.
But it would be Beaugrand who would drive the pace on lap two, surging to drop her fellow title contenders and eventually open a 38 second margin of victory over Potter, who clinched second in the Series. Lombardi took bronze, which also moved her into third for the Series.
Beaugrand post race was delighted, saying, “I just wanted this world title so badly and have dreamed about it for so many years. Last year I was very disappointed finishing second. Nobody can take this away from me now. I was training hard and fighting all year for this one.”
Race Results
First Name | Last Name | Time | Swim | T1 | Bike | T2 | Run |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cassandre | Beaugrand | 01:56:44 | 00:22:14 | 00:01:12 | 00:59:48 | 00:00:25 | 00:33:08 |
Beth | Potter | 01:57:22 | 00:22:14 | 00:01:13 | 00:59:48 | 00:00:22 | 00:33:47 |
Emma | Lombardi | 01:57:34 | 00:22:07 | 00:01:09 | 00:59:58 | 00:00:21 | 00:34:00 |
Vicky | Holland | 01:57:56 | 00:22:13 | 00:01:12 | 00:59:50 | 00:00:31 | 00:34:13 |
Miriam | Casillas García | 01:58:02 | 00:22:19 | 00:01:11 | 00:59:45 | 00:00:23 | 00:34:26 |
Jeanne | Lehair | 01:58:09 | 00:22:17 | 00:01:14 | 00:59:45 | 00:00:22 | 00:34:33 |
Lisa | Tertsch | 01:58:12 | 00:22:44 | 00:01:10 | 01:00:47 | 00:00:23 | 00:33:10 |
Bianca | Seregni | 01:58:19 | 00:21:59 | 00:01:19 | 00:59:59 | 00:00:26 | 00:34:38 |
Leonie | Periault | 01:58:28 | 00:22:52 | 00:01:17 | 01:00:32 | 00:00:25 | 00:33:24 |
Kirsten | Kasper | 01:58:35 | 00:22:13 | 00:01:12 | 00:59:51 | 00:00:23 | 00:34:58 |
Photo: World Triathlon