Helen Jenkins wins San Diego, Marina Damlaimcourt finishes 26º

San Diego, the birthplace of modern triathlon, has become the venue for the second round of the ITU World Triathlon Series this weekend. A priori the appointment seemed exciting, being the penultimate scoring test of Olympic qualification and with many of the places still at stake.

In this sense, the elite women's event has not disappointed and from the first moments it has been possible to verify the tension and struggle of the contestants to achieve the Olympic dream.

The first segment started at Mission Beach, where the participants completed two swimming laps in Mission Bay. After completing the 1.5 km of swimming, a group of eleven triathletes headed in first position towards T1 with a scarce seven seconds difference between them.
At the exit of the T1 a group of eight triathletes consisting of Jenkins, Densham Bennett, Haskins, Holland, Groff, Duffy and Harrison had 30 seconds ahead of the rest.

However, the good work of this leading peloton increased the difference to approximately one minute in the first of the eight cycling laps (40 km in total). A margin that would progressively increase over the course of this segment.

From behind two pursuing squads tried to shorten the differences. Halfway through the cycling section they would unify to compose a group of 30 triathletes that included among others Moffatt, Snowsill, Emma Jackson, Gentle, Liz Blatchford and Anne Haug. This was followed by a third platoon consisting of Gwen Jorgensen, Daniela Ryf and Carole Peon.

Arriving at T2, the leading squad accumulated an income of more than 2 minutes and 30 seconds and everything suggested that victory would be decided between this group of eight. Already in the first of the three laps of the foot race, Jenkins, Holland and Bennett carried out a breakout, although very soon the American Sarah Haskins would catch up with them. Finally Haskins would give in to the push of the first three and Jenkins and Densham would take the lead, fighting for the top of the podium.

The British proved to be the fastest, achieving the best time in the 10 km of the race on foot, and crossed the finish line in first position with more than a minute of advantage over the second classified.

Australian Erin Densham came in second, and continues to show her great form and presents her credentials to go to London with the Australian team. For her part, an excited Laura Bennett entered third position and, in this way, secured her Olympic passport.

Marina Damlaimcourt went from less to more and ended up finishing in 26th place. The Madrilenian came out of the water in the final positions and remained in the third cycling peloton. Later, at the end of the cycling section and during the race on foot, he was climbing some positions.

The competition has been marked by strong heat, a situation that, together with a small accident in the early stages of the cycling sector, has led to the abandonment of several contenders. In the absence of the last scoring test that will take place in Madrid in two weeks, there is still a certain intrigue in order to determine all of the 55 participants who will start in Hyde Park next August.

Female elite classification:
1 Helen Jenkins RU 01: 58: 21
2 Erin Densham AUS 01: 59: 26
3 Laura Bennett 02: 00: 11
4 Jessica Harrison FRA 02: 00: 14
5 Vicky Holland RU 02: 00: 28
———–
26 Marina Damlaimcourt ESP 02: 03: 16

FETRI