U.S. Junior woman Taylor Knibb won the Kitzbühel ETU Junior European Cup super-sprint distance race by 46 seconds over countrywoman Audrey Ernst. U.S. Junior Seth Rider took silver in a photo finish duel won by Samuel Dickinson of Great Britain at Kitzbühel.
Junior Women
Knibb broke out 5th in the 250-meter swim, 6 seconds behind swim leaders Therese Feuersinger of Austria and Elisabeth Hood of Great Britain and 13 seconds ahead of countrywoman Ernst, who finished the swim in 10th position.
Knibb then smashed all opposition with a 13:50 split for the 7.6-kilometer bike leg that was 29 seconds better than the next-best effort by Anne Struijk of Austria, 31 seconds better than Carlotta Missaglia of Italy, and 32 seconds better than fellow U.S. competitor Ernst.
Knibb sealed the win with a women's 2nd-best 6:32 split for the 2 kilometer run that brought her to the finish in 25:11, with a 46 seconds margin on silver medalist Ernst (6:44 run) and 51 seconds on 3rd-place finisher Therese Feuersinger of Austria.
Knibb, the silver medalist at the 2015 ITU Junior Women World Championship in Chicago, validated her number 1 ranking with the victory.
Junior Men
Alec Wilimovsky of the U.S. led the 250-meter swim with a 2:57 split, giving him a 1 second lead on Jannik Schaufler of Germany and 3 seconds on Seth Rider of the U.S., Oliver Blecher of Canada, and Chase McQueen of the U.S.
Ben Dijkstra of Great Britain grabbed the lead with a race-best 12:38 split for the 7.6k bike leg that was 9 seconds better than Rider (12th) and 14 seconds better than Chase McQueen (18th).
Rider surged to the front with a race-best 5:56 split for the 2k run that brought him to the final chute side by side with Great Britain’s Samuel Dickinson (6:02 run). Dickinson prevailed over Rider for the win by inches in equal final times of 23:01. Oliver Blecher of Canada took 3rd, 7 seconds behind the winner. Chase McQueen ran 6:02 to take 10th place.
Kitzbühel ETU Junior European Cup
Kitzbühel, Austria
June 19, 2016
S 250m / B 7.6k / R 2k
Results
Junior Men
1. Samuel Dickinson (GBR) 23:01
2. Seth Rider (USA) 23:01
3. Oliver Blecher (CAN) 23:08
4. Jack Willis (GBR) 23:09
5. Jannik Schaufler (GER) 23:13
6. Matevz Planko (SLO) 23:15
7. Ondrej Olsar (CZE) 23:16
8. Frederic Funk (GER) 23:16
9. Philip Pertl (AUT) 23:16
10. Chase McQueen (USA) 23:17
18. Darr Smith (USA) 23:38
21. Alec Wilimovsky (USA) 23:41
Junior Women
1. Taylor Knibb (USA) 25:11
2. Audrey Ernst (USA) 25:57
3. Therese Feuersinger (AUT) 26:02
4. Carlotta Missaglia (ITA) 26:03
5. Elizabeth Hood (GBR) 26:08
6. Julie Nimmo (GBR) 26:10
7. Michelle Braun (GER) 26:15
8. Eva Skaza (SLO) 26:15
9. Grace Hoitink (AUS) 26:27
10. Anne Struijk (AUT) 26:29
15. Kyleigh Spearing (USA) 26:49
