Paula Findlay grabbed her second title of the 2011 Dextro Energy World Championship Series with a superb win in Madrid, Spain. Helen Jenkins finished second and Emmie Charayron rounded out the podium
A group of 16 established very early on the bike with quite a few contenders present including Paula Findlay, Helen, Jenkins, Laura Bennett, Barbara Riveros Diaz and Andrea Hewitt, and the most notable folks absent from that bunch were Emma Moffatt, Emma Snowsill and Daniela Ryf. Moffatt and Ryf were at least in the second group on the road, but Snowsill was really not in a good position. Up front the leaders worked very hard and they reached the bike-run transition with a nice margin.
Bennett charged out of transition first, but she quickly fell off the pace and Findlay and Hewitt pushed into the lead. Jenkins also ran well and clawed her way back to the two leaders. Eventually Findlay and Jenkins dropped Hewitt but the young Canadian was too strong for her British counterpart and sprinted away from her with a few 100 yards to go. Emmie Charayron ran past Hewitt to take third.
"I felt very strong throughout the whole race, I had one of my best swims ever and that set me up for a good effort on the bike. I love hilly courses so I think this played in my favor today, and I felt in control for the whole run," said Findlay to slowtwitch.
"I can’t even describe it, it doesn’t feel it like it at all, I still feel like an underdog every time I come into these races and I am still starstruck by seeing the Emmas and everyone, so it’s just amazing to be winning them. I’m very happy," added Findlay when she was told that she had matched Emma Moffatt for most wins in the series at four.
Dextro Energy WCS Madrid
Madrid, Spain / June 5, 2011
1.5k swim / 40k bike / 10k run
Top women
1. Paula Findlay (CAN) 2:03:46
2. Helen Jenkins (GBR) 2:03:50
3. Emmie Charayron (FRA) 2:03:59
4. Andrea Hewitt (NZL) 2:04:00
5. Barbara Riveros Diaz (CHI) 2:04:43
6. Kate McIlroy (NZL) 2:04:57
7. Sarah Groff (USA) 2:05:28
8. Laura Bennett (USA) 2:05:33
9. Svenja Bazlen (GER) 2:05:35
10. Rachel Klamer (NED) 2:05:58
Dextro Energy ITU WCS points series
1. Paula Findlay (CAN) 1600
2. Barbara Riveros Diaz (CHI) 1326
3. Andrea Hewitt (NZL) 1318
4. Laura Bennett (USA) 1006
5. Helen Jenkins (GBR) 806
