A week after her 10th place finish at WTS Abu Dhabi, Ashleigh Gentle of Australia returned to form with a win at the Mooloolaba World Cup.
After a front pack bike leg, Gentle surged into the lead on the first lap of the run and closed with a women’s-best 16:54 run to finish in 58:15 with a 6 seconds margin of victory over Renee Tomlin of the U.S. and 10 seconds over 3rd-place finisher Angelica Olmo of Italy.
“It was really tough. I knew it was going to be a big ask to back up after Abu Dhabi last weekend,” Gentle told ITU media. “I am really happy and a little bit surprised to be honest.”
Kelly-Ann Perkins of Australia led the swim in 7:58 which gave a slight edge / same time on Emma Jeffcoat of Australia and 7 seconds over Tamara Gorman of the U.S. and 10 seconds over Natalie Van Coevorden of Australia. Renee Tomlin of the U.S. emerged from the water in 7th place, 34 seconds arrears with Olmo 12th, 38 seconds back and Gentle 15th, trailing by 41 seconds.
Jeffcoat, Perkins, Van Coevorden and Gorman led the field by 21 seconds after lap of 4 on the hilly and technically demanding bike leg, with Gentle leading the chasers. By lap 2, the two front groups merged into a large pack. At T2, Van Coevorden led the leaders out on the run. Midway through the first lap of the run, Gentle surged in to the lead for good while Tomlin and Olmo led the rest in the chase for the podium.
After a race-best 16:54 5k run , Gentle finished in 58:15 with a 6 seconds margin on Tomlin (tied-for-2nd-best 17:02 run) and 10 seconds on 3rd place Olmo (17:08 run).
Mooloolaba World Cup Women
Mooloolaba, Australia
March 16, 2019
S 750m / B 20k / R 5k
Results
Elite Women
1. Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) 58:15 S 8:39 T1 1:09 B 31:12 T2 00:23 R 16:54
2. Renee Tomlin (USA) 58:21 S 8:32 T1 1:09 B 31:17 T21 00:22 R 17:02
3. Angelica Olmo (ITA) 58:25 S 8:36 T1 1:08 B 31:11 T2 00:23 R 17:08
4. Jolanda Annen (SUI) 58:31 S 8:30 T2 1:13 B 31:17 T2 00:25 R 17:09
5. Alexandra Razarenova (RUS) 58:33 S 8:39 T1 1:07 B 31:21 T2 00:27 R 17:02
6. Annamaria Mazzetti (ITA) 58:38 S 8:50mT1 1:08 B 31:03 T2 00:22 R 17:17
7. Tamara Gorman (USA) 58:44 S 8:05 T1 1:12 B 31:43 T2 00:21 R 17:24
8. Kelly-Ann Perkins (AUS) 58:47 S 7:58 T1 1:11 B 31:521 T2 00:23 R 17:26
9. Barbara Riveros (CHL) 58:49 S 8:47 T1 1:06 B 31:04 T2 00:24 R 17:30
10. Sophie Corbidge (NZL) 58:51 S 8:53 T1 1:10 B 31:01 T2 00:21 R 17:29
