In one of the most dominating run performances in ITU history, Gwen Jorgensen of the United States stormed back from 18th place and a 69 seconds deficit after the bike leg to win the Chicago round of the World Triathlon Series.

With this win on the sizzling hot and humid streets of Chicago, Jorgensen set a new record of six career World Triathlon Series victories – passing the five wins earned by Emma Moffatt and Paula Findlay. Jorgensen also tied Paula Findlay’s 2011 mark of three straight WTS wins. In addition, Jorgensen rocketed to a seemingly unassailable 758-point lead over Jenkins in the WTS season point standings in this, the 5th of 8 races in the most prestigious ITU Olympic distance series in the world.

While Jorgensen’s race-best run split of 34:14 was nowhere near her 32:46 run split at Cape Town this year, it was 1:24 better than Jenkins’ next best effort and, given the stifling heat, was magisterial in the ease with which she sliced past 17 rivals in the field with her smooth, long strides.

Jorgensen said she was inspired by family and a hone country crowd. “My mum, my dad, aunt and uncles and so many friends and family [were cheering] it was so great,” she said. "I don't think I've ever been affected by cheers that loud. They gave me chills throughout my entire body."

Jorgensen hit the finish tape in 1:55:33 with a 20 seconds margin of victory over runner-up Jenkins of Great Britain, a two-time ITU World champion, and 27 seconds ahead of 3rd-place finisher Juri Ide of Japan.

Jorgensen also won her seconds straight USA Triathlon Elite Nationals Championships title as part of the event by a 4:07 margin over runner-up Kaitlin Donner (17th overall) and 4:44 over 3rd-place Lindsey Jerdonek (21st overall).

Given Jorgensen’s run-powered dominance of the WTS circuit – a 3rd place finish at Cape Town and wins at Yokohama and London – several top swimmers attempted to break away from Jorgensen in the choppy, windswept waters of Lake Michigan by taking a wide line on the other side of the pontoon. Led by Spain’s Carolina Routier and accomplished ITU fish such as Nicky Samuels, Emma Moffatt, Helen Jenkins and Pamela Oliveira on the no-wetsuit swim, Jorgensen came out the water 15th and 30 seconds down. This put her on the bubble between her first pack swims in Yokohama and London and the tardy swim, and bike effort she made at the opening WTS round in Auckland where she trailed by 3:26 at T2.

“I wasn't in a really great position on the bike so I just tried to stick in it,” said Jorgensen.

While the top 12 swimmers managed a smooth breakaway, Jorgensen could not organize the chase group into a counterattack and she settled into the dormant pack as far back as 27th while the leaders pulled away and left Jorgensen 69-seconds arrears.

While Jenkins, Ide and Canadian comeback kid Kirsten Sweetland pulled away from the mere mortals on the first of four 2.5 kilometer loops, Jorgensen eased into her pursuit, gaining 19 seconds on the leaders, advancing into 13th place. At the 5 kilometer mark, Jorgensen put on the pressure, pulling into 5th place, 33 seconds down. After Lap 3, she was like a cheetah running down the antelopes and sat in third place, 5 seconds behind her prey. By the 8 kilometer mark, she arrived at the heels of Jenkins and Ide and paused to regroup with the calmness of a kitten toying with a ball of string. Jenkins and Ide gave one last futile surge, then Jorgensen shot past the two like a cannonball.

Several key rivals were missing – standing world champion Non Stanford remains on the injured list, early season WTS leader Jodie Stimpson and fellow U.S. star Sarah Groff sat this one out with leg injuries, and last year’s 3rd-place star Anne Haug passed this race up as well. Still, the sheer dominance of Jorgensen’s run (if not the time) invited comparisons with the greatest ITU women runners of all time – Carol Montgomery, Emma Snowsill, Vanessa Fernandes, and Kate Allen.

On this day Jorgensen did not appear to be in the shadow of any of her fleet footed predecessors.

Chicago World Triathlon Series
Chicago, Illinois
June 28, 204
S 1.5k / B 40k / R 10k

Results

Elite Women

1. Gwen Jorgensen (USA) 1:55:33
2. Helen Jenkins (GBR) 1:55:53
3. Jure Ide (JPN) 1:56:00
4. Annamaria Mazzetti (ITA) 1:56:56
5. Charlotte Bonin (ITA) 1:57:04
6. Emma Moffatt (AUS) 1:57:08
7. Kirsten Sweetland (CAN) 1:57:08
8. Vendula Frintova (CZE) 1:57:18
9. Lisa Perterer (AUT) 1:57:25
10. Charlotte McShane (AUS) 1:58:03
17. Katlin Donner USA 1:59:40
21 Lindsey Jerdonek USA 2:00:17
26. Erin Jones USA 2:01:24
37. Taylor Spivey USA 2:05:10
42. Nicole Truxes USA 2:10:26

Threadneedle ITU World Triathlon Series Rankings

1. Gwen Jorgensen (USA) 3424
2. Helen Jenkins (GBR) 2666
3. Jodie Stimpson (GBR) 2396
4. Sarah Groff (USA) 1959
5. Juri Ide (JPN) 1800