We Noticed: Jorgensen Wins Supertri Austin, Beaugrand Breaks Another French Running Record and more

A pair of Olympic gold medalists led the way at the first of the Supertri Pro Series races at Supertri Austin on the weekend. 2016 Rio champ Gwen Jorgensen pulled clear on the run to take the women’s race, while Tim Hellwig, part of Germany’s Mixed Relay gold medal winning team from Paris, topped the men’s field.

Jorgensen crossed the line with a nice buffer, but there was a close race for second as American Eleanor Beveridge managed to outsprint Slovakia’s Zuzana Michaliková.

Women’s Results:

1. Gwen Jorgensen (USA): 58:14
2. Eleanor Beveridge (USA): 58:33
3. Zuzana Michaliková (SVK): 58:33
4. Joy Gill (USA): 58:37
5. Michelle Magnani (USA): 59:40
6. Annie Fuller (USA): 1:00:13
7. Rylan Lonergan (USA): 1:00:48
8. Faith Dasso (USA): 1:01:22
9. Mackenzie McConagha (USA): 1:01:39
10. Avalyn Thompson (USA): 1:03:17

In the men’s race Hellwig worked with American Olympian Seth Rider on the bike to break clear of the rest of the field, then ran himself to the win. Rider would be passed by France’s Aurelien Jem and countryman Matthew McGoey and would eventually finish fourth.

Men’s Results:

1. Tim Hellwig (GER): 52:00
2. Aurelien Jem (FRA): 52:19
3. Matthew McGoey (USA): 52:28
4. Seth Rider (USA): 52:41
5. Carter Stuhlmacher (USA): 53:03
6. Cole Jamieson (USA): 53:34
7. Nathanael Hamilton (USA): 53:50
8. Elliot Hamilton (USA): 55:05
9. Graham Hummel (USA): 55:48
10. Foster Wilfong (USA): 56:03

Hellwig, Rider and Michaliková already had invites to the Supertri Pro Series Final, so the the men’s qualifiers for the Pro Series Final were Jem, McGoey and Carter Stuhlmacher, while Jorgensen, Beveridge and Joy Gill got the women’s spots.

Beaugrand Breaks French 5,000 m Record

Last week Paris Olympic gold medalist Cassandre Beaugrand broke her third national running record. The reigning triathlon world champion ran 14:40.77 to set the new track record that had stood since 2004 (Margaret Maury – 14:43.90). Last year Beaugrand set the French 5 km road record in Monaco, running 14:53 and ran 30:52 in April of this year to set a new 10 km record on the road, too.

Beaugrand’s run was set up during a club night meet, but still featured three pacemakers (Kenyans Emmaculate Jekopsgei and Purity Chepkirui, plus Burundian Francine Niyomukunzi) and the pacing lights you often see at major track events.

“I really surprised myself,” she told L’Équipe after the race. “I’m not used to running with pacemakers, so I had to adjust my stride. But there were so many people cheering me on. I couldn’t let them down.”

Beaugrand’s time meets the standard for the European Championships in Birmingham in August – it will be interesting to see how much she wants to focus on running as she looks to defend her world triathlon title this year and also begin the qualifying process for the LA Games. Beaugrand is entered in this weekend’s World Triathlon Championship Series Alghero race.

Speaking of Alghero …

Anyone else notice how competitive this race is shaping up to be? The only two women to have won a WTCS race in Sardinia – Beaugrand (in Alghero last year and Cagliari the year before) and Georgia Taylor-Brown (in Cagliari the previous two years) will both be vying for a third title. Beth Potter will no-doubt be keen to add a fourth WTCS win in her last five attempts after taking the Samarkand race, while reigning world champ Lisa Tertsch will look to get back on track to try and defend her title. Others we’ll be watching include Taylor Knibb, Leonie Periault and Jeanne Lehair.

You can see the full women’s start list here.

The men’s race promises to be every bit as much of a barn-burner, with the much-anticipated battle of the world champs – T100 world champ Hayden Wilde and reigning WTCS champ Matt Hauser. Add to that mix Paris Olympic gold medalist Alex Yee, defending Alghero champ Miguel Hidalgo, Samarkand champion Vasco Vilaca and you have the makings of quite the race.

You can see the full men’s start list here.

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