Europeans dominated women’s elite semifinal races on Saturday at the Tiszy World Cup, with pre-race favourites Italy’s Gaia Peron (ITA), Sophia Saller (GER) and Celine Schaerer (SUI) winning their heats.

Peron finished ahead of Margit Vanek (HUN) in semifinal 1, with Renee Tomlin (USA) in third and Lucy Hall (GBR) in fourth.

“A super race. I was running slower because on the bike I was first so no problems for getting into the finals. I had a good swim. I’ve been staying in St. Moritz in Switzerland and here for two nights, but it’s hotter today,” Peron (ITA) said, who was second out of the water behind Carolina Routier (ESP), who finished seventh.

Saller finished ahead of Rachel Klamer (NED), Lindsey Jerdonek (USA) and Zsofia Kovacs (HUN) in heat 2, looking satisfied and relaxed with her race, which she clearly enjoyed.

Saller said: “The very tight first group was working together really well. Everyone was doing their bit. I was just enjoying it. We were chatting on the run. Once the bike was over we knew, ‘we’ve got this’. The swim was quite brutal at the beginning, but it was okay.”

Saller was outside the top five going onto the bikes, while Jerdonek was in second place with Klamer fifth.

In semifinal 3, Schaerer (SUI) was third out of the water in a tight group behind Erin Jones (USA) and Pamela Oliveira (BRA), who finished second, while Kaitlin Donner (USA), who was fourth out of the water, finished third.

Jones (USA) crashed on the first turn on the bike, grazing her elbow, but recovered to finish eighth and qualify for Sunday’s final.

“It was rough,” Jones said. “I was mad because I had a good swim. I’m just excited to redeem myself tomorrow. I didn’t have the perfect day today so tomorrow is redemption.”

Other triathletes to qualify for Sunday’s final include Ditte Kristensen (DEN), Hanna Philippin (GER), Sara Vilic (AUT), Charlotte McShane (AUS), Charlotte Bonin (ITA), Katrien Verstuyft (BEL), Danne Boterenbrood (NED) and Gillian Sanders (RSA).