Sunday afternoon saw Team Germany lift the 2023 Mixed Relay World title at WTCS Hamburg, the first nation to do so on home soil since 2013. The crowds were out in full force to cheer their heroes home, Laura Lindemann with the responsibility of the anchor leg, one that she more than lived up to with a quite brilliant swim, solo bike and powerful run to the gold.
Tim Hellwig had set the tone to finish the first leg right alongside Team Australia’s Matthew Hauser and Vasco Vilaca for Portugal, Annika Koch then taking up the baton and searing clear showing no signs of fatigue from the previous day’s three races and career-best Series fourth. Simon Henseleit was able to keep Hungary’s Mark Devay and Tayler Reid of New Zealand at bay but Lindemann still had it all to do, a powerful 300m swim opening up a gap that her rivals never closed.
“It was quite a responsibility, the first leg felt like a fourth or fifth round from yesterday, the main goal was to put Annika in a good position,” said Hellwig. “It was pretty tough, I felt my legs a lot on the run, but put everything out there, added Koch.”
“I tried to get the group working and keep our advantage and I knew on the run I could deliver Laura in the second or first position, so it all was perfect,” said Henseleit, Lindemann wrapping up the day saying; “It was tough to have my first solo bike in this kind of race but the team had done great so i had to do my best for the team and bring it home. It’s so awesome to be World Champion in Hamburg!”
LEG ONE
Hauser was out first with GB’s Connor Bentley for company into and out of transition, quickly followed by Hellwig and Vasco Vilaça, Hayden Wilde looking to make up ground heading up the ramp and out for the first of two bike laps.
Marten Van Riel joined Hellwig, Vilaca and Hauser upfront as a big chase group merged, Bentley dropped off the back, Japan and Czech Republic struggling.
Out of T2, Hauser led that quartet by 10s to Wilde and Miguel Hidalgo for Brazil, Mexico 35secs off the pace, Bentley a minute. Van Riel was dropped and joined Wilde giving chase at the bell, Hauser putting Australia in the box seat after the first leg as he handed duties over to Natalie Van Coevorden with three seconds to Annika Koch and Melanie Santos.
LEG TWO
Koch was first out but dropped her helmet losing precious seconds as the crowd urged her on, the Germany, Australia, Portugal trio heading onto the two-lap bike together.
Their lead at the halfway mark was 14secs to Taylor Spivey (USA), Zsanett Bragmayer (HUN), Switzerland’s Julie Derron and Vittoria Lopes (BRA), GB now 90seconds back.
Derron was powering the chasers on, the gap down to just three seconds as Koch led out onto the run before the German surged away once more, Spivey trying to reel her in as she handed off to Simon Henseleit.
LEG THREE
Henseleit was away first but the gap now negligible, Junior World Champion Joao Batista out for Portugal, Sylvain Fridelance for Switzerland and Matthew McElroy for USA, Tayler Reid and New Zealand also flying.
Reid was to the front in the 300m swim, Henseleiit, Fridelance, Batista and Devay right there as they hit the third bike of the day.
Batista couldnt keep the pace and was soon alongside McElroy as the four teams pulled away with 22secs daylight to USA and Portugal, 40 seconds to Jacob Birtwhistle for Australia and Casper Stornes for Norway, Spain, South Africa and Belgium 70seconds back at the bell.
Devay had a great T2 as Hungary led New Zealand, Switzerland and Germany out onto the run, Stornes suddenly hauling Norway into contention 30 seconds back after a huge bike effort.
Fridelance was first to be dropped as Henseleit pushed the pace and was greeted by a huge cheer as he handed to Laura Lindemann who followed Nicole Van Der Kaay out for New Zealand, the USA, Netherlands and Portugal now 40seconds back.
LEG FOUR
Lindemann had a huge swim to put the crowd on its feet once more and suddenly had 12 seconds to New Zealand and Hungary, Marta Kropko’s swim bringing them into the challenge once more.
Incredibly, Lindemann was able to extend the advantage from 12 seconds to 23 after one solo bike lap, Cathia Schar now joining Kropko and Van Der Kaay to make it a three-way for the remaining podium spots with a gutsy bike for Team Switzerland.
Into the final transition, Lindemann now had just 13 seconds cushion from Schar and Van der Kaay with 1750m to decide the world title and guarantee her nation 2x2 Olympic berths at Paris 2024.
After the first lap effort the lead was back out to 18seconds and as the crowd gave one last push the title was assured, Laura Lindemann bringing Germany their first Mixed Relay world title on home soil since 2013, Van Der Kaay taking New Zealand home for silver, Cathia Schar and Switzerland bronze.
Summer Rappaport saw USA home in fourth, Kropko and Hungary fifth. Full results can be found here.
