The opening day of the Tiszaujvaros World Cup was not one in which questions were answered. Rather, as the athletes jostled to be among the thirty to make it into Sunday’s final, many of the favourites kept their cards close to their chest.
With two women’s semi-finals and three men’s, the objective was simple. The women had to finish in the top-14 (or be one of the two fastest non-qualifiers) while the men required a top-9 result (unless they were saved by being one of the three lucky losers). As it was, all of the favourites managed to make it through unscathed, although a couple cut it fine.
Marlene Gomez-Göggel (GER) made short work of the first women’s semi-final with Zsanett Kuttor-Bragmayer (HUN) the next woman home. The Hungarian athlete was as smooth as butter at the front of the field in the swim and could even afford to throw in a few leisurely strokes of backstroke to inspect the damage inflicted on those behind. Erika Ackerlund (USA) was one prominent name to lose ground. A front pack of seven athletes would eventually ride together, including Summer Rappaport (USA) and Gomez-Göggel. The group developed a commanding lead, putting all of them in the final; Olivia Mathias (GBR) was one such athlete and crossed in 3rd place.
Selina Klamt (GER) headed up the chase pack of seven, which included Ackerlund. On paper, then, fourteen women therefore started the run primed to qualify. However one athlete not yet out of the picture was Anahi Alvarez Corral (MEX). The former World Cup winner made up significant ground and soared into the final with a superlative run split.
In the next semi-final, Sian Rainsley (GBR) and World Junior champion Ilona Hadhoum (FRA) led into T1 at the head of a group of five women. With Lena Meißner (GER), Anabel Knoll (GER) and Zuzana Michalickova (SVK) in the mix, they held clear until T2 and set themselves up to qualify for Sunday’s final. A pack of fourteen athletes lurked behind yet the greater numbers provided no advantage as the lead quintet held out on the bike and then cruised together throughout the run.
Vicky Holland (GBR) was the fastest of the chasers on the run and moved up to the leaders. Only Knoll managed to prevent her from taking the win. In Holland’s wake, Annika Koch (GER) and Alissa König (SUI) were among those to also qualify for the final.
Attention then turned to the first men’s semi-final which was greeted by a boom of support for home hero Csongor Lehmann as the man wearing number 1 stepped onto the pontoon. The defending champion, Lehmann was in no mood to disappoint and put on a show. He led a group containing fellow Hungarian Gyula Kovacs, Baptiste Passemard (FRA) and Cristobal Baeza Muñoz (CHI) through the swim and onto the bike. As with the second women’s semi-final, the small lead pack was able to withstand a considerably larger chase group. Then, to sign off in style, Lehmann pulled away on the run, sending a warning shot to his rivals. World Cup winner Callum McClusky (AUS) ran through to finish in the top-3 after Passemard.
There was more joy to come for the local fans as Gergő Dobi (HUN) won the second semi-final. He led Chase McQueen (USA) into T1 before eight men came together at the front on the bike. With Hamish Reilly (GBR) and Brandon Copeland (AUS) among the leaders, the pack stayed clear. Copeland followed Dobi over the line with Reilly the next athlete home.
Finally, John Reed (USA) wrapped up a comfortable victory in the third semi-final. Connor Bentley (GBR) led Aiden Longcroft-Harris (CAN), Reed and Takumi Hojo (JPN) into T1 and the lead quartet were in no mood to mess around on the bike. A chase group of twelve hovered a little too close for comfort but the leaders nonetheless kept their cool and extended their lead to safely qualify. Reed, fresh off a maiden World Cup medal in Huatulco, would then break clear on the run ahead of World Cup winners Bentley and Hojo. Right behind, Gergely Kiss (HUN) and Aurélien Jem (FRA) were the fastest runners of the chasers to serve reminder of the danger they will pose in the final.
The full results from today’s semi-finals can be found here and you can catch all the action in tomorrow’s finals from 14:45 (CEST) on TriathlonLive.
