Driving snow and plunging temperatures did nothing to chill Sandra Mairhofer’s charge for gold on Saturday morning in Skeikampen, Norway, the Italian brushing off challenging conditions to win a brilliant second Winter Triathlon World Championship title.
After flying out at the starting horn she never looked back, opening up a 15 second lead after the first run lap and then extending the advantage through the bike segment as visibility worsened and the field spread out. An imperious showing across all six segments, Mairhofer would eventually take the tape by more than four minutes.
Behind, Ingrid Lorvik was showing her prowess on the cross country ski segment to take control of second spot and give the Norwegian crowds plenty to cheer, Austria’s Carina Wasle holding on for an excellent bronze.
“It was great, I was feeling strong and good, it was hard weather and cold, but really a nice winter triathlon day!” said a delighted Mairhofer. “I knew I was good on the run and strong on the bike so had to push early and put the pressure on from the beginning. I love it when it’s hard on the bike, but the visibility made it pretty difficult.”
Norwegian Victoria Nitteberg won the U23 world title, compatriot Eline Ekroll was crowned the Junior champion in Skeikampen.
Mairhofer makes the move
There could be no mistaking Mairhofer’s tactics as she pulled away over the first 500m on the opening two-lap run and by the end of that first of six segments - with the full run-bike-ski format repeated a second time - she had close to a full minute on nearest challenger Carina Wasle, Maria Luisa Rasina (ROU) a further 15 seconds back, Norway’s Ine Skjellum struggling to get out onto the bike and stay in touch.
Lorvik found herself 75 seconds back in fifth at that stage but was soon into her groove on the bike, eventually passing Wasle then able to get out onto the first ski with a small but psychologically important advantage over the Austrian, Germany’s Lorena Erl a minute further back in fourth out of transition.
Out into the second run, Mairhofer’s lead was now two minutes to Lorvik, Wasle having lost touch with the Norwegian but ready to try and gain ground on the run as the gap to the front became unassailable.
There was nothing she could do about what was happening further ahead, however, and bronze became Wasle’s target.
The Italian had gained another minute over her nearest rival as she hit the bike for the final time, and it was just a case of avoiding mistakes over the closing stages as she coasted home.
Lorvik made up some time as Mairhofer eased off and enjoyed the final kilometres all the way to another excellent world title, the Norwegian’s silver never under threat. Wasle held off the challenge of Ine Skjellum to ensure a hard-earned bronze, Maria Luisa Rasina with fifth.
Full results available here, watch the race back on TriathlonLive.tv.
