LONG DISTANCE TRIATHLON
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
IN FOR THE LONG HAUL
Cyril Viennot (FRA) and Mary Beth Ellis (USA) execu-
ted nearly perfect race plans in Motola, Sweden to
score their first ITU Long Distance World Champion-
ship titles. The race was contested over a 1.5km
swim, which was shortened due to water tempera-
ture, a 120km bike and 30km run.
In the women's elite race, Ellis eliminated any chance
for the competition to catch her with a line to line
dominant performance that brought her into the
finish line with a whopping seven-minute lead. Camilla
Pedersen (DEN) kept pace from a distance and was
able to take home second. Kaisa Lehtonen (FIN)
pushed herself into third halfway through the bike, a
position she held onto for the remainder of the race.
The men's race looked as if it was going to be won by
Martin Jenson (DEN), but Viennot was determined
to keep the title in the hands of the French after
compatriot Bertrand Billard won the race in 2014.
Trailing four minutes after the bike, Viennot halved
the distance from him to Jensen on the first of three
run laps. Viennot surpassed Jenson in the last 10km
to cross over for the win in 4:54:33. Jensen took
silver 13 seconds later while Joe Skipper (GBR)
scorched through the final run lap to bypass two
men and claim bronze.
179 MULTISPORT ยท TRIATHLON 2015
