86 WORLD TRIATHLON 2017 I WORLD TRIATHLON SERIES
Australia's Ashleigh Gentle became the first winner of
the all-new ITU World Triathlon Montreal, the brand new
circuit that became the latest addition to the WTS this
year. Victory was not only the first in the host city, but
also for Gentle, who topped a WTS podium for the first
time and was joined by Flora Duffy (BER) and Andrea
Hewitt (NZL).
The early stages of the race saw Katie Zaferes leading
out of the water, but the American was chased out of
the transition by a strong cycling group. Tallying thirteen
athletes in all, the leaders alongside Duffy, Zaferes and
Hewitt were Kirsten Kasper (USA), Taylor Knibb (USA)
and Joanna Brown (CAN), collectively imposing a frenetic
rhythm and increasing the distance over the chasers on
each of the nine laps.
When it came to the run, it was Gentle who pushed
hardest right from the first few hundred metres, and
as the fastest of the field this season over the Olympic
distance, it was the Australian who was able to leave the
field behind.
After finding a lead of nine seconds by the first lap,
and with only Duffy, Hewitt and Kasper keeping up with
the pace, Gentle's lead grew with passing of each lap,
allowing her to cross the line 23 seconds ahead of Duffy
in second and become the 20th woman to win a WTS
race and the fourth Australian after Emma Moffatt, Erin
Densham and Emma Snowsill. Hewitt's third place was
the 20th podium finish of her career.
BRILLIANT GENTLE DETHRONES
DUFFY IN MONTREAL
AUSTRALIA'S ASHLEIGH GENTLE EARNS SECOND
SUCCESSIVE PODIUM FINISH
