NEWS

Katie Zaferes imperious in Lausanne, closing incredible season as World Champion

By Doug Gray | 31 Aug, 2019
{article_title}

Katie Zaferes became ITU World Champion on Saturday evening in the Olympic Capital Lausanne, sealing the greatest season of her career with a fifth WTS gold of the year. It all boiled down to another incredible battle with British duo Jessica Learmonth and Georgia Taylor Brown, but it was Zaferes delivering yet another big finish, pulling away from Learmonth down the final 200 metres to drink in the magic of the moment that a hard season had built up to.

“I don’t even know if it has hit me yet, I had a lot of emotions and doubts coming in to this race but I’m just really happy right now,” said a thrilled Zaferes. “I worked really hard to get in the mental frame, I knew physically I was in the right frame, so I didn’t let it get to me too much. I’m just out there enjoying it and enjoying the process, and to do it on this course is amazing.”

Second for Learmonth ensured she finished with the overall Series silver, third for Taylor Brown maintaining her place on the all important end-of-campaign podium for the second year.


It was Learmonth who was once again in command in the water, pulling away from the very first strokes to spearhead an initial lead group of seven that included the ever-excellent Vittoria Lopes (BRA), Taylor Spivey (USA), Summer Rappaport (USA) and Sophie Coldwell (GBR).

Zaferes was 10 seconds back at the halfway re-entry, Flora Duffy 18 and Nicola Spirig (SUI) 30 seconds, and the gap to the front had almost doubled by the time the American was back out of the water and heading into transition for the first time, but in good company to work with to close in.

Duffy was up with Zaferes, Learmonth, Coldwell, Spivey and Lopes in no time, and the six worked themselves into a rhythm led by the Bermudian double-World Champion.

Another powerful cyclist was working her magic further back, home-crowd hero Spirig hauling a group that included the likes of Taylor Knibb (USA) and Vicky Holland (GBR) along with her. After 12km the gap was nearly 30 seconds and closing, and collectively they could have caused issues for Zaferes if they had bridged successfully.

Duffy had other ideas, though, and her power saw Taylor Spivey and Sophie Coldwell dropped, leaving five flying out front.

Again she took up the attack at the top of the hill on lap six and threatened to pull away. Though the door was shut again on Duffy’s latest hopes of success, the effort did mean that Spirig’s group was left trailing yet further behind, the deficit now in excess of a minute and looking increasingly unreachable.

The difference had shrunk again to 50 seconds by the time the athletes were into their shoes and out of T2, Rachel Klamer donning the white headband and setting off with Laura Lindemann (GER) and Annamaria Mazzetti (ITA) in pursuit of the leaders.

It was Lopes who faded first from the front, the effort of the bike taking its toll, then Duffy slipped back with three laps to go, her lack of race time since returning from injury doing likewise.

That left Zaferes with 5km to go and the World title as good as guaranteed, the matter of the course of the Grand Final still to be decided by the overall Series podium.

There was nothing to call between the trio as the kilometres ticked away, but it was on the penultimate lap climb that Taylor Brown’s challenge for the gold came to an end. Zaferes and Learmonth pressed on, the Brit first to look like she had the freshness to take it home, before Zaferes clicked one final time in an unforgettable season. She kicked with 200m to go, taking the final turn and hitting the blue carpet suddenly with enough room to savour the moment that was now entirely hers.

Grand Final silver also ensured overall silver in the Series for Learmonth, bronze meaning bronze for Taylor Brown. Klamer managed to pass Duffy to claim fourth, followed by Lindemann, Mazzetti, Alice Betto (ITA) and Spivey, Nicola Spirig coming home in tenth.

“I can’t believe it,” said Jess Learmonth afterwards. “The swim went well, and then on the bike we worked really well together. I just got on the and thought everyone was with me, so I just got my head down and went for it, with the same tactics as Tokyo, but it was really hard. And then on the run I was trying to keep up with Katie but then at some point she went off and I couldn’t keep up. She did an amazing race.”

“Yes, that was hard, but I had a good swim and I am really happy,” said an exhausted Georgia Taylor Brown. “The bike was hard, really hard. The first lap I thought ‘I can’t do anymore of this’. I just hung in today. I couldn’t give anything but the run felt comfortable. I just couldn’t give anymore but i’m so happy for Jess, I was rooting for her to take the win. To get silver in the Series is incredible and I am happy to be standing on the podium beside her.”

For the full results click here

Related Event: 2019 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Lausanne
29 - Sep, 2019 • event pageall results
Results: Elite Men
1. Kristian Blummenfelt NOR 01:50:47
2. Mario Mola ESP 01:51:03
3. Fernando Alarza ESP 01:51:18
4. Gustav Iden NOR 01:51:34
5. Vincent Luis FRA 01:51:53
6. Javier Gomez Noya ESP 01:52:14
7. Casper Stornes NOR 01:52:20
8. Jonathan Brownlee GBR 01:52:32
9. Marten Van Riel BEL 01:52:53
10. Alois Knabl AUT 01:52:53
Results: Elite Women
1. Katie Zaferes USA 02:02:45
2. Jessica Learmonth GBR 02:02:49
3. Georgia Taylor-Brown GBR 02:03:03
4. Rachel Klamer NED 02:03:44
5. Flora Duffy BER 02:04:26
6. Laura Lindemann GER 02:04:41
7. Annamaria Mazzetti ITA 02:04:51
8. Alice Betto ITA 02:05:11
9. Taylor Spivey USA 02:05:40
10. Nicola Spirig SUI 02:05:53
Results: U23 Men
1. Roberto Sanchez Mantecon ESP 01:50:20
2. Csongor Lehmann HUN 01:50:36
3. Ran Sagiv ISR 01:50:50
4. Vasco Vilaca POR 01:51:07
5. Brandon Copeland AUS 01:51:12
6. Diego Moya CHI 01:51:28
7. Diego Alejandro Lopez Acosta MEX 01:51:38
8. Ben Dijkstra GBR 01:51:44
9. Matthew Hauser AUS 01:51:52
10. Simon Westermann SUI 01:51:57
Results: U23 Women
1. Emilie Morier FRA 02:04:01
2. Olivia Mathias GBR 02:04:08
3. Lisa Tertsch GER 02:04:32
4. Kate Waugh GBR 02:04:53
5. Kira Hedgeland AUS 02:05:22
6. Alicja Ulatowska POL 02:05:38
7. Lena Meißner GER 02:06:30
8. Erika Ackerlund USA 02:06:49
9. Ainsley Thorpe NZL 02:07:25
10. Therese Feuersinger AUT 02:07:37
Results: Junior Men
1. Ricardo Batista POR 00:55:05
2. Lorcan Redmond AUS 00:55:12
3. Sergio Baxter Cabrera ESP 00:55:16
4. Boris Pierre FRA 00:55:18
5. Paul Georgenthum FRA 00:55:23
6. Levente Karai HUN 00:55:29
7. Brock Hoel CAN 00:55:36
8. Alessio Crociani ITA 00:55:38
9. Eric Diener GER 00:55:41
10. Simon Henseleit GER 00:55:42
Results: Junior Women
1. Beatrice Mallozzi ITA 01:00:41
2. Costanza Arpinelli ITA 01:00:42
3. Jessica Fullagar FRA 01:00:53
4. Hannah Knighton NZL 01:01:26
5. Erin Wallace GBR 01:01:47
6. Chisato Nakajima JPN 01:01:49
7. Nora Gmür SUI 01:01:54
8. Anja Weber SUI 01:01:58
9. Gillian Cridge USA 01:01:59
10. Brea Roderick NZL 01:02:01