NEWS

Spirig scoops up consecutive ETU title

By Paul Groves | 11 Jul, 2015

With the sunshine beating down at 31C and with the crowds growing in anticipation of seeing once again their favourite Swiss female elite athlete race the swim/bike/run of Geneva, the atmosphere was electric.

A strong current allowed British athletes Lucy Hall and Jessica Learmonth take full advantage of their swim strength. Having pulled to the front of the pack they built an impressive lead to leave the water comfortably at the front. They were joined on the bike by three others but their pace was such that one by one they fell off the back.

Behind them, Nicola Spirig (SUI), Lisa Nordén (SWE), Annamaria Mazzetti (ITA), Ainhoa Murúa (ESP), Jodie Stimpson (GBR), Margit Vanek (HUN), Zsófia Kovács (HUN) and Jolanda Annen (SUI) were working together to catch them.

Stimpson endured a mechanical issue on her bike, which caused her to drop from the pack. It was not an immediate capture as the two Brits pushed harder and harder on the bike showing great strength and determination. Finally they were caught on the final lap of the bike.

With a couple of attempts to break away, the pack dropped some athletes and soon the leaders, with Spirig, Nordén, Mazzetti and Murúa came into view.But Norden was forced to serve a 15 second penalty for throwing rubbish away on the bike course.

As T2 finished, it was Spirig who accelerated out onto the run course and for the first 5k was content to keep a lead of just under 20 seconds. It was the second half of the 10k that she put in a negative split and really accelerated away, leaving the battle for silver and bronze to be fought by Mazzetti and Murúa.

With the Swiss crowds shouting their encouragement and with the incredible form that Spirig has shown recently, it was never going to be much doubt that she would not take gold. As the crowds erupted into cheers, it was a Swiss victory with Spirig smiling.

The voices rang out to welcome Mazzetti who once again took a medal at a European Championships, trading in her 2014 bronze for a brand new and shining 2015 silver. Ainhoa Murúa crossed the line to take bronze much to the delight of the many Spanish fans whose cheers were ringing out as strongly as those of the Italians.

Related Event: 2015 Geneva ETU Triathlon European Championships
09 - Jul, 2015 • event pageall results
Results: 16-19 Male AG Sprint
1. Lars Holenweger SUI 01:04:45
2. Simon Weber GER 01:05:23
3. Pierre Moraz SUI 01:05:41
4. Alexandre Picard SUI 01:05:55
5. Joshua Jones GBR 01:06:23
6. Antonin Salamin SUI 01:07:00
7. Cristian Trujillo SUI 01:07:28
8. Joseph Ricciardi GBR 01:07:37
9. Finn Barnes GBR 01:07:39
10. Harry Palmer GBR 01:07:40
Results: 18-19 Male AG
1. Titas Pumputis LTU 02:02:21
2. Sebastian Kuhn GER 02:04:27
3. Harry Preston GBR 02:06:55
4. James Kershaw GBR 02:13:52
5. Jacob Anson GBR 02:16:23
6. Axel Hagenauer AUT 02:20:59
7. Joshua Evans GBR 02:31:16
DNF. Theodore Patel GBR DNF
Results: 20-24 Female AG
1. Désirée Gmür SUI 02:07:48
2. Alice Jenkins GBR 02:08:04
3. Hannah Johnston GBR 02:09:59
4. Nina Derron SUI 02:11:02
5. Hannah Cutajar MLT 02:15:31
6. Sabrina Rinaldi FRA 02:17:39
7. Jana Petr SUI 02:18:04
8. Sabrina Stadelmann SUI 02:18:29
9. Sophie Douziech FRA 02:18:57
10. Sabrina Exenberger AUT 02:19:52
Results: 20-24 Female AG Sprint
1. Malgorzata Wasik POL 01:11:34
2. Imogen Simmonds GBR 01:13:15
3. Hannah Cutajar MLT 01:16:08
4. Celine Senia FRA 01:16:57
5. Elle Twentyman GBR 01:17:00
6. Marion Marmorat FRA 01:17:24
7. Emily Legg GBR 01:17:59
8. Lisa Elena Grandjean SUI 01:20:54
9. Lea Hoffmann DEN 01:21:25
10. Elise Quarrington GBR 01:21:31
Results: 20-24 Male AG
1. Luke Pollard GBR 01:56:08
2. Thomas Davis GBR 01:57:32
3. Jordan Skelly GBR 01:59:28
4. Fraser Rounds GBR 02:00:51
5. Manuel Sainjon FRA 02:00:53
6. Antoine Cheval FRA 02:01:22
7. Massimo Köstl AUT 02:01:56
8. Jocelyn Mourier FRA 02:02:05
9. Peter Hogben GBR 02:02:22
10. Angus Smith GBR 02:02:40
Results: 20-24 Male AG Sprint
1. Nicklas Røssner DEN 01:04:21
2. James Phillips GBR 01:05:33
3. Marcel Pachteu AUT 01:05:54
4. Kristian Trier DEN 01:06:32
5. Christian Tschudi SUI 01:06:43
6. Tautvydas Kopustas LTU 01:07:17
7. Jeremy Basset Sagarminaga SUI 01:07:54
8. Michael Singer AUT 01:07:54
9. John Rutledge GBR 01:08:05
10. Kamil Magott POL 01:08:15