Jackie Hering passed Lucy Hall in the final kilometre of a thrilling race to win CLASH Daytona 2021 in Florida on Saturday.

The American 37-year-old was more than five minutes behind Hall after the British star performed peerlessly in the water and on the bike.

But as the 29-year-old Hall started to struggle, Hering’s run ability proved the decisive weapon as she finally caught Lucy to make the pass deep into the final lap.

Swim – Hall blasts off

Hall, a model of consistency over middle distance in 2021, started as expected by producing a terrific swim to come out of the water first. Spaniard Sara Perez Sala was with her and the pair had a gap of just over a minute to Jodie Stimpson in third.

Next came a chasing group at around three minutes which included Meredith Kessler, Rach McBride, Jackie Hering, India Lee, Lesley Smith and Laura Siddall.

Bike – Lucy builds on lead

Hall followed her excellent swim by producing similar levels on the bike as she stretched her lead around the Daytona International Speedway.

Lucy led by around four minutes at one stage as she gradually put the chasers to the sword, and the gap was 3:38 as she entered T2. Hall’s bike split at 1:53:54, the best of the day of course.

Behind her Lee had moved into second with an excellent bike leg of 1:54:37. Then came McBride in third with Hering just over five minutes off the lead in fourth with Stimpson and Siddall all within seconds of the U.S. athlete as four athletes, 3rd-6th, all reached T2 with only a few seconds between them.

Now the question was could Hall hang on for a famous win on the run, or could the likes of Hering run her down on a gruelling slog to the tape.

Run – Hering holds all the aces

Hering, seventh at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship and an excellent winner of her race at the inaugural Collins Cup, was on paper the fastest runner in the race. And she set about cutting into Hall’s lead once the field exited T2.

By the time the field passed 5km Hering had already moved up into second and now trailed by under four minutes. At the 9km halfway stage the lead was down to 2:40.

Hall was really gutting it out up front but agonisingly her lead was ebbing away with every stride as Hering smelled blood.

It was deep into the final lap that Hering finally made the pass and claimed victory by 23 seconds with a terrific 1:06:47 run.

The 22-year-old French star Marjolaine Pierre produced an incredible 1:04:57 run, the fastest of the day, to claim the final spot on the podium ahead of Stimpson. Siddall was fifth across the line after a great race, building on an impressive swim to stay in the mix all day.

CLASH Daytona Results

Saturday December 4, 2021 – 2km swim / 80km bike / 18km run

PRO Women

• 1. Jackie Hering (USA) 3:32:50
• 2. Lucy Hall (GBR) 3:33:13
• 3. Marjolaine Pierre (FRA) 3:34:38
• 4. Jodie Stimpson (GBR) 3:34:44
• 5. Laura Siddall (GBR) 3:35:42
• 6. Anne Reischmann (GER) 3:37:05
• 7. Rach McBride (CAN) 3:37:51
• 8. India Lee (GBR) 3:40:42
• 9. Lesley Smith (USA) 3:41:08
• 10. Meredith Kessler (USA) 3:43:24