In our preview ahead of Saturday’s World Triathlon Cup Tongyeong in South Korea we posed the following question:
“Busan beach provided a fine return for British athletes this past weekend, as Beth Potter and Kate Waugh claimed the top spots – will it be same again this time around?”
The answer to that one was a resounding yes – and in even more dominant style. The British duo were in total control of the race from the start.
Elite Women: Great Britain, great racing
Beth Potter the runner? We’ve said it many a time this year – the 2016 Rio 2016 Olympic 10,000m athlete is a seriously good swimmer too! That was shown, once again, as Potter lead the way from the starting hooter. Only training partner Kate was able to stay close, the Brits breaking the field inside the first 10 minutes of the race and gaining a lead of around 20 seconds before even reaching their bike stands in T1.
Potter was straight into action on the bike, with Waugh having to work hard over the first five minutes of the ride to close the small Potter advantage and make it a British working duo at the front. That was in the interest of both athletes – but Potter, seemingly, wasn’t going to ease off and soft pedal. Nonetheless, Waugh – as she did last week in Haeundae – closed that small deficit, and the pair then worked superbly well together on a course which did include some significant inclines over the three-lap course.
The gap to the chasers continued to build, and with more than half-an-hour of racing left, a Potter gold / Waugh silver repeat from seven days ago looked all but certain. They were certainly making their South Korean tour a successful one.
The course terrain was certainly working well for athletes used to training on the hills around Leeds, and their lead just continued to grow. This was a race they could enjoy and they were in total control.
Knowing the run speed of Potter, Waugh attacked over the closing couple of kilometres on the bike and was able to start the run with an advantage of approaching 15 seconds. The large chase pack were a minute and more behind – and a race for bronze would be the height of their hopes at this stage. Gold and silver were already out of reach.
While Kate had that small advantage starting the run, it was never likely to be a threat to the speed of Beth on the closing discipline. Potter eliminated that gap over the first lap of the run and didn’t hang around. Two weekends, two wins – and next stop Abu Dhabi, with a significant step up in quality to WTCS level.
2019 Tongyeong winner Sandra Dodet (FRA) was running well from the chase pack, but Waugh was never threatened and would secure back-to-back World Triathlon Cup silver medals. The British athletes were in total control for every second of the action.
“I worked the swim really hard and then the first bit of the bike and then the lead extended. We were riding together… until she attacked me!”, said Beth post-race. Next stop Abu Dhabi – after a(nother) long-haul flight.
“It felt like another training session together in Leeds out there. I needed to gain a little gap and give myself the best chance of standing on the top step”, said Kate of her positive race and late effort on the bike.
World Triathlon Cup Tongyeong Results 2021
Saturday October 30 – 750m / 20km / 5km
ELITE WOMEN
- 1. Beth Potter (GBR) – 58:08
- 2. Kate Waugh (GBR) – 58:11
- 3. Sandra Dodet (FRA) – 58:53
- 4. Emma Jackson (AUS) – 59:03
- 5. Roksana Slupek (POL) – 59:07
- 6. Paulina Klimas (POL) – 59:11
ELITE MEN
- 1. Jawad Abdelmoula (MAR) – 51:43
- 2. Alessio Crociani (ITA) – 51:51
- 3. Sergio Baxter Cabrera (ESP) – 51:53
- 4. Michela Sarzilla (ITA) – 51:54
- 5. Luke Bate (AUS) – 51:55
- 6. Gabor Faldum (HUN) – 51:57
Are we in a triathlon boom, or hurtling towards burnout? Laura Siddall on the growth of the sport
