Kate Waugh clealy has a fondness for Pontevedra.

Three years after taking second at the WTCS Grand Final there, she returned at the weekend to claim third behind Cassandre Beaugrand and Georgia Taylor-Brown.

The Brit was in the mix throughout and despite a lack of run training she more than held her own on the 10km finale.

Pontevedra bonus

“Three years later, my only ever podium at World Series seems to be here,” Waugh joked afterwards. “If we can make this an annual thing. That would be great.”

The result was far from assured when she began preparing for the race. Waugh had been on the waiting list and learned only 10 days beforehand that she had a place on the start line.

“I was so excited to even get a start,” she said. “It was just a bonus being able to compete here.”

Keep believing

An injury-hit year had also left her with far less running than usual. “I was looking at my run mileage this year and it’s half of what it is normally,” she said. “I’ve had a really tough year of injury.”

Waugh stayed with the eight-athlete group that broke clear on the demanding 40km bike course, then held her position on the run to finish 1:31 behind Beaugrand. For her, the performance was a reminder that a difficult build-up need not define race day.

“I’ve done half the sessions I could have this year, and I come and get an amazing result,” she said. “It just shows if you never give up and keep believing in yourself, then you can achieve big things.”

After trying middle-distance racing last year to brilliant effect as she became the T100 world champion, Waugh is pleased to be also excelling at short course, even if its intensity has taken some readjustment.

“Back to the fast stuff — it’s definitely a shock to the system,” she said. “It’s really nice to be back, and results like this just keep me motivated into the winter.”