It’s the battleground of the most famous triathlon of them all, the Iron War, and year-on-year it provides feats of superhuman endeavour and industrial scale meltdowns in equal measure.  

From its roots as the birthplace of Ironman, there is nothing like Hawaii’s Big Island, and next month the 2015 edition is set to be bigger and better than ever. 220 columnist Tim Heming casts his eyes over the Kona contenders and makes his picks for Ali’i Drive glory. First up, the women…

10. Meredith Kessler (USA)

Past results: Seventh in 2013; 26th in 2010; DNS in 2011 and 2012; DNF in 2014

Solid, dependable and successful – just not on the Big Island. Kessler’s transformation from an age-group triathlete with insatiable training needs to top-end professional is a testament to her perseverance, but she’ll have to keep working at it a little longer if she’s to crack the tough nut of Hawaii.

No doubt wily San Francisco-based coach Matt Dixon will have a plan to keep shaving the necessary seconds from the overall time that will give his star pupil and strong swim-biker a chance, but it’s doubtful whether the American has the run speed over a marathon to compete for the win. 

Fortunes will at least look to be improved from last year where Kessler dropped out on the run, although her 5:11 bike split – while still the seventh quickest in the women’s field – was a good 15mins slower than she would have wanted. 

This year Kessler has been back on the winning trail including six victories and wins in her favourite Antipodean hunting ground at Ironman New Zealand and in the Asia-Pacific 70.3 championship in Auckland – her only blemish being a DNF in last month’s Ironman 70.3 World Championship where she dropped out on the run. 

It’s a similar build-up to the 2014 season, with an Ironman win early season to top up the qualifying points followed by a series of middle distance races. Her camp will just hope for a happier ending this time around.

9. Leanda Cave (GBR)

Past results: Champion in 2012; third in 2011; eighth in 2007; 10th in 2010; 12th in 2013; 18th in 2014; 20th in 2009; DNS in 2008

This promises to be Cave’s most competitive outing since taking the title in 2012. Since then the globetrotting star who was born in the UK, brought up Australia and now resides in Miami Beach, Florida has had to deal with press commitments, injuries and a debacle of a Commonwealth Games selection process that meant briefly flirting with a return to short course draft-legal races. 

There was even a skin cancer scare to throw to into the mix. After a forgettable 12th in 2013 and 18th last year, Cave looks back in business, racing for a new Middle Eastern tri team, Alameda o.n, on a new bike, the quirky looking Ventum, and back with coach Cliff English. 

Second in a fiercely contested North American Ironman Championship in Texas behind Canada’s Angela Naeth shows she is back in racing shape too. A rangy triathlete, Cave has proved she can cope with hot conditions despite the fair skin, and with a glut of experience, she’ll not be fazed by opposition tactics. 

The biggest question marks are whether she has both the footspeed and desire for one more world title. Cave is already an ITU long distance champion, won the Ironman 70.3 title in the same year as her Kona win and even took the ITU world short course crown in Cancún, Mexico way back in 2002. 

Expect better than the last two years, but at 37, there are a lot of miles on the clock for Cave to be much more than a top-10 contender.

8. Heather Wurtele (CAN)

Past results: eighth in 2011; 14th in 2012; 15th in 2014; DNF in 2013

One half of Canada’s first couple of triathlon, Wurtele is no longer a mere top-10 contender. The swim remains a weakness, which will not be helped by the absence of wetsuits from the warm Pacific waters, and it has to be disheartening running into T1 alongside Mirinda Carfrae as Wurtele did last year. 

That said, as long as she’s not exiting T2 with Carfrae, Wurtele can at least match her best result to date on the Big Island. Her bike leg is strong and although the run did not hold up last year as she dropped to 15th, she consistently ducks under 3:10 for Ironman marathons. 

This year performances have taken a step up. Wurtele was runner-up – albeit a distant second – behind Daniela  Ryf in the Ironman 70.3  World Championships  in Austria which matched the one-two of the stacked field in the $300,000 Challenge Dubai in February. 

She also won the 70.3 North American title in St George, Utah. The final piece of the puzzle could be the dedicated support crew  – because on the men’s side, husband Trevor hasn’t made the cut.

We continue our countdown for women’s glory at Kona 2015…

7. Caroline Steffen (SUI)

Past results: Second in 2010 and 2012; fifth in 2011, 2013 and 2014

One of a remarkable ten 37-year-olds on the professional women’s start-line, the twice Kona runner-up is a model of consistency in Hawaii. In 2013 Steffen battled stomach issues to finish fifth, a position she also held in 2011 and repeated again last year. 

But if Steffen still has any chance of scenting victory on the Queen K again (she was just 64secs behind Leanda Cave in 2012) then she needs to rediscover the cycling prowess that saw her spend two years on the Swiss national cycling team before triathlon, and also led her to set an Ironman bike course record in Melbourne in 2012 of 4:35:29.

The Swiss does not shirk big race challenges and two third places at the 2015 regional championships in Melbourne and Frankfurt represent a steady return, but while it’s a harsh comparison to draw, in 2012 she won both. Steffen’s successes this year have also not been without incident. 

She won Ironman 70.3 Philippines by more than five minutes — and for the fourth time — but collided with a spectator on the bike and was left with bruising and abrasions. Thankfully, on the predominantly spectator-free Queen K she should only have the opposition to deal with, although they will be handful enough.

6. Jodie Swallow (GBR)

Past results: Fourth in 2014; DNF in 2013

A thoroughbred racer, Swallow – by her own admission – overcooked it this year and was left walking through the run leg of Boulder 70.3 in June with plenty of time for soul-searching. 

The Bahrain Endurance 13 athlete rested up to recover before returning for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Austria, only to crash thanks to a blowout on her time trial bike leading up to the race, which ultimately led to a DNF. 

The 2004 Olympian from Essex, who now resides in South Africa and Boulder, Colorado, will hope the enforced break works to her benefit. But while compromised preparation isn’t always the curse it first appears, any chink in the armoury can become a gaping hole when exposed to the fierce conditions of Hawaii. 

Swallow, 34, has the capability to be competitive at all non-drafting distances and is one of the most experienced and prolific racers on the circuit, and last year’s fourth place after a disastrous 2013 where she collapsed with hyponatraemia 20km into the run will be an additional fillip. 

As always, she will be driving from the front in the swim and pushing the pace on the bike, but to stay in contention thereafter she needs favourable conditions, a fuelling strategy that works, her body to be 100 per cent rejuvenated and those capable of unleashing sub-three hour runs to have an off day. That’s a lot of ducks to line up.

5. Julia Gajer (GER)

Past results: Sixth in 2014

When Chrissie Wellington set the world iron-distance record of 8:18:13 in Roth in 2011, you could be forgiven for not remembering who came second – especially as it was 38mins later. 

Yet that performance gave Julia Gajer (then Wagner) the belief she could make a professional career out of the triathlon and it has been steady improvement since as she returned to Roth for two more podiums and to take five minutes off her personal best. 

German women may not deliver the same long-course dominance as their male counterparts but the 33-year-old is a willing flagbearer as she returns to Hawaii after an impressive sixth place on debut last year. Where Gajer looks a threat is on the marathon.

Last year she posted a 3:04:39 split in running down Heather Wurtele and Mary Beth Ellis and it was quick enough to hold off the fleet-footed Liz Lyles and Gina Crawford. Since then Gajer has taken more notable scalps, such as Caroline Steffen at Ironman Frankfurt in July. Under the tutelage of new coach Wolfram – who also works with the Raelert brothers – Gajer is eyeing a top-five finish.

4. Liz Blatchford (AUS)

Past results: Third in 2013, tenth in 2014

Blatchford is a clever racer. With the ITU swim background to put her in position, a (legal) limpet-like knack of sticking to the opposition on the bike leg, and a formidable run, any opportunities that open up will be seized with aplomb. 

After stepping up in distance due to British Olympic rejection for 2012, Blatchford repledged allegiance to the Aussie cause and finished third on her Hawaii debut in 2013. Last year it didn’t go so well, and a solid if unspectacular 9:23:34 meant she scraped into the top 10 just ahead of Britain’s Corinne Abraham, a fellow member of the Uplace-BMC Pro Triathlon team. 

The background support afforded to the 10-strong squad means preparation should not be a problem for the 35-year-old who at just 56kg is already equipped to cope with the energy-sapping heat and humidity. Blatchford is also in decent form.

She returned to the scene of her debut full distance victory to win a third successive Ironman Cairns title in June and lost out by 50secs in Mont Tremblant to the points-scrambling Mary Beth Ellis last month. 

While the wisdom of that final outing less than two months before Kona might be questioned, it is the same race plan as Blatchford employed in 2013 and that was the year she came fourth in Canada and went one better in Hawaii. If she were to go one better than her Mont Tremblant result again, there will be the biggest of umeke bowls adorning the Blatchford mantelpiece.

Find out who we think will win Kona 2015 (3/3)

We conclude our countdown for women’s glory at Kona 2015 and predict who we think will be gracing the podium…

3. Rachel Joyce (GBR)

Past results: Second in 2013; third in 2014; fourth in 2011; fifth in 2010; sixth in 2009; 11th in 2012

If one other female triathlete can rival Mirinda Carfrae for dedication in the pursuit of winning in Hawaii it is the London lawyer-turned-multisporter, Joyce. From a steady run of improvement since finishing sixth on her Big Island debut in 2009, Joyce was the natural British heir to Chrissie Wellington’s throne. 

The reason it’s never quite happened is down to a number of factors. A virus in 2012, won by Leanda Cave but anyone’s for the taking, robbed her of one golden chance even if she soldiered on to finish, and two years ago, with Mirinda Carfrae thundering through the field on the run, she succumbed by five minutes. 

Last year the picture was similar with a 14min gap off the bike expunged as the Australian once again took the honours, and it was that final defeat, with debutant Daniela Ryf splitting the two long-term foes, that sealed the end of Joyce’s coaching relationship with six-time champion Dave Scott. Joyce ‘only’ posted a 3:06:27 marathon in relatively mild Kona conditions and they mutually severed ties. Whether a fresh start under Julie Dibens will pay dividends remains to be seen. 

While vocal on the ’50 Women to Kona’ drive for equal start numbers, she has been quiet on the racing front, the most notable result this year was a third place in the North American Championship race in Texas which proved enough to consolidate her Kona slot. 

Joyce is still a consistent favourite and the best British hope, but at 37 and with Ryf stronger and with a year’s more experience and Carfrae not looking any less impenetrable, it’s likely her best shot has gone. 

2. Mirinda Carfrae (AUS)

Past results: Champion in 2010, 2013 and 2014; second in 2009 and 2011; third in 2012 

There are few finer sights in triathlon than to see Carfrae in full flow on the marathon in Kona, her 5’3” frame devouring the tarmac and making the elite competitors she’s zipping past – male and female – look like they are wading through treacle. 

You can almost write off any results Carfrae posts for the rest of the year because nobody gears up their season for such a sole purpose, will be better prepared or knows what it takes to win more than the Australian.

Everything is about Hawaii for the 34-year-old and in husband, professional triathlete American Tim O’Donnell, she has a partner who will not only emphasise but immerse himself in the same process. Yet after wins in 2010, 2013 and last year, Carfrae is not being tipped by us for a fourth crown that would equal Chrissie Wellington and leave only Paul Newby-Fraser and Natascha Badmann above her in the number of Kona titles won. 

Quite simply, the Swiss miss we will come to next is so dominant in the first two disciplines, there is likely to be a time gap leaving T2 that even Carfrae will not breach – although it may have to be even more than the 14mins it was last year when a course record run of 2:50:26 meant Carfrae successfully defended her title. 

One thing is certain, whatever the gap out of the water and however much it is extended on the bike, keep the cameras rolling on the charging Aussie. There will be no hitting the panic button, but to prove this prediction wrong she may need something extra special, likely to be a sub 2:50 run and even breaking her own overall course record of 8:52:14.

1. Daniela Ryf (SUI)

Past results: Second in 2014

Ryf burst on to the long distance scene last year with a remarkable run of results that almost culminated with the world title on her Hawaii debut at the age of 27. Parallels were drawn with Chrissie Wellington’s bow on the Big Island in 2007, although this time Ryf would fade on the run to be hunted down by Mirinda Carfrae and lose out by two agonising minutes.

No shame in that, but the comparisons with Britain’s Iron Lady are not really apt. Despite the common thread of coach Brett Sutton, unlike Wellington, Ryf comes from a solid ITU background and placed seventh in the Beijing Olympics in 2008. 

However, after a 40th-placed finish four years later in London, the Swiss sought solace in the Sutton camp and such is Australian coach’s unique influence, the Angry Bird’s migration to long course has been nothing short of majestic. 

If last year’s Ironman wins in Switzerland and Sweden, and half distance world and European titles were not impressive enough, 2015 has been even better. Since a crushing triumph in Challenge Dubai in February, Ryf has steamrollered  the opposition in every race, including a 10min margin of victory in fierce heat in Frankfurt in the Ironman European Championship and an even bigger cushion in making the Ironman 70.3 World Championship look a mere formality last month. 

That latest outing in Zell am See, Austria, demonstrated how Ryf is the complete package as she posted the fastest swim, bike and run of any of the major contenders. This time in Hawaii, she will be aiming to put so much time into Carfrae on the swim and bike that not even the great Aussie can claw it back. 

It’s hard to see her failing, even at such a young age. The only hesitation – and it’s a minor muse – is that after her wins in Dubai and Zell am See, Ryf is in line to receive $1,000,000 for winning Prince Nasser Al Khalifa Triple Crown, with the finale in Bahrain in November maybe splitting her focus.

On current form that looks a cakewalk, and yes, it is almost two months on, but if Ryf is again pressured in the final stages of the Kona marathon, maybe the risk to that once-in-a-lifetime payday might just hold her back mentally. After all, the promise of a $1,000,000 cheque for Christmas would make anyone think twice, even one of Sutton’s triathletes.

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Who do you think will win Kona? Let us know in the comments below!

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Medals were scarce for Team GB at elite level, however, where it was eastern Europe that dominated the elite and junior waves on the first day of competition at the 2015 World Aquathlon Champs. Taking the men’s elite title was swim supremo, Richard Varga. A now-four-time world champion at the 750m swim/5km run distance, Slovakia’s Varga beat Russia’s Igor Polyanskiy to the line by 7secs with a winning time of 25:42mins.

Philip Wolfe was the top-finishing Brit in eighth place with a time of 28:00mins, with Neil Eddy two places back in 10th in 28:44mins. Eddy’s position was five places lower than at last year’s champs, in Edmonton, where he also won his age group (25-29) over the standard-distance.

In the women’s race Russia took control of the top two podium places with Anastasia Abrosimova in first (29:07) and teammate Elena Danilova in second (29:57). 2015 European Aquathlon Champ, GB’s Hannah Kitchen, finished three places lower than in 2014 in sixth place, with a time of 30:58mins.

It was Croatia’s turn to shine in the junior events, taking gold and silver in both the men’s and women’s races. No Brits were taking part. For the U23s, top GB athlete was Matthew Fearn in fourth with 31:17mins.

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At the time of press, the 135-strong GB aquathlon team had hauled an impressive five golds, four silver and seven bronze. For a full and up-to-date list of results head to: www.triathlon.org/results/event/2015_chicago_itu_aquathlon_world_championships

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>>> World Triathlon Series lands in Leeds

Nearly 4,000 entries have now been sold according to organisers, with more than half of them being Olympic distance spots. Just a small number of Sprint and Beginner distance entries remain.

World Triathlon Leeds will be held on 11-12 June 2016, and spectators can watch the action for free.

Olympic bronze medallist and Leeds native Jonny Brownlee has been involved in designing the course, which for the elite races will include as many as six city centre bike laps and four run laps.

“I want this event to be really special, and the way to achieve that is by lots of people coming out to watch,” said Jonny. “Anyone can enter and do the race on the same course. You will literally be running down the same finishing straight.”

Jonny Brownlee racing WTS London 2015

The course is set to feature multiple city-centre laps passing key parts of the city including Millennium Square, the Town Hall and Headrow, which will all be focal points for spectators.

World Triathlon Leeds will mark the last time that people can watch Britain’s top triathletes – including Jonny and elder brother Alistair – race on home soil before Rio 2016.

To bag one of the final spots at World Triathlon Leeds, head to http://leeds.triathlon.org.

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Will you be racing in Leeds next June? Let us know in the comments below!

UPDATE 18/9/15: Due to harsh weather conditions expected on Friday, significant changes have been made to today’s schedule. See changes in full below. 

>>> World Triathlon Chicago 2015 preview: who’s racing?

220’s Liz Barrett arrived in the Windy City a few days ago and kicked off our on-the-ground coverage with the Aquathlon World Champs. She also attended the Parade of Nations:

Spot anyone you know? Parade of Nations #WTSChicago pic.twitter.com/AftacIhfcI

— 220Triathlon (@220Triathlon) September 16, 2015

So what’s in store? Here’s the full schedule….

Wednesday 16th September

Aquathon Men – 10am local time (4pm UK time). Start list.
Aquathon Women – 10:05am local time (4:05pm UK time). Start list.

Thursday 17th September

Under23 Men – 7am local time (1pm UK time). Start list.
Age group sprint – 10am local time (4pm UK time). Start list.
Junior Men – 4:30pm local time (10:30pm UK time). Start list.
Paratriathlon – 7am local time (1pm UK time). Start list.

Friday 18th September

Elite Paratriathlon – 7am local time (1pm UK time. Continues as originally planned)

Under 23 women – 11.30am local time (5.30pm UK time. Same time, please note the race will be a sprint with a deep water start). Start list.

Elite Women – 1pm local time (7pm UK time. Note time change, but original course). Start list.

Junior Women – 3.30pm local time (9.30pm UK time. Note time change, but original course). Start list.

The Age-Group Standard Distance World Championships bike/transition check-in has been cancelled for Friday. All age-group athletes will now check in their bikes on Saturday from 6-9:20am local time. 

Currently the schedule for packet pick-up has not changed and will still take place from 10am to 8pm local time. However, athletes are strongly advised to arrive early in the day to avoid any weather-related delays or cancellations.

Saturday 19th September

Age group standard – 10:10am local time (4.10pm UK time). Start list.
Elite Men – 5pm local time (11pm UK time). Start list.

Javier Gomez, Gwen Jorgensen and Mario Mola at 2015’s WTS Grand Final in Chicago

If you’re looking for TV coverage of the non-elite races and are based in the UK then it’s not good news – the BBC are only offering live coverage of the elite male and female races, on BBC Two. Same goes for the ITU’s online video service triathlonlive.tv. BT Sport subscribers can also watch the elite races live. 

We’ll be covering all the action live from Chicago over the next few days – keep an eye on the 220 website and our Twitter feed for all the latest news and results.

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>>> 2015 World Triathlon Chicago schedule – what’s happening, and when?

So here’s our rundown of the names and events to watch out for….

Under23 Preview

The men’s and women’s Under23 World Championship start lists are overflowing with talent that have already been making headlines amongst the elites this year. The U23 athletes will compete on the same standard distance course as the elites, with the men taking off on Thursday, while the women race on Friday in Chicago. 

Britain is putting a lot of talent into the field with Baku European Games winner Gordon Benson lining up next to Marc Austin. Wian Sullwald will be representing South Africa after winning the 2012 Junior World Championship title.

On the women’s side, expect France’s Audrey Merle to feature as she took bronze in the women’s Junior World Championship last year and gained valuable international experience at the elite level as a member of the gold medal winning Mixed Relay World Championship team earlier this year.

Junior preview

Our future Junior triathlon stars will feature on the first day of triathlon racing later today (Thursday 17th September), with the men and Friday with the women racing for glory over the sprint distance course 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run.

What makes the junior field a must-watch competition is the vast representation from across the globe that will be going head-to-head on the course. Countries that are showing an up-and-coming growth for the sport are bringing their best to vie for a title.

Paratriathlon preview

The world of paratriathlon has been more exciting than ever, with just under a year to go until the sport makes its debut in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games.

Competition has been high and some elites have shown this year that they will be the names to look out for as the countdown continues to next summer, in which men’s PT1,2,4 and women’s PT2,4,5 will show the planet what the sport is made of.

Bill Chaffey (AUS) also drives for five world titles in the men’s PT1 while Lauren Steadman (GBR) pushes to continue her undefeated season.

Elite Women’s preview

The women’s ITU World Championship title will be decided in a heated battle on Friday at the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Chicago with only 300 points separating the first two women – both Americans. Gwen Jorgensen (USA) returns to retain her reign as the world’s fastest female triathlete, and will do so in front of practically a home crowd as she hails from nearby Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

While she’s the heavy favourite, having gone undefeated in the last 11 WTS races, it’s her own compatriots that could stand in her way, as Katie Zaferes (USA) is her strongest competition at second in the Columbia Threadneedle Rankings with Sarah True (USA) third.

Javier Gomez, Gwen Jorgensen and Mario Mola

Elite Men’s preview

The race for the men’s elite World Championship title is one of the closest to be contested since the start of the ITU World Triathlon Series, with only 530 points separating the top four men in the Columbia Threadneedle Rankings.  

The final race of the four-day Grand Final, Spaniards Javier Gomez Noya and Mario Mola will line up as the men to beat, followed by France’s Vincent Luis and South Africa’s Richard Murray on Saturday in Chicago. This week in Chicago, Gomez could become the first athlete to win five Olympic distance World Championship titles.  

Jonny Brownlee (GBR) is also back from injury and while he’s out of the World Championship contest, he could become the third male to win a Grand Final race after just his brother Alistair and Gomez.

(Images: Delly Carr / ITU)

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But the second day of competition started with a disappointing result for GB hopeful Gordon Benson, in the men’s U23 race. The 2015 European Games victor was in the lead quintet heading onto the final 10km, but couldn’t hang on as the pace kicked up, finishing fifth and affording the win to last year’s world junior silver medallist, Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS). Benson’s teammates Chris Perham and Marc Austin finished 26th and 33rd, respectively.

GB’s luck soon turned, though, as a field of 313 of the county’s best athletes over the 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run race set off on the medal hunt. First to trouble the podium was M25-29 athlete and 2015 European AG champ Edward Castro, who dropped two places from last year’s Sprint Champs to finish in third.

The sole gold for the Team GB squad was afforded to Alan Bremner in the M55-59 category, whose previous best in this group was third at July’s European Champs.

The union flag was raised twice at the men’s 30-34 medal ceremony, with Benjamin Terry (fourth in yesterday’s Aquathlon AG Champs) mounting the step to take silver ahead of last year’s second-place finisher Paul Ryman.

Early results showed Lena Poulton in bronze position for F40-44 AG before a later refresh saw her bumped up to silver, which will go nicely with her bronze from the 2015 Europeans. Teammate and regular podium botherer Georgina Jennings joined her in her silver-medal winning ways in the 70-74 category with a time of 1:38:18.

Last to cross the line to take a medal home to the UK was recent 220 podcast profilee, Dafne Belt. More use to racing longer distances, the Kona finisher picked up bronze in a race she described as a “warm-up before Saturday’s race”, when she will be hoping to retain her Olympic-distance age-group title. [Dafne will be reporting from both events in the November issue of 220.]

At time of print, the Men’s Junior Champs were postponed due to a “fast approaching thunderstorm with high probability of lightning.” We will provide updates and race action as soon as it gets the green light.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s championship action, which, hopefully, will include the Paratriathlon, U23 Women’s, Junior Women’s and the Elite Women’s.

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GB Sprint Medallists
Gold

Alan Bremner, M55-59          1:06:08

Silver

Benjamin Terry, M30-34       1:02:39

Elizabeth Bullivant, F35-39    1:07:16

Lena Poulton, F40-44 1:09:06

Georgina Jennings, F70-74     1:38:18

Bronze

Edward Castro, M25-29         1:01:10

Paul Ryman, M30-34 1:02:46

Christopher Owens, M60-64 1:13:07

Emma Fisher, F45-49 1:11:41

Daphne Belt, F75-79  2:09:00

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(Photo credit: David Pearce)

Once let loose, the 65-strong field of junior men ran together for almost the entirety of the first lap of the two-lap, 5km run. Hitting T1, 24 men were separated by just 5secs.

With slippy conditions for the 20km, four-lap bike leg, the strongest cyclists prevailed, whittling down those 24 to just 14 at the start of the final 2.5km run.

But at the tape it was Brazil’s Manoel Messias who clocked his biggest win of his short career to date, jumping five places from his sixth-place finish at the 2014 Junior Worlds in Edmonton to win with a time of 51:50mins. In a sprint for the line, Messias just pipped Germany’s Peer Sönksen by 1sec, before France’s Léo Bergere followed them in 10secs later.

Last issue’s cover star and 2014 Youth Olympic Champ Ben Dijkstra (GB) had raced with the leaders throughout, but losing time on the final run he crossed the line for eventual eighth with a time of 52:20mins. Talking with 220 at the line, he commented:

“It was such a tough race. I just tried to stay safe on the bike, especially after that first run it was a decent pace. But it just didn’t quite happen in the end and credit to the guys who won, they had a great race. I just didn’t quite have it in the last 2.5km and I just had to work my way to the end. It wasn’t a perfect race but I’m pleased with my performance, being a first world junior, and we’ll see where it goes from now.”

Teammates George Goodwin and Jimmy Kershaw finished 20th and 58th, respectively.

For a full list of results from the ITU World Junior Men’s Champs head to: http://www.triathlon.org/results/result/2015_itu_world_triathlon_grand_final_chicago/272184

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Photo credit: David Pearce

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>>> 2015 World Triathlon Chicago: what’s happening, when?

But much like the storm clouds heading in our direction, as we catch a brief chat between BBC filming commitments and swim practice, the 2015 season has been somewhat turbulent for the 2012 ITU World Champion.

“Turbulent’s a good way of describing it actually. I had a slow start to the year in Abu Dhabi, one of the best races of my life in Auckland. I really shouldn’t have won that race. And then the puncture in London [where Jonny would finish 42nd]. And I think I really could have taken it to [winner] Alistair there.”

With injury grounding all the top GB contenders, both male and female, at various points throughout this season, it was Jonny’s turn in August when a hairline fracture in his femur reared its badly-timed head, curtailing his chance to tick off part one of the two-part GB Olympic qualification process at the Rio Test Event. He must have been climbing the walls… 

“I wasn’t too bad actually. When I know exactly what I need to do I’m pretty good at sticking to it. And it meant I got to do loads of things I wouldn’t usually do – I went to watch Wimbledon, saw Leeds Rhinos, visited my parents in Spain, played FIFA Manager and Call of Duty…”

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On the flip side, this enforced mid-season break has meant he’s now seriously short on run volume. “These guys [racing this weekend] have probably done more in the last week than I have in the last few months,” he admits.

So Brownlee fans, brace yourselves. If you’re expecting a resplendent comeback of the kind more frequently demonstrated by the more injury-prone of the two brothers, Alistair, then you could be sadly disappointed come Saturday. Expectations are low for the forthcoming Grand Final race. Currently 13th in the rankings, and with Alistair out following ankle surgery, the world title will not be returning to Yorkshire in 2015.

Then again, we could have just witnessed the best poker face ever played. But knowing Jonny he’s nothing if not self-deprecatingly honest. “You know how much I like to plan, and I’m always prepared for races. But for this one, I just don’t know how it will go.”

He’s also decided the race, and therefore the title, is reigning champ Javier Gomez’s. “I’ll help him get it with a swim-bike break if I can.”

Even if he doesn’t mount the podium this weekend, it’s still grand to have him back.  

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To find out how he gets on follow us live on Twitter, and for full race feedback and interviews head straight here to the 220 website post race. The race starts at 5pm local time, 11pm UK time.

PT4 GB athlete Lauren Steadman hasn’t lost a race since May 2014, and having won the Olympic test event in August the reigning world champ went in to the final with a sizeable target on her back. Never one to play it safe, however, Steadman pushed hard to guarantee her 10th consecutive win.

“That was probably my toughest race yet, said Steadman. “Obviously the standard has risen a lot since last year. I didn’t have the best swim, on the bike I was holding, I wasn’t getting further away and then my head coach and my father said ‘look, you’ve got to have the best 5k of your life.’ [US National Paratri champion and eventual silver medallist] Grace Norman is a track runner and has the ability to outrun me easily. I just focused on my form and it took me home.

“This is a stepping stone for next year and again I’ve got to up my game 10 times as much because next year they’re going to come at me twice as hard.”

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Second at last year’s champs and third in the Rio test event, Faye McClelland followed Steadman through in fourth place.

“I’m a bit gutted about that but I’ve got to be pleased because I’ve had a bit of an up-and-down season with injury and niggles,” said McClelland. “But I had a solid race. The swim I was on my own so I didn’t have anyone’s feet to catch and I knew I was playing catch-up. I went out to go as hard as possible on the bike but I started fatiguing on the second lap. I kept pushing and I was pleased it was consistent. Then the run has been causing me issues for some months but all in all my run was fine and I was making some ground on third place, but it just wasn’t enough. It’s great points for next year but I’m disappointed to not medal for the first time.”

Relative newcomer to the sport, PT2 athlete Ryan Taylor has been slowly making his way up the top 10 since his first ITU race last May. With a win at the Detroit Paratri event in August, the Worlds were always going to be a tougher challenge for the 22-year-old. But running through the line for bronze, Taylor had a grin as wide as the 46sec gap to fourth place: “I had a decent swim, fell off on the first corner on the bike, so basically I was on catch-up on the bike to get back to the group. But I know my run isn’t the strongest so I just ran into third. I’m really happy, really happy! Such a great result for me. Even with a mistake on the bike I now know I can run through the field.”

Teammate and fellow PT2er Andy Lewis crossed the line in a disappointing 10th, having done one too many laps of the bike leg.

“I was third on the bike and then I just stupidly did an extra lap,” he lamented. “I made up another three or four places on the run, but still, to come to a world champs and mess it up… but it’s a learning curve. I was having a really good race up until then.”

Reigning PT5 champ Alison Patrick and guide Hazel Smith faced new competitors in the shape of Aussies Katie Kelly and guide Michellie Jones. Yes, that Michellie Jones, former ITU and Ironman world champion and Olympian. But crossing the line in second, Patrick and Smith couldn’t have been more pleased:

“We had a really hard swim and a solid bike, taking the first lap a little cautiously cause it was wet,” said a Patrick post-race. “We were in the lead going into the bike but they [Kelly and Jones] caught us up, and then we were just catching on the run. But we’re actually really excited because that gives us something to drive for for next year. I’ve not been pushed on the run this year, this is the first race and it’s exciting. It just means that next year we’re going to have to be better.”

Teammate and reigning silver medallists Melissa Reid and her guide Nicole Walters had a day to forget following a puncture during the bike leg. But they still managed a top-10 finish with a sixth place.

“It was at the furthest point from the wheel stop possible!” said Reid. “We were second at that point, going really well. But there’s nothing you can do and you just stick back in as soon as you can. At least it happened today and not next year [in Rio]. It’s disappointing but there are plenty of positives to be taken from today.”

George Peasgood (PT4) was in fine shape at the end of the bike leg, exiting T2 in fourth place. But with the run his biggest weakness, he was soon chased down before finishing in ninth place, two places behind teammate David Hill, who was racing only his second event of the year due to injury.

“This whole experience has been an absolute bonus this year,” admitted Hill at the line. “I was ready to put my head down and begin a very tough 12 months’ training in the lead-up to Rio. I was really hoping to be in the top 10 today, so a really solid performance. I executed my race plan pretty much to perfection and then just really hunted people down on that run.”

“Straight away it was hard, a straight point-to-point swim, and then on the bike I just tried to hold it in there,” said Peasgood at the finish. “Then as soon as I got to the run it just wasn’t quite my day again. For me, it’s been really challenging this year, but overall I think it’s been a really good season.”

The last wave to come through was PT1. Phil Hogg was the first Brit male over the line in sixth, followed by Joe Townsend in seventh.

“Tough race,” said Hogg at the line. “I had to put some demons to bed after my poor performance in Rio [Phil had been ill in the lead-up and had to seek medial attention at the end of the race, but still finished sixth]. But all my race processes went really well. I’m happy with my performance, but I know I couldn’t have gone any harder. The swim was just amazing. The bike was strong and the run took a lap to get into it, just cause I’d gone so hard on the bike. But I’m pretty happy.”

Lizzie Tench, racing in PT1, took the team’s final medal of the day with a bronze. A regular podium visitor in the wheelchair category, Tench sadly won’t be attending the Games as women’s PT1 isn’t featuring. For the women, Rio will host PT2, PT4 and PT5, and for the men it’s PT1, PT2 and PT4. 

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For a full list of 2015 Worlds times and finishing positions, head to www.triathlon.org/results/event/2015_itu_world_triathlon_grand_final_chicago