Jonny Brownlee, Alistair’s younger brother, was Mola’s biggest threat for the title, and it was this race that would determine who would be crowned ITU World Champion. If Jonny Brownlee won, and Mola didn’t make the top three, Jonny would be World Champion, otherwise the title would be Mola’s. 

WTS final in Cozumel: who will win men’s world title?

“I don’t know who removed my hat and goggles off me in the swimming leg but I’m almost sure it’s the older of the Brownlees,” Mola reportedly told the radio station.

“I’d like to think it wasn’t intentional, but in the case that it was, I think it was totally unnecessary.

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“After the finish, Jonny Brownlee gave me his congratulations. With him I’ve always had a good relationship. Alistair, he didn’t give me any.”

Thanks @jonny_brownlee. You had a brilliant year, it’s been a pleasure to share competition with you. See u in 2017! https://t.co/Sh9BPrpFMi

— Mario Mola Díaz (@mariomola) September 20, 2016

 The swim at the start was very rough and the men were bunched together for the majority of the 1,500m swim. Alistair exited the swim in second place in a time of 16:52mins, just in front of Jonny, while Mola came out 22 seconds later in a time of 17:14mins.

However Mola has tweeted: 

@220Triathlon, @AliBrownleetri and I discussed it post race, no video or prove about intentionality. To me only a forgotten race situation.

— Mario Mola Díaz (@mariomola) September 21, 2016

The finish line drama – with Alistair helping Jonny over the finishing line to secure second behind Henri Schoeman after Jonny almost collapsed with heat exhaustion 400m from the finish – has since become worldwide news.

WTS Cozumel: all the drama and emotion in pictures

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220 has invited Mario Mola and Alistair Brownlee to comment

There will be 12 separate race matches, with an athlete from each team in each, and the races will be staggered 10 minutes apart. Athletes will be awarded points on their performances in their respective race match and the team with the most overall points from the 12 races will be crowned the victors.  

The Collins Cup–How It Works

It has been called The Collins Cup in honour of John and Judy Collins, who founded Ironman in Hawaii when they issued a challenge to see who the toughest athletes were: swimmers, bikers, or runners, in 1978. 

John and Judy Collins said: “It is quite incredible really. It is hard for us to believe that our endurance event, which started in Hawaii in the 1970s, with only 15 participants, has now inspired a global spectacle with professional teams from the USA, Europe and the Internationals competing for a trophy named after us.

“We are humbled and want to thank the Professional Triathletes Organisation for honouring us in this way.

The race is modelled on golf’s Ryder Cup and will be run by The Professional Triathletes Organisation.

Rich Allen, Executive Director of the PTO, said: “We are very pleased to be able to announce The Collins Cup to celebrate the sport of triathlon and honour John and Judy Collins, who 40 years ago were instrumental in founding the sport we love so much.”

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It is expected the inaugural Collins Cup will be held in June 2018.

Speaking at the Brownlee Triathlon in Leeds, an event the brothers have been involved in since its inception four years ago, Alistair was critical of those saying Jonny would have been tended to quicker had he left him with a steward:

“Anyone who’s saying it was potentially dangerous doesn’t understand the medical implications of heat exhaustion, frankly they’re wrong.

“People who are suffering with heat exhaustion need medical attention as quickly as possible, and no one in the crowd or any of the stewards could have got him to the finish line as quickly as I could, where the medics were. I’ll be honest when I saw the blue carpet it crossed my mind that I was going to get Jonny over the line too and he’d be in with a shout for the world title, but the priority was getting him medical help.”   

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Although the stand-alone footage of Alistair hauling Jonny to the finish has taken on a life of its own in the mainstream media, both brothers admitted that although the exposure for triathlon was positive, on a personal level it wasn’t what they wanted to be known for, with Alistair calling it “embarrassing” numerous times:

“It’s a bit embarrassing really, you put all this work in only to get more famous for being the brother that helped the other one over the line! If Jonny had have got the world title that would have been a successful season between us, job done. While we were in Mexico we were away from all the media, and it’s been a bit of a strange week since.   

“The two big plusses that have come out of all this is the exposure triathlon has got, reaching an audience it usually wouldn’t and if it’s inspired people to take up the sport there’s no harm in that at all; and being able to talk about the danger of heat exhaustion and how seriously that needs to be taken is a big positive.”

Jonny said work began immediately after he left intensive care to establish what happened:

“For me I lost the World Championships, which was disappointing and obviously you want to correct what went wrong. I was on the phone to the British Triathlon doctor the next day, and I’ll be getting some heat testing done over the next couple of months to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”  

Jonny said that world champion Mario Mola’s comments about Alistair possibly knocking off his goggles early in the swim were likely misinterpreted in the days after the race, although Alistair said the Spaniard did initially suggest foul play but apologised “five minutes afterwards following a frank discussion”.

Alistair said: “I just said what happens in the swim happens, 200m in there’s no way I’m going to have time to think about knocking someone’s goggles off, that’s ridiculous. We spoke after the race and cleared this up, Mario apologised and we’ve been in touch through email since as well.

“At the line I said to Richard (Murray) that I would have done the same for him, I got heat exhaustion (in a World Series race) six years ago and it’s not a good position to be in, you need to get medical help straight away.”

For more information on the Brownlee Tri, head to www.brownleetri.com

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For 220’s full interview with Alistair and Jonny look out for issue 332 of 220 Triathlon, on sale 10th November

Paratriathlon: the ultimate guide

Watching Lewis’ race unfold alongside the many and varied personal battles playing out along the Copacabana Beach, it seemed so normal, it just worked, of course the paratriathlon was at the Paralympics, why wouldn’t it have been? It belongs there, it’s an outstanding spectator sport – it thrills, it enthralls, it excites. 

And when your home team delivers medals it does all the above and more. 220 had the pleasure of spending two days in Loughborough last year, watching as the team went about its business of moulding a Paralympic-worthy team in their world-class training Hub.

In pictures: GB paratriathletes in training 

Even if they hadn’t produced the four medals in Rio, the GB squad achieved their goal just by sending the biggest tri team of any nation to Brazil; each and every member of the 13-strong squad (including two guides Nicole Walters and Hazel Smith) and the vast coaching team perfectly at home on the biggest sporting stage of them all. 

So how does it feel to have surpassed even their high expectations? We caught up with head coach Jonathan Riall after the competitions. 

“Well, it was unbelievable. [When Andy won] I was emotional beyond what I thought I might be actually. It’s been a long time in the making, a lot of hard work has gone in. A huge team has worked incredibly hard and to see Andy pull that off was just spectacular. 

“You can just see the state some of the guys are in crossing the finish line,” Riall continued, “they’ve given it everything. And that’s all we can ask for. It’s just nice to know that they can finish their race and look like they’ve had the best race they’ve ever had.” 

British Triathlon’s performance director Brendan Purcell knows how to produce a world-beating team, but while in Rio to help with the Paralympic team on a logistic level the show was very much being run by Riall. 

“I see myself as a bit of a backstop. They know I’ve got their back. It’s easy for me to say I’ve done my job [with the Olympic team] but this is just as important for me. 

“From a British perspective, awesome, four medals. But from a paratriathlon perspective, the best racing I’ve ever seen. It felt like everyone stepped up. I thought the men’s PT4 racing was outstanding. Look at these athletes, they’re just as good as the elites, if not better. They’re performance athletes, they might not be quite as quick but there’s a reason behind that. But that was outstanding, a sensational race. I loved every minute of that. 

“If you’re someone who likes sport and that hasn’t got you excited then you’re dead inside. Cause that was exceptional.” 

If only the multisporting world had had chance to see the action unfold. Not even the crowds lining the Copacabana course could view the full race as there was no live feed at the venue, just splits flashing up at the finish line. We can but hope that the Tokyo organisers deemed it worthy enough for a live broadcast come 2020.   

But back to the action that was witnessed by the fortuitous followers in Rio. Beaming with pride once again after the women’s events brought GB’s final medal tally to four, courtesy of Lauren Steadman’s and Alison Patrick’s silvers and Melissa Reid’s bronze, Riall summed up the squad’s achievements: 

“The guys just gave absolutely everything out there and in such tough conditions. The sport over the last two years has just progressed so so much, you can see the results, they’re going flat out at the end. The guys have raced hard and they’ve raced their best and the results are fare. They should be really really proud of themselves. 

“I think for me personally, it’s seven years of a journey that started from zero. So to be going home with four athletes who are Paralympic medallists, it has quite a nice ring to it. And it sets a foundation for where the programme will continue to go. We’ve done so much work to be the best prepared and I think we were. And hopefully this will inspire a few more athletes to get involved.” 

If you’re interested in giving paratri, or any Paralympic sport, a go, head to http://www.uksport.gov.uk/our-work/talent-id

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And for a full report and exclusive images from all six of the Paralymic paratri events, be sure to pick up the November issue of 220, on sale 11 October.  

Britain’s pioneering approach to elite paratriathlon training

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everactiv has been established by former pro multisporter Cat Morrison and business partner Linda Barclay with a commitment to support grassroots clubs through the donation of a percentage of its profits.

Through designing and delivering fun and funky clothing, which is both high quality and affordable, the duo hope to ‘break down many of the barriers that stand between young people feeling great and looking good when they’re active’.

Triathlon training for kids

everactiv’s first range is for girls aged from 7-14yrs, with the brand’s vision to inspire, motivate and enable young people to get active. Central to this vision is the ‘Club everactiv’ initiative, which will see the company donate a percentage of its profits from each sale to grassroots sports clubs or schools.

Organisations will register with everactiv and customers purchasing from the everactiv online shop will be able to select which organisation they’d like to receive a percentage of the profits from that sale. As funds accumulate, organisations will have the option of redeeming them for clothing or receiving the monetary donation to support junior sports development.

EVERLOVED INITIATIVE

everactiv’s commitment to making sportswear more accessible does not end there. Their ‘everloved’ programme will see once-loved but outgrown sportswear redistributed to young people who may not otherwise have access to sports clothing. This initiative will be launched in 2017.

Morrison, whose multiple careers wins include countless world and European duathlon titles as well as a famous victory at Ironman Lanzarote in 2010 after being sat on the sidelines for 40mins, retired from tri in early 2015.

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A wide range of tips and inspirational articles can also be found on the everactiv website at www.everactiv.com.

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This news coincides with Women’s Sport Week (3-9 October), a Sport England campaign aiming to increase the profile of women’s sport across the UK.

British Triathlon Women’s Participation Lead, Jenny Vincent, said: “We’re proud to be supporting Women’s Sport Week 2016 and celebrating the diverse range of females we have involved in the sport.

“We are experiencing a growing interest in triathlon following our women’s success at the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games, along with an increase in participation opportunities. We hope to see these numbers continue to grow over the coming year as we provide more specific chances for women to give tri a try.”

It’s clear to see just how much participation has increased from the fact that 30% of qualified triathlon coaches are women, compared to a national sporting average of 17%.

To support the campaign, British Triathlon is hosting a number of Women’s Triathlon Training days alongside ‘Getting Women into Triathlon’ workshops to encourage more females to give it a try. 

This is also a great time to recognise the female athletes who are at the top of their game. British Triathlon’s elite females have won four Olympic and Paralympic medals between them, plus a host of ITU World and ETU European titles. 

Rio Paralympic Silver Medallist, Lauren Steadman, said: “It’s fantastic news to hear so many more women are taking up triathlon. I believe there are around 1200 events every year in Great Britain, so there is plenty of opportunity to set a goal for next spring and have a go.

“Triathlon offers a huge sense of achievement, whether that’s competing at the highest level, or crossing the finishing line at your local race.”

Double Commonwealth Champion, Jodie Stimpson, said: “Women’s participation in sport has grown so much since I started and it’s amazing to be a part of a successful GB women’s team on the ITU circuit.

“Seeing so many women having a go at triathlon is amazing and I say to anyone that asks about triathlon: just have a go and you will be addicted!” 

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Elite triathlete and world sprint triathlon champion, Alice Hector, recalls just how much the clothing and equipment has changed throughout the development of women’s triathlon.

“I remember my debut in 2002, racing in the most unflattering crop top and high-cut bottoms (not dissimilar to the men actually!) then riding around on a man-sized bicycle and wearing big cycling jerseys/T shirts in training. There wasn’t a lot of choice for the female athlete.

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“Now, the women’s triathlon market is thoroughly catered for and I love finding flattering race and training clothing. Swimming costumes and leggings in particular have got really funky and I find bright colours make me happy. And if you feel good, that’s a confidence booster before you’ve even stepped out the door.”

Much debate has been sparked after TUE files started to be leaked last month by the Russian Fancy Bears hacking group, with Bradley Wiggins being arguably the most high profile case so far. While some have called for more transparency, British Cycling, and now British Triathlon, strongly deny that TUEs are in any way linked to performance enhancement. 

British Triathlon said: “Alistair Brownlee was granted his only TUE for treatment of altitude sickness whilst climbing Kilimanjaro in October 2013. This was an out of competition trek after the triathlon season had finished.

“Let’s be very clear; athletes who have a TUE on their record have followed the rules based on a specific medical requirement. We can say with absolute confidence that our athletes have nothing to hide.

“This attack on the integrity of athletes is shocking. We strongly condemn actions of this nature and continue to be in close contact with UKAD and WADA in regards to this matter.”

Brownlee senior himself made light of the incident on his Twitter account after first explaining plainly that he has had one TUE in his career “to treat altitude sickness while climbing Kilimanjaro” – making reference to the famous moment at WTS Cozumel when he carried brother Jonny over the line, Alistair said: “Slightly embarrassing that someone as fit as me suffered from alititude sickness, but thankfully Jonny was there to carry me.” 

Widely regarded sports sports and exercise consultant Dr. Leon Creaney told 220 Triathlon last week: “The recent revelations by Fancy Bears are, in my opinion, an attempt to create a story, where no real story exists; it’s sour grapes because of the Russian systematic cheating that has been exposed.

“To get a TUE you have to be objectively diagnosed, usually by two separate specialists, to prove that you have the condition. This will usually involve clinical opinion, and the results of various tests.  “The kind of medications that sports people get TUEs are not particularly performance enhancing anyway, so it’s all legitimate as far as I’m concerned.”

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What do you think about the TUE exemption records? Let us know in the comments, or email [email protected] for the chance to have your views aired in our next issue

Frodeno claimed Wiltshire was swimming on top of him throughout much of the 3.8km Kona swim leg, and aired his feelings publicly in the interview. 

Frodeno begins by saying he had “a lot of lows” during the race, and that he “couldn’t break the swim group at the start which is thanks to Harry Wiltshire”, before looking directly at the camera as if to address Wiltshire and saying brazenly: “If you’re watching this, you’re a pr**k.”

Frodeno continued: “He basically swam on top of me and properly disturbed me intentionally the whole way back, that was a really unsportsmanlike move from him(sic).” 

However while Frodeno said on Twitter he “still didn’t think what happened was cool”, he did apologise in part for his language, hinting at the strong possibility that alcohol could have played a part.

The to-and-fro on social media between Ironman World Champ Frodeno and Harry Wiltshire, who was first out of the water

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The accusation will come as a shock to many pros and the British Triathlon community, in which Wiltshire is generally held in high regard; however, it’s not the first time the former ITU triathlete has been involved in dispute over swim tactics, as Wiltshire served a six-month ITU ban back in 2011 for “unsportsmanlike conduct”, after footage emerged that showed him swimming over the then ITU World Champion Javier Gomez of Spain.

Wiltshire congratulated Frodeno on his victory numerous times, and has received support from athletes, fans and sponsors defending his character. While the two have appeared to call a truce of some sorts the alleged incident opened up a wider debate into the refereeing of swim tactics on social media, and whether athletes have the right to complain about unintentional clashes on the swim.

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*Since this article was published, Harry has sent 220 this statement: “When you have just added your second Ironman World Champs to your Olympic Gold medal you can pretty much do anything you like. Jan didn’t need to publicly apologise, but he took the time to publicly say he overstepped the mark the day after a phenomenal race: one more reason why he is a worthy champion.”*

Nelson Mandela Bay first hosted an Ironman  event in 2004 and since 2015 has been the site of the Standard Bank Ironman African Championship. 

Andrew Messick, CEO of Ironman, says: “We are delighted to bring the Ironman 70.3 World Championship to Nelson Mandela Bay. Tens of thousands athletes have enjoyed racing in our events in South Africa over the past 12 years and we are excited to welcome some of the world’s most elite triathletes to the African continent.”

Athol Trollip, Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor, says: “Nelson Mandela Bay is delighted to have been chosen to host the 2018 Ironman 70.3 World Championship. We are proud of our excellent track record in hosting the Standard Bank Ironman African Championship.

“It’s on the strength of this, our climate, our beautiful beaches and our tourism potential that we are now in a position to host this prestigious international event. We look forward to welcoming the world’s athletes to the Bay.”

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The 2017 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship is taking place from 9-10 September 2017 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

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