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 As well as Duffy the women’s field at WTS Yokohama included Katie Zaferes (USA), Vicky Holland (GBR) and Non Stanford (GBR) but with wet and slippy conditions the race would prove anything but predictable.

 In the swim Britain’s Jessica Learmonth and Lucy Hall took the lead and upon exiting the waters were among a group of five, which included Sophie Coldwell (GBR), Duffy and Summer Cook (USA), that headed into T1 ahead of the pack.

Proving her biking skills were still as good as ever Duffy then wasted no time in breaking away from the group, taking Coldwell with her.

And despite the best efforts of the chase group of 10, which contained Learmonth, Hall, Vicky Holland (GBR), Alice Betto (ITA), Zaferes, Kasper, Gillian Backhouse (AUS), Natalie Van Coevorden (AUS), Yuko Takahashi (JPN) and Minami Kubono (JPN), they could not catch Duffy and Coldwell.

 The rain continued to pour down, and cause problems for the riders. A slip on a corner took GB’s Non Stanford out of the running for a podium finish, while on the eighth lap Learmonth and Zaferes took a tumble on the wet streets. This briefly took them out of the leading chase group, but they both managed to catch the group as they entered T2.

By the time Duffy and Coldwell headed out on the run they had created a lead of 1:21. Coldwell made an early break but within a couple of seconds Duffy overtook her to take the lead, and there she remained for the rest of the race, finishing 1 minute 51 seconds ahead of her rivals – a new WTS record.

Coldwell then got passed by the two American athletes Zaferes and Kasper, who would then take silver and bronze respectively, but managed to hang on to take fourth spot. Vicky Holland finished in fifth

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“I didn’t know what I would have in the tank for today, I was pretty nervous coming into the race today, I felt like a WTS first-timer, but I had to keep reminding myself that I am the World Champ and I need to ride with confidence. So the race worked out great to my strengths and I am super happy,” said Duffy.

1.
Flora Duffy
BER

01:56:18

2.
Katie Zaferes
USA

01:58:09

3.
Kirsten Kasper
USA

01:58:17

4.
Sophie Coldwell
GBR

01:58:48

5.
Vicky Holland
GBR

01:58:50

6.
Ashleigh Gentle
AUS

01:58:57

7.
Non Stanford
GBR

01:59:04

8.
Jessica Learmonth
GBR

01:59:18

9.
Claire Michel
BEL

01:59:26

10.
Natalie Van Coevorden
AUS

01:59:32

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Inspired by golf’s Ryder Cup, The Collins Cup is a long-distance team competition among USA, Europe and the Internationals. Each team will consist of 12 professional triathletes, six men and six women. 

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The Collins Cup: a new Ryder Cup-style team competition for long distance tri

New international team tri competition launched

These four captains join USA captains Dave Scott and Karen Smyers and European captains, Chrissie Wellington and Normann Stadler

“This will be a stunning competition,” said Erin Baker. I’m thrilled to be an International captain. Since the Collins Cup was first announced, I was excited to see this compelling forum and particularly the PTO’s commitment to our sport’s ethos of  gender equality.

“Having men and women professional athletes competing together as a team once again puts on display the unique nature of triathlon’s position in the sporting world.”

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Craig Alexander said: “It is a privilege to have been selected as one of the International Team Captains for the inaugural Collins Cup and to serve with Simon, Erin, and Lisa. The Collins Cup is an exciting new concept and with legendary Captains Dave Scott, Karen Smyers, Chrissie Wellington and Normann Stadler coming together to help lead today’s  top athletes, it should be an epic event. It will be an incredible celebration of our sport, and I am excited and honoured to be a part of it.”

“Just because you’re 40, doesn’t mean you’re 40 years old biologically,” exercise science professor Larry Tucker said. “We all know people that seem younger than their actual age. The more physically active we are, the less biological ageing takes place in our bodies.”

The study, published in the medical journal Preventive Medicine, finds that people who have consistently high levels of physical activity have significantly longer telomeres than those who have sedentary lifestyles, as well as those who are moderately active.

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Telomeres are the protein endcaps of our chromosomes. They’re like our biological clock and they’re extremely correlated with age; each time a cell replicates, we lose a tiny bit of the endcaps. Therefore, the older we get, the shorter our telomeres.

Tucker found adults with high physical activity levels have telomeres with a biological ageing advantage of nine years over those who are sedentary, and a seven-year advantage compared to those who are moderately active. To be highly active, women had to engage in 30 minutes of jogging per day (40 minutes for men), five days a week.

“If you want to see a real difference in slowing your biological ageing, it appears that a little exercise won’t cut it,” Tucker said. “You have to work out regularly at high levels.”

Tucker analysed data from 5,823 adults who participated in the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, one of the few indexes that includes telomere length values for study subjects. The index also includes data for 62 activities participants might have engaged in over a 30-day window, which Tucker analysed to calculate levels of physical activity.

His study found the shortest telomeres came from sedentary people — they had 140 base pairs of DNA less at the end of their telomeres than highly active folks. Surprisingly, he also found there was no significant difference in telomere length between those with low or moderate physical activity and the sedentary people.

Although the exact mechanism for how exercise preserves telomeres is unknown, Tucker said it may be tied to inflammation and oxidative stress. Previous studies have shown telomere length is closely related to those two factors and it is known that exercise can suppress inflammation and oxidative stress over time.

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“We know that regular physical activity helps to reduce mortality and prolong life, and now we know part of that advantage may be due to the preservation of telomeres,” Tucker said.

How ageing affects athletic performance
High-intensity interval training helps battle ageing affects

This new middle-distance championship is for professional and age-group triathletes alike, and has been organised by Challenge Family. To ensure racing is fair for all a 20 metre draft rule has been implemented on the bike leg.

Alistair’s announcement follows his two middle-distance wins, at Gloria Challenge Mogán Gran Canaria and the North American Pro Championship in Utah.

The field includes fellow ITU racers Richard Murray (RSA) and Richard Varga (SVK), who will both be debuting at the middle distance, as well as German athletes Sebastian Kienle and Andreas Dreitz

Alistair said: “There is a good field assembled for The Championship 2017 so I am excited to race, especially as the venue looks amazing. The bike course is relatively flat but the 20m draft rule will keep everyone honest and it should be a good race.” 

The event will take place at the incredible x-bionic® sphere in Samorin, Slovakia.

“Not only is Alistair a remarkable sportsman in his own right, he is also a great ambassador for the sport and we look forward to welcoming him to the start line,” said Zibi Szlufcik, Challenge Family CEO.

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“The Championship 2017 line-up is full of exceptional talent and big names who, I have no doubt, will all put on a hard and fast race at the stunning x-bionic® sphere next month.”

Alistair Brownlee’s key triathlon training sessions

Known for her fast swim, Lucy Charles was first out of the water and entered the bike leg with a healthy 5 minute lead over Kate Comber (GBR) and 8 minute lead over Saleta Castro (ESP). Defending champion Tine Holst (DNK) was 16 minutes down to Charles, and the race seemed over before it even began for the defending champion.

 

@lucycharles93 out swam most of the pro men this morning

We named Slateman 11th in our top 31 triathlons across the world  

Kicking off with a sprint-distance race consisting of a 400m lake swim, 20km bike and 6km run, participants climbed the infamous Llanberis Pass on the bike course before heading back down to complete a challenging run through Padarn County Park.

For the full-distance race (1km, 51km bike, 11km run) athletes complete the same climb on the bike plus a loop around the North Wales Countryside, with the brutal run consisting of a struggle up the breathtaking Dinorwig Quarries. 

Heavy rain made a tough race tougher on Saturday, but times at the head of the race were impressive despite the conditions. In the men’s race, Tomos Neesham was victorious in a time of 1:11:27, with Paul Hawkins and Richard Straughan taking second and third in times of 1:13:07 and 1:13:20, respectively. Rebecca Lodge was the female winner, crossing the line in 1:23:20. Alice Jenkins took second place 3mins later, with Helen Talbot taking third place in a time of 1:29:19. 

The rain subsided for the full-distance event on Sunday with light winds, making the 1km swim in waters reported to be a chilly 12C more bearable for the 950 athletes taking part. Spectators were treated to a stunning swim from Stewart Moore of Manchester Tri Club, emerging from the water in 12:59mins and almost 90 secs ahead of the chasing pack.

Over the bike leg Moore was quickly reigned in by some blazing quick riders, and it was Peter Brook who had the fastest bike split of the day with a 1:20:56 over the tough 51km course. It wasn’t quite enough to reign in Lewis Eccleston, who put in a run split of 49:13 to win in a time of 2:28:18. Brook’s time was 2:28:59, with Paul Hawkins taking third spot in 2:29:48.

In the women’s race, Becky Schofield overcame a fast swim by Alice Jenkins to take over the lead on the bike course, recording a bike split of 1:34:13 and a 58:29min run to hold on for the victory in a time of 2:52:54. Olivia Matthews also pulled back the deficit over the bike and run to finish second in a time of 2:53:54, with Jenkins crossing the line in 2:54:18. 

Athletes could also opt to race the ‘Slateman Savage’, a combination of the sprint event on Saturday and then the full-distance on Sunday. It was Paul Hawkins to came out on top, finishing second in the sprint and third in the full-distance race for a combined time of 3:42:55. The second and third male finishers overall were Richard Straughan and the appropriately-named Paul Savage, while Alice Jenkins, Rebecca Lodge and Helen Talbot were the first three females. 

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Entries are open for Slateman 2018 already, with pricing staying the same as the 2017 race until May 31st. 

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 Bermuda Tourism Authority and the International Triathlon Union (ITU) have signed a three-year contract to host World Triathlon Series events, the first of which is on 28 April 2018.

ITU has already inspected and approved the race course for the World Triathlon Bermuda. Sprint and standard distances will offer a swim in the crystal clear Atlantic Ocean, a challenging bike course over hilly terrain and a run along the picturesque Front Street with its colourful buildings in the centre of Bermuda’s capital Hamilton.

Flora Duffy said: “Bermuda is my home, a place that I am drawn to, it’s where I belong and I am excited to welcome triathletes to an island that is set apart by its location and way of life. Bermuda is about the people you meet, and a land that has its own mystique.

“But whilst Bermudians are welcoming, remember that Corkscrew Hill is an absolute beast on the bike and I will look forward to taking it on against the best in the world. They will need to be at their best to catch me. It looks like a snake climbing a wall and is so narrow and technical that we will have to race up single file. Add local crowds cheering on either side and the atmosphere will be spectacular, these are the memories we will all treasure as athletes.”

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 Bermuda Tourism Authority CEO Kevin Dallas said: “Our warm climate in April offers perfect conditions for racing. We invite triathletes to enjoy some early season training, kick off their race calendar and bring their friends and families to relax on our pink sand beaches.”

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Big, bold and gutsy, the trailblazing event is being broadcast by Channel 4 and will see more than 20 Paralympians and TV personalities, from David Weir to the Last Leg’s Adam Hills, joining in the fun. They are taking part to show their support for a series that removes restrictive rules and regulations that can prevent or deter people with disabilities from taking part in mass-participation events.

Superhero Tri is looking for a force of ‘Super Sidekicks’ (volunteers) to create an all-round sensational experience for everyone involved.

There are plenty of noble roles that need to be filled at the debut event, which is based at the world-class Olympic and Paralympic rowing venue Dorney Lake, in Windsor.

“Our Sidekicks are crucial in helping us to make this a fantastic day out for everyone,” says Paralympian and Superhero Series founder Sophia Warner.

“We already have a 100-strong Sidekick force signed up, which is fantastic, but we want to double that number! There are roles for absolutely everyone, whatever your experience or skill set, and we’d really love to encourage people with disabilities to volunteer and help us make this a truly awesome event. If you fancy making a difference, doing some celebrity spotting and being part of something quirky and fun, this is the event for you!”

To join Superhero Tri’s super Sidekicks, visit www.superheroseries.co.uk/sidekicks-volunteers.

Super Sidekick roles needed:

Registration Sidekicks: based at the hub of this well-oiled machine, these Sidekicks set the super-charged tone as they greet Superheroes, oversee registrations and administer race packs and info to ensure everyone is ready for action

Bag Drop Sidekicks: stationed in the drop zone, these bionic bag handlers will take in and ticket up bags swiftly and smoothly, giving our Superheroes a hassle-free lead up to the mission’s star.

Course Sidekick: these super-efficient marshals will keep our three course stages running like clockwork. They will be sending waves off at the right times, keeping the course clear, directing the way and using all their persuasive powers to encourage our Superheroes towards their mission’s end.

Finish Line Sidekick: The first people to greet our Superheroes as they cross the line, these guys need stellar lungs and a super-watt smile. They will make sure the finishers cross the timing mats before sending them on to the transition areas to let the celebrations commence.

 Up-For-Anything Buddy Sidekick: for all-round sporting supermen and women who are game to assist our Superheroes over any distance or stage – or even multiple missions if need be. If a team is a man down at the last minute, we hope you will be ready to step in and save the day.

 Swim Buddy Sidekick: a super-competent swimmer, you will be asked to bring your wetsuit and goggles ready to dive in and help guide and accompany your Superheroes in the open water. Rest assured there will be a full water safety team on hand. Your goal is to instil confidence and keep spirits high.

Bike Buddy Sidekick: our spin doctors will be asked to come prepared with their own wheels and will accompany our superheroes and generally chivvy, coax and cheer our knight riders on their way

Push/Run Buddy Sidekick: these lucky buddies will be pushing or accompanying our Superheroes for the glory push/run home and using all their persuasive powers to encourage them towards their mission’s end

The Series will feature a number of events, including:  

Mass-participation triathlons and triathlon relays over three distances (sprint, half and full). Non-disabled friends and family can participate in the relay provided one relay team member has a disability.

Sidekick Tri – a unique triathlon where those with disabilities can be propelled around the whole course.

They can be towed round the swim and pushed and pulled around the bike and run stages.

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Celebrity Superhero Tri with team captains recruiting teammates to join them on a triathlon relay team

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The elite field of male athletes competing at The Championship include Alistair Brownlee (GBR), Richard Varga (SVK), Richard Murray (RSA), Lionel Sanders (CAN), and Sebastian Kienle (GER), while the women’s field include Lucy Charles (GBR), Emma Pallant (GBR), Erika Csomor (HUN) and Annabel Luxford (AUS).

Challenge CEO, Zibi Szlufcik, said: “Challenge Family knows that triathlon fans like to follow important races live. We are thrilled to be able to showcase our flagship The Championship event at x-bionic® sphere ensuring that we set a new standard in triathlon. Live streaming the event will not only showcase best pro line and the talented athletes racing, but it will also highlight the incredible venue.”   

This new middle-distance championship is for professional and age-group triathletes alike, and has been organised by Challenge Family. To ensure racing is fair for all a 20 metre draft rule has been implemented on the bike leg.

 For professional athletes the event will carry a minimum €150,000 professional prize purse, and professional athletes will be able to qualify for The Championship via Challenge Family events worldwide.

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Professional athletes who finished in the top five at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, in the top three in the 2016 World Triathlon Series, at the 2016 ITU Long Distance Championship, 2016 Ironman World Championship or 2016 Ironman 70.3 World Championship have also been invited. 

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You can read the full line up of athletes here