With maximum points from five wins reigning world champ Flora Duffy from Bermuda had to finish in the top 7 to defend her title, and looking at her 2017 results it was difficult to see her not achieving this.
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Fresh from her first-ever WTS podium finish in Stockholm Brit Jess Learmonth led the swim from the start with Duffy behind her in second, and Caroline Routier from Spain in third. A strung out field followed
Out on the bike USA’s Katie Zaferes, Learmonth and Duffy formed the leading trio and after the first intro lap of 4km had a lead of 33secs.
This lead extended to 01:30 by T2 and unless anything untoward happened this could be our podium but in what order?
A bad transition for Learmonth meant she exited T2 in third behind the other two, who soon had a lead of about 40secs over her. The run is not Learmonth’s strongest phase and with a troublesome calf problem that was obviously causing her pain, she put in a gutsy performance that saw her hang onto third, ahead of strong runners like Kirsten Kasper, who finished in fourth, and Jodie Stimpson.
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