Andrea Hewitt returned to something closer to her best form with a 6th place finish at the latest round of the ITU World Triathlon Series in San Diego today.
The race was dominated by a breakaway group on the bike but the real action came on the final 3km of the run, when winner Gwen Jorgensen (USA) surged past Emma Moffatt (AUS) and world U23 champion Non Stanford (GBR) also sprinted past the Aussie within sight of the finish line.
Hewitt was in the main chase group on the bike and the large size of the group allowed the leaders to establish a lead of 61 seconds heading out on to the run. Despite struggling through the opening stages on foot, Hewitt got stronger the longer the run went and hauled in many of the athletes in front of her.
After struggling with the effects of concussion in Auckland a fortnight ago it was a stronger performance from Hewitt, the Cantabrian looked back on a steady day with mixed emotions.
"It was tough from the start with a breakaway after the swim, we tried to work hard on the bike but then the group behind caught and with a big group it is difficult to know what is going on and you have to conserve your energy, with all the other girls you have to look at them and not just the front of the race.
"When we were losing time it was hard not to go to the front and work but I knew I had to run with the girls I was riding with so when I got on the run I didn't feel amazing at the start, I couldn't go out with the front girls and struggled for first 500m, then found my rhythm and ran with Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) with a group of four and then when Ashleigh started to slow down I ran by myself, picked up the pace and caught three of the front group.
"The last lap when I saw Sarah Groff in front, I knew she was blowing up a bit and I had 25 seconds to catch and on the long straights I put my head down and tried to catch her.
"I'm still disappointed that I couldn't run with the lead girls that is what I like doing, I like running out hard and at the front. It was a different race for me, it probably looked like I was more conservative on the run but I couldn't go out as hard as I normally would today and had to come back stronger and that is what I did."
 Andrea Hewitt during the San Diego Triathlon(Photo: Delly Carr / ITU; click to enlarge) |
Jorgensen made history in becoming the first American woman to win a World Triathlon Series event and in doing so took out the USA National Championships, run in conjunction with today's event.
"This feels amazing to be on home soil, a national championship and to be the first woman from the USA to win one of these is an amazing feeling and I feel it is really going to increase the sport here in the USA and more people are going to start winning from the USA hopefully.
"It was a great race, I was focused on the processes today, I switched coach I am with Jamie Turner this year and we have really been focusing on my weaknesses and we still have a lot of work to do I just tried to focus on the process and if you concentrate on the process, the outcome will come.
"I was just focused on myself and doing what I know how to do."
Germany's Anne Haug retained the overall lead in the World Triathlon Series with a 4th place to go with her win in Auckland two weeks ago.
Hewitt moves to 5th overall in the series with her 6th place today and 15th in Auckland. Athletes count their best 4 scores throughout the season plus the London Grand Final towards their final world ranking.
Ryan Sissons, Clark Ellice and Bryce McMaster race in the men's race tomorrow.
Results: ITU World Triathlon, San Diego
Elite Women
1. Gwen Jorgensen (USA) 1:59:59
2. Non Stanford (GBR) 2:00:03
3. Emma Moffatt (AUS) 2:00:03
4. Anne Haug (GER) 2:00:06
5. Jodie Stimpson (GBR) 2:00:31
6. Andrea Hewitt (NZL) 2:01:22
7. Sarah Groff (USA) 2:01:27
8. Barbara Riveros Diaz (CHI) 2:01:41
9. Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) 2:01:46
10. Juri Ide (JPN) 2:01:56
