Nicky Samuels was the best performer on a hot and humid day as the ITU World Triathlon Series raced in Chicago for the first time today.
The Wanaka triathlete finished in 13th place in the testing conditions, with Simone Ackermann (Whangarei) 22nd and Kate McIlroy (Wellington) 31st after a puncture ruined any hopes of a top ten finish.
The race was won in imperious fashion by series leader Gwen Jorgensen as the tall, long-striding American erased a 66 second deficit on the run to pull away and win comfortably from Helen Jenkins (Great Britain) and Juri Ide (Japan).
Samuels swam superbly to emerge from the water in second place and took her customary place near the front of the field throughout the bike leg, as a group of 12 put over a minute on the chase pack. While there was never any real threat of a breakaway off the front of the group, the leaders did keep the pace relatively high knowing that the threat of Jorgensen was in the chase group behind, with Samuels, Jenkins, Emma Moffatt (Australia) and Kirsten Sweetland (Canada) prominent.
Both Ackermann and McIlroy were positioned in that chase group having missed the leaders out of the water, but disaster befell McIlroy late in the bike with a puncture costing the Wellington triathlete vital time, and with it any hope of a strong result.
Once onto the run the hot and humid conditions took a toll with many athletes struggling in the oppressive weather. Samuels began strongly but lost time in the second 5km of the run to finish 43 seconds outside the top ten.
Ackermann ran consistent splits for the 10k to earn good WTS points and vital experience as the 24 year old continues her transition from U23 racing to the elite level. McIlroy was essentially out of the race with the puncture on the final lap of the bike when in the chase group, just over one minute down on the leaders.
Tri NZ National Coach Greg Fraine described the day:
"That was a hard and very hot and humid day, the conditions were tough out there for everyone. Kate had an average swim which put her in a tough spot and then a puncture and was in fact riding with a slow puncture throughout the ride, so not a great result but she came through to finish. Simone did well in a race that saw her for perhaps the first time go in with an understanding that she can compete at this level, with a certain expectation in tough conditions. Nicky though had a good solid race, her swim was exceptional and she rode well. The heat got to her a little on the run but she enjoyed a solid day in very testing conditions."
Results: ITU World Triathlon Series: Chicago, USA
Elite Women
1 Gwen Jorgensen USA 1:55:33
2 Helen Jenkins GBR 1:55:53
3 Juri Ide JPN 1:56:00
Plus
13 Nicky Samuels NZL 1:58:46
22 Simone Ackermann NZL 2:00:28
31 Kate McIlroy NZL 2:03:07
