Disappointing Day in Yokohama for Kiwi Triathletes

Disappointing Day in Yokohama for Kiwi Triathletes

It was not a great day at the office for the New Zealanders at the ITU Yokohama World Triathlon Series today with the day summed up by a crash for Ryan Sissons when looking strong in the lead bike bunch and runs that were off the pace from Nicky Samuels, Tony Dodds and Tom Davison.

Samuels was first up in the elite women’s race in warm and clear conditions in Yokohama, with a slight chop on the water the only issue facing the competitors on an otherwise perfect day for racing. Samuels swam in the middle of the pack and was part of a chase group on the bike that quickly brought the bulk of the field together before the run.

Once on the run though Samuels fell off the pace, showing the effects of a head cold that had laid her low leading into the race, as Gwen Jorgensen (USA) ran away from the field to move back into overall contention in the World Triathlon Series, winning from Ai Ueda (JPN) and Angieszka Jerzyk (POL).

Samuels would go on to finish 24th.

Full women’s race review CLICK HERE

In the men’s race Tony Dodds swam superbly to be third out of the water and second out of the first transition, in amongst the likes of Javier Gomez (ESP), Jonathan Brownlee (GBR), Alistair Brownlee (GBR) and Aaron Royle (AUS). Ryan Sissons and Tom Davison were not so quick and emerged in the chase group.

But Davison then went about his work on the bike, leading the chase group up to the leaders as he rode at over 50kph on the flat for much of the time. Sissons was in the train, as was Mario Mola (ESP) and richard Murray (SAF), both would run to the podium and thank Davison post-race for his efforts.

Sissons however was mowed down in a crash with two laps to ride, when comfortably in the lead group. The world number 6 landed heavily on his shoulder and the bike was damaged too much to consider continuing, he was out of the race.

Once on to the run both Dodds and Davison faded, with Dodds showing the effects of backing up after his 4th place finish at the Chengdu World Cup last weekend. Dodds ran home in 38th and Davison in 40th.

For full race review CLICK HERE

National Coach Greg Fraine said the team will now regroup back in New Zealand and continue their preparation for the next event and longer term for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

“It was one of those frustrating days you have in sport sometimes, it seems we have had a couple of good days and bad in recent times in Yokohama, we will put this down as a bad one for sure.

“Doddsy has raced well last weekend in his comeback race from injury but today it caught up with him. It was always a risk racing back to back but it was one we wanted to take. The risk was he might not fire today. For Ryan we are crossing our fingers that it is no more than bruising and abrasion to the shoulder and we will now deal with a frustrated athlete that will be thinking of a lost opportunity today, he had hit the front and was in very good running form.

“We will regroup now back in Cambridge, that is a positive that we can do this at home rather than in a foreign country, so we will be back next week and look at things and get into final preparation for Glasgow, that is our key goal for the year.”

For full race results, CLICK HERE

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