The rain came down on the 2204 World Triathlon Para Series Montreal on Saturday morning, but it did little to dampen the performances of the best in the world as the likes of Alexis Hanquinquant and Thibaut Rigeadeau of France, Spain’s Susana Rodriguez (B1) and Canada’s Kamylle Frenette won golds.
The race would be the last chance for the qualification points to hit the rankings top 9 and guaranteed start slots for Paris 2024 and, further down the rankings, there was a huge win for Italy’s Giuseppe Romele H1 to launch him into 7th in the men’s PTWC qualification, and Brazil’s Leticia Freitas B1 climbed into 8th place in the women’s PTVI rankings despite narrowly missing the podium after Chloe MacCombe B3 (IRL) edged a tight sprint finish down the blue carpet.
PTVI
There was joy for Thibaut Rigaudeau B3 as he cruised to his first WTPS gold. The French champion, 6th in the Paris Test Event last year, deployed his swim power to excellent effect leaving chasers Lukasz Wietecki B3 (POL) and Kyle Coon B1 (USA) to complete the podium. Silver for Poland’s rising star saw him leap two places and guarantee a Paralympic start.
Susana Rodriguez B1 was back to her best thanks to a formidable bike segment to pull clear of World Champion Francesca Tarantello B3 after the Italian had put together a fine swim. It was a 90-second gap for the Spanish star to the silver medallist, while behind a battle for bronze raged, Chloe MacCombe B3 holding off Brazil’s Leticia Freitas B1 and Alison Peasgood B2 (GBR).
PTWC
Kendall Gretsch was on flying form in the women’s PTWC class to take the gold, home favourite Leanne Taylor H1 piling on the pressure with a brilliant final segment to finish with the silver, Brazilian Jessica Ferreira H1 with bronze and Emilia Perry in sixth place assuming the ninth and final guaranteed slot for Paris 2024.
The men’s race saw a storming display from Italian Giuseppe Romele H1 to keep Howie Sanborn H1 at bay, Frenchman Louis Noel H2 rounding off the podium while a career-best fourth place for GB’s Joshua Landmann H2 puts him in contention for a possible invitational spot for Paris.
PTS2
USA’s Allysa Seely won a brilliant gold after compatriot Hailey Danz had upped the ante over the bike segment. Seely was untouchable over the run as she secured a second consecutive Series gold, Danz with silver and Italian Veronica Yoko Plebiani the bronze, leaving Melissa Stockwell in fourth.
It was USA gold for the men, too, as Mohamed Lahna saw off the challenge of teammate Mark Barr, Frenchman Geoffrey Wersy taking the bronze while Italy’s Gianluca Valori finished fourth and will await his Paralympic fate as 10th man in the rankings.
PTS3
Great Britain’s Henry Urand put together an outstanding bike-run to take the men’s PTS3 gold by nearly 90 seconds from Cedric Denuziere (FRA). An excellent bronze for Diego Lardon Ferrer saw him climb further into the safety of the rankings top 9 and will be joining them in Paris on 1 September.
With the women’s PTS3 start berths in Paris looking set, it was Kenia Yesenia Villalobos Vargas of Mexico with the gold ahead of USA’s Rachel Watts.
PTS4
Kelly Elmlinger continues to impress, winning gold by over a minute from Megan Richter (GBR). The Brit was going well after the swim and bike in first, before being reeled in over the run, Camille Seneclauze with a bronze that sees her up to 10th in the rankings and looking at a possible start alongside Elise Marc in Paris.
Alexis Hanquinquant stormed to gold in the men’s race, putting in more than two minutes over second place Gregoire Berthon over the 5km run. The French duo were followed over the line by USA’s Carson Clough, and now Berthon will wait to see if he can become a third French PTS4 male in Paris along with Hanquinquant and Baele.
PTS5
The USA’s Chris Hammer proved too hot even for Stefan Daniel to handle, the Canadian star forced to settle for silver as he just could not reel in the leader over the 5km run. Spain’s Jairo Ruiz Lopez took the bronze to finish an agonising 13 points short of the top 9, the Paralympic door still ajar if he can secure an invitational place.
In the women’s PTS5, the brillian Kamylle Frenette took the gold ahead of Gwladys Lemoussu of France and Ukrainian Alisa Kolpakchy. A 55-second advantage out onto the bike was extended over the wet and windy 20km ride, before the Canadian went on to take the tape by more than 90 seconds.