National Champions crowned at the Toronto Triathlon Festival

Fast and furious racing on day one of TTF

Cam Mitchell July 21, 2018

Earlier today the Toronto Triathlon Festival hosted three mixed relay races; the National Development series, the Provincial Club Championships and the CAMTRI America Cup/National Championships. All three events were well attended, and the racing was action-packed, especially the CAMTRI race with team USA, Quebec 1, Ontario 1 and Quebec 2 going back and forth for much of the race.

The first race of the day was the National Development series race, it saw Team Ontario 1 edge out the rest of the field for the win. Then it was the inaugural Provincial Mixed Relay Club Championships. Team LPC took an early lead and ran away with the race. They were followed by Team Discomfort Zone 1 in second and Team Toronto Triathlon Club 1 in third.

National Development Series race. Photo by Cam Mitchell

National Development race podium. Photo by Cam Mitchell

Photo by Cam Mitchell

LPC wins the inaugural Provincial Mixed Relay Club Championships. Photo by Cam Mitchell

Provincial Championship Podium. Photo by Cam Mitchell

The last race of the day was the CAMTRI Mixed Team Relay America Cup, also serving as the Canadian National Championships. Team Quebec 1 would take an early lead thanks to the superb effort by Emy Legault. At the end of Legault’s pull, they led the Americans by nearly a minute. The two teams, Quebec 1 and USA, would pull away in the second leg from the rest of the field.

CAMTRI Mixed Relay America Cup Start. Photo by Cam Mitchell

Photo by Cam Mitchell

Emy Legault of Team Quebec 1. Photo by Cam Mitchell

By the end of the third leg, the Americans surpassed Quebec thanks to the effort of Audrey Ernst. Ernst’s pull would be the move of the day, giving the Americans the lead into the final exchange. Then it was up to Darr Smith to finish off the race. He would post the fastest split of the day, 18:03, and the Americans would cross the line 19 seconds ahead of Quebec 1.

Photo by Cam Mitchell

The battle for third was just as entertaining as the battle for first. In the second and third exchanges, Ontario 1 would climb back into contention thanks to Samantha Klaus’s split. Going into the final leg, it would be a battle between Quebec 2’s Jeremy Obrand and Ontario 1’s Liam Donnelly. The two would come off the bike together before Donnelly put the heat on in the 1500m run giving Ontario 1 the bronze.

National Championships Podium. Photo by Cam Mitchell

CAMTRI America Cup Podium. Photo by Cam Mitchell

Following the races, there was a Q and A session with two-time Olympic medalist, Simon Whitfield, and co-founder of Cervelo, Phil White. The two chatted about their successes in athletics and business, as well as the growth of triathlon in Ontario and Canada.

Come by Ontario Place tomorrow and watch the Olympic and Sprint triathlon provincial championships.