Taylor-Brown runs to big win in Yokohama

With a who’s who of draft-legal racing on hand in Japan, it was Tokyo silver medalist Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) who proved to be in top form at the World Triathlon Championship Series Yokohama, running her way to a big win over France’s Leonie Periault and Olympic and world champ Flora Duffy (BER).

In addition to the three medalists, the stacked field included the recently crowned eSports world champion Beth Potter, Oceanside 70.3 champ Taylor Knibb, and Cassandre Beagrand, who had dominated the Arena Games event in London.

It was Duffy who led through the first lap of the swim, but in the second lap Maya Kingma (NED) pulled clear with Duffy, Natalie Van Coevorden (AUS), Emma Lombardi (FRA), Taylor-Brown and Knibb close behind. Early on in the bike a group of 12 formed in front, but even though officials had modified the bike course after heavy rain caused flooding in the streets just before the race, the slick conditions saw Germany’s Laura Lindemann go down on a turn at the end of the second lap, with Beaugrand and Van Coevorden also going down. Beaugrand would have to pull out, while the other two joined the chase pack.

A group of nine were able to stay clear, hitting T2 with a lead of almost three minutes on the chase group. Taylor-Brown surged to the front just one km into the run and never looked back, holding on for the win. The battle for the rest of the medals was intense as Periault, Duffy, Lombardi and Germany’s Anabel Knoll pushed for a spot on the podium. Periault pushed early to get clear and take silver, while Duffy managed to outsprint Lombardi to round out the podium.

The only Canadian in the field, Emy Legault, finished 21st.

You can find full results here.

1.Georgia Taylor-Brown GBR 01:51:44

2.Leonie Periault FRA 01:51:50

3.Flora Duffy BER 01:51:55

4.Emma Lombardi FRA 01:52:03

5.Maya Kingma NED 01:52:12

21. Emy Legault CAN 01:57:42