The penultimate leg of the ITU World Cup season was a memorable one for Summer Cook (USA) continued her outstanding 2016 break through year, winning the 2016 Tongyeong Triathlon World Cup.
It was the second World Cup victory for Cook in a time of 59:43, from Ai Ueda (JPN) 59:55 and Renee Tomlin (USA) 1:15.00.
Cook’s season began with victory at the ITU World Cup race in Chengdu back in April, and followed up with a career first win at WTS Edmonton. Her recent second place at Salinas World Cup confirmed her speed over the sprint distance.
Ueda has also had a strong year of results claiming bronze in front of a home crowd at WTS Yokohama and her consistency was rewarded finishing with an overall third place on the WTS ranking.
A total of 52 women hit the calm waters for the one lap swim in Tongyeong Harbour. It was a cool and drizzly day in Tongyeong as the American pair Cook and Jessica Broderick (USA) lead out of the water with Japan’s Fuka Sega right on their heels.
There was a long stream of women that followed in quick succession including Zsanett Bragmayer (HUN), Yuka Sato (JAP), Jaz Hedgeland (AUS), Renee Tomlin (USA) and wearing the number one today Ai Ueda (JAP).
The swim did little to break up the front and a group of 24 merged to form the lead bunch on the first lap of the bike with a 24 second lead on the chasers. It contained all the identified contenders, Cook, Tomlin, Ueda. Three laps on the tricky course that includes a steep climb may have taken the sting out of the legs for some.
It was Australian Jaz Hedgeland, Tomlin, Ueda and Broderick that were consistently driving the train on the bike, but as they came into the final changeover it was hectic and still anyone’s for the taking.
Ueda and Yuka Takahashi were the first to leave T2 but just 11 seconds separated 22 women for the final 5km run leg.
It came down to the final 2.5km with just five women remaining in the hunt for the medals. Cook, Tomlin, Ueda, Takahashi and Felicity Sheedy-Ryan (AUS).
But it was Cook that cleared out in the closing stages to take her second world cup victory and close out 2016 on a winning note.
Ueda didn’t quiet have the foot speed of Cook today finishing 11 seconds behind and Tomlin rounding out the podium for a US gold and bronze.