Mooloolaba World Cup Race Report
Photo by: Delly Carr
Event
10.03.18
1pm start Elite Women
Start number
5
Sprint distance
1lap 750m ocean swim- beach start- very rough surf conditions for tri, strong R to L sweep and washing machine effect, with big surf. High tide. 4 x 5km lap ride with double hill over Alexandra Headland each lap & technical esplanade. 3x 1.66km lap run-with uphill each lap!
Weather
Sunny on race day, plenty of rain in days prior! Strong winds up to 40km/hr! SE direction- headwind on return for each lap.
Result
1st 😊 First World Cup Podium & top step!
Splits
59:35 – 8:23 / 1:09 / 32:11 / 0:20 / 17:34
I was thrilled with how my early season training and racing had been coming along and was excited to see what I could do at Mooloolaba in a deeper world class field!
Being the only World Cup on home soil it's exciting to race with the crowd behind you all the way! I was super excited & proud to have my mum & dad up for the race to watch, something that's getting rarer as the World Series circuit races stretch more frequently & further abroad!
The tropical cyclone in far North Queensland was drowning the “sunshine” state in rain all week & dishing up some decent swell! I was excited, I love a true tough race & Mooloolaba was already providing a tough course with the hill every lap on both the ride & run, along with the coastal course leaving everyone well exposed to the strong on shore winds & then add in the big dumping swell & very strong inshore sweep! It sure was going to be interesting!
Having come a tantalising 4th last year on this course, I was more than ready to give it a red hot crack, I wasn't going to come 4th again if I could help it! I got off to a great start with years of surf Life Saving coming in very handy to use my surf skill knowledge to my advantage, breaking well clear of the race behind & exiting with a near 30 second lead! But after nearly 1 lap out in the wind & hills solo returning to transition, racing through the unique Mooloolaba esplanade & race expo tents, I decided to sit up & wait to be caught by the front bike pack and work within the bunch!
This was a tactical move, I didn't want to burn all my matches on the bike solo only to be caught near the end of the 20km ride as I have done in past races. Working within our front pack of 8, it was frustrating at times with some girls working hard even turns & others sitting up at the back and saving themselves for the run. But with 8 different athletes & 8 different race strategies, it's not always going to be smooth even work out there!
Continuing to focus in on nailing the little things I came into transition leading our front pack. I could hear the crowd yelling & cheering & got off to a quick clean start on the run!
The weather gods were kind to us and turned on a warm sunny day in the end.
I was feeling great, we practice in training & racing that no matter how we feel - good or bad, crappy or great, that we set those feelings aside and always Race good regardless of how our body might be feeling. But it's still awesome to hop off that bike & be feeling really ready to go. I set off up the hill taking the lead & wanted to push myself early & test myself & the other top girls around me! This worked to my favour as the top pack off the bike began to split early on that first lap, with Kirsten kasper hot on my shoulder!
Heading into lap 2 & 3 I only felt better & really confident in myself to stick out this foot battle, it was an awesome feeling! Likewise i not only had my mum & dad out on course but a whole bunch of close family & friends who speared me on all the way towards the end of that 5km! As I approached the far turn at the top of the hill on the last lap I could see I had broken away clear of Kirsten and it was all downhill from here, knowing how stellar Kirsten's sprint finishes are i kept the pressure on but was able to soak up some high fives, cheers, congratulations & the looks on my parents faces as I crossed that finish line, taking the tape & winning my first World Cup!
It was like a dream, that's exactly what we work so hard for & to have my team around me to embrace the achievement was magic! Some happy tears there for sure! Standing on my first World Cup podium, getting to sing the Australian National anthem with a home crowd of Aussies, and of course a proper champagne showers! It was epic! Super motivating to chase that feeling now into the rest of this big season ahead!!
Photo by: Delly Carr