Hursey, Mola On Top At New Plymouth World Cup

Spain’s Mario Mola recorded back-to-back World Cup wins in picture-perfect conditions in New Plymouth, while the USA’s Katie Hursey went one better than her silver medal in Mooloolaba to claim her third career World Cup win in New Zealand.

Read the race recaps from ITU below.

Women’s Race
The USA’s Katie Hursey has proved again she will be a major contender in the 2014 triathlon season in New Zealand on Sunday, collecting her third World Cup title over an impressive field in New Plymouth.

After securing a spot in the 13-strong lead group on the bike – that also included Carolina Routier, Helen Jenkins, Jodie Stimpson, Sarah Groff, Andrea Hewitt, Kate McIlroy, Kirsten Sweetland, Paula Findlay, Yuka Sato, Alice Betto, Pamela Oliveira and Nicky Samuels – Hursey burst out of the gates from T2. The rising American star then stayed there all the way to the finishing tape, which she broke in a time of 57 minutes and 27 seconds. It was her third ITU World Cup win, from a career that currently spans just 12 races, and her second consecutive World Cup podium after finishing behind only Gwen Jorgensen in Mooloolaba.

Behind Hursey the battle for medals came down to a finishing line sprint between New Zealand’s Andrea Hewitt and Great Britain’s Jodie Stimpson. Riding off the crowd, Hewitt had enough in the tank claim the New Plymouth silver, while Stimpson claimed bronze.

Men’s Race
Spain’s Mario Mola carried his Australian form across the Tasman on Sunday, collecting his second consecutive ITU World Cup win, this time beating compatriot Javier Gomez and Portugal’s Joao Silva in New Plymouth.

After taking the opening title of the season in Mooloolaba just last weekend, Mola was forced to wait a little longer to make his race-changing move in New Zealand. In a lead pack of 35 men on the bike, it wasn’t until the run that Mola, Gomez and Silva asserted themselves. But just minutes into the 5km sprint distance run leg it was clear that the title would be between Mola and Gomez, and following on from his impressive 13:55 5km split in Mooloolaba, Mola reeled in this week’s win in 14:06, and a total time of 52:30.

It marked the first race that Gomez has lost in New Zealand, after wins in New Plymouth (2008 WC), Queenstown (2003 U23 World Championships) and twice in Auckland (2012 & 2013 World Triathlon Series).

2014 New Plymouth ITU Triathlon World Cup
New Plymouth, New Zealand – March 23, 2014
750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run

Women
1. Katie Hursey USA 00:57:27
2. Andrea Hewitt NZL 00:57:38
3. Jodie Stimpson GBR 00:57:39
4. Helen Jenkins GBR 00:57:54
5. Kirsten Sweetland CAN 00:58:02
6. Nicky Samuels NZL 00:58:17
7. Sarah Groff USA 00:58:33
8. Pamela Oliveira BRA 00:58:40
9. Paula Findlay CAN 00:58:44
10. Yuka Sato JPN 00:58:55

Men
1. Mario Mola ESP 00:52:30
2. Javier Gomez ESP 00:52:33
3. Joao Silva POR 00:52:56
4. Fernando Alarza ESP 00:53:03
5. Brendan Sexton AUS 00:53:08
6. Ryan Sissons NZL 00:53:10
7. David Hauss FRA 00:53:11
8. Kyle Jones CAN 00:53:13
9. Dan Wilson AUS 00:53:22
10. Laurent Vidal FRA 00:53:26