Mario Mola (ESP) and Helen Jenkins (GBR) reign supreme at World Triathlon Series Gold Coast

The second round of the 2016 ITU World Triathlon Series moved to Australia's Gold Coast on Saturday, where Spain's Mario Mola and Great Britain's Helen Jenkins claimed victories. It was Mola's second straight title for the 2016 season, while Jenkins returned to the top of the

Mario Mola (ESP) and Helen Jenkins (GBR) reign supreme at World Triathlon Series Gold Coast
Mario Mola starts his Olympic year off in winning style – Photo Credit: Delly Carr / ITU

The second round of the 2016 ITU World Triathlon Series moved to Australia’s Gold Coast on Saturday, where Spain’s Mario Mola and Great Britain’s Helen Jenkins claimed victories. It was Mola’s second straight title for the 2016 season, while Jenkins returned to the top of the podium for the first time since 2012, in the the process breaking Gwen Jorgensen’s series winning streak.

Men’s Review
Keeping his undefeated 2016 streak alive, Spaniard Mario Mola executed a brilliant finishing run to win the 2016 Jewel World Triathlon Gold Coast on Saturday.

Conquering the Gold Coast heat, Mola was able to remain within the top tier from start to finish and then showcase his signature running speed in the final two and a half kilometres to bypass Great Britain’s Jonathan Brownlee and compatriot Fernando Alarza. The win granted him his second WTS victory of the season and third-straight season win after also taking gold in the Mooloolaba World Cup.

Mola said of his win, “Yeah, it was really tough. Jonny was really strong during most of the run. I am very happy for Fernando that he got second place. I felt great during the whole race. I tried to stay in the front as much as I could on the bike in order to make it a 10k run and I think things went well and I am very happy with the result.”

Running past Brownlee in the final kilometre to earn the silver was Alarza, with Brownlee ending the day with bronze.

There were also plenty of cheers from the crowd was for the fourth place finisher, Australia’s Ryan Bailie, who was able to claim his position on the Australian Olympic Team for Rio this summer.

Women’s Review
Some of the biggest wins of Helen Jenkins career have come off the back of bike breakaways, and on Australia’s Gold Coast on Saturday her uncanny knack of knowing when to push helped her return to the top of the World Triathlon Series podium for the first time since 2012.

After a strong swim, Jenkins, Flora Duffy (BER) and Andrea Hewitt (NZL), made a break around the halfway mark of the 40km bike leg. They then made the most of a technical bike course to take an impressive 90-second lead into T2.

From there, Jenkins pulled away at the front of the run to make her return to the WTS winners list, and also move into top spot in the series rankings.

“I can’t quite believe it,” said Jenkins on her Gold Coast victory. “I did not have the best swim today and then on the bike, because it was so technical it was just as hard even if you were at the front, so I sat in and me, Flora and Andrea were able to get a gap.

“I have so much respect for those girls, they were smashing it today. And I got to the run and just went for it. But the whole time I was waiting for Gwen, you can never underestimate how quick Gwen’s running is.”

Jenkins win also broke Gwen Jorgensen’s record of 12 straight World Triathlon Series win. But the American didn’t let that happen easily, despite starting from T2 almost two minutes behind the leaders, she still ran herself on the podium. In a thrillling sprint with Hewitt down the finish line, Jorgensen steamed ahead in the final few metres to claim silver, ahead of Hewitt in bronze.

In other notable news, Australia’s Emma Moffatt also claimed her spot on the Australian Olympic team by finishing seventh.

2016 ITU World Triathlon Gold Coast –  Elite Men

1. Mario Mola ESP ES 01:46:28
2. Fernando Alarza ESP ES 01:46:55
3. Jonathan Brownlee GBR GB 01:47:09
4. Ryan Bailie AUS AU 01:47:31
5. Ryan Fisher AUS AU 01:47:45
6. Joe Maloy USA US 01:47:53
7. Vicente Hernandez ESP ES 01:47:58
8. Marten Van Riel BEL BE 01:48:01
9. Jacob Birtwhistle AUS AU 01:48:04
10. Gregory Billington USA US 01:48:16

2016 ITU World Triathlon Gold Coast – Elite Women

1. Helen Jenkins GBR GB 01:56:03
2. Gwen Jorgensen USA US 01:56:44
3. Andrea Hewitt NZL NZ 01:56:45
4. Flora Duffy BER BM 01:56:58
5. Rachel Klamer NED NL 01:58:06
6. Katie Zaferes USA US 01:58:14
7. Emma Moffatt AUS AU 01:58:47
8. Vendula Frintova CZE CZ 01:59:06
9. Lisa Perterer AUT AT 01:59:07
10. Kirsten Kasper USA US 01:59:09