ITU Moments of 2017: Flora Duffy Wins WTS Rotterdam, Remains World Champion

In this video, the International Triathlon Union (ITU) commemorates Bermuda triathlete Flora Duffy’s win in the World Triathlon Grand Final Rotterdam. Rotterdam was the climax of the 2017 season in which she claimed six World Triathlon Series (WTS) gold titles. This was the race that made her World Champion for a second consecutive year.

Duffy’s “Near-Perfect” Race Performance

Commentators described the victory as a “perfect” or “near-perfect” race performance on a course that was soaked in rain.

Duffy completed the race in 01:58:39, 55 seconds ahead of the silver winner, USA’s Katie Zaferes. The bronze medal went to Jessica Learmonth of Great Britain, who finished more than two minutes behind the winner. Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle finished in sixth-place, but that was just enough to secure her #2 WTS ranking for the season.

Learmonth led the way out of the swim before Zaferes and Learmonth caught up with her in the bike leg. Duffy established a clear lead early in the run and managed to keep it all the way to the finish line.

2018 Season Begins with Disaster in Abu Dhabi

Duffy started her 2018 WTS season with a disaster in World Triathlon Abu Dhabi. Wet conditions caused a high number of bike accidents in a particular section of the bike course. She was one of the first to go down in the Elite Women’s race. After unsuccessfully trying to fix her bike chain, Duffy dropped out of the race.

Zaferes wiped out later, just before Britain’s Sophie Coldwell ran over her head. The hospital diagnosed her with a concussion and gave her stitches above the eye.