With maximum points from five wins reigning world champ Flora Duffy from Bermuda had to finish in the top 7 to defend her title, and looking at her 2017 results it was difficult to see her not achieving this.
Fresh from her first-ever WTS podium finish in Stockholm Brit Jess Learmonth led the swim from the start with Duffy behind her in second, and Caroline Routier from Spain in third. A strung out field followed
Out on the bike USA’s Katie Zaferes, Learmonth and Duffy formed the leading trio and after the first intro lap of 4km had a lead of 33secs.
This lead extended to 01:30 by T2 and unless anything untoward happened this could be our podium but in what order?
A bad transition for Learmonth meant she exited T2 in third behind the other two, who soon had a lead of about 40secs over her. The run is not Learmonth’s strongest phase and with a troublesome calf problem that was obviously causing her pain, she put in a gutsy performance that saw her hang onto third, ahead of strong runners like Kirsten Kasper, who finished in fourth, and Jodie Stimpson.
Flora Duffy proved that she is one of triathlon’s best all-round performers as she moved away from Zaferes in the early stages of the run, and she never looked back, securing her win and her title in the dominating style that has been her trademark throughout 2017.
Double the victory! @floraduffy is the #RotterdamGF winner and #WTS2017 WORLD CHAMPION!!!