Two-time Australian Olympian Ashleigh Gentle proved she is the real deal when it comes to long-distance racing today, surging clear of the rest of the women on the bike and then opening up even more time on the run to take Clash Miami by over eight minutes.
Early swim leader Sara Perez Sala continued to lead the way through the first half of the bike, but then ran into a traffic cone and crashed out of the race. Gentle, who had led the chase pack behind the Spanish super-swimmer, had maintained second place out on the bike course. After Perez Sala was out, Gentle started to pull away from the three women who had kept her in sight through the first half of the ride – American Chelsea Sodaro, Brazil’s Pamella Oliviera and Great Britain’s Emma Pallant-Browne. Despite appearing to struggle to maintain an aero tuck at times, Gentle pulled away from the women chasing her, hitting T2 with a lead of almost two minutes.
Out on the run course Pallant-Browne would be forced out of the race early with hydration/ heat issues, and eventually Sodaro would also have to pull out. That left Oliveira to soldier on in second as Gentle steadily pulled clear of the field. Gentle would take the win in 2:59:41, with Oliveira holding on for second in 3:07:50. Denmark’s Maja Stage Nielsen rounded out the podium in 3:08:08.
Top Ten Women’s Results:
1. Ashleigh Gentle, 2:59:41 6. Lisa Becharas, 3:19:26
2. Pamella Oliveira, 3:07:50 7. Bruna Mahn, 3:20:59
3. Maja Stage Nielsen, 3:08:08 8. Lara Gruden, 3:25:43
4. Samantha Kingsford, 3:09:08 9. Summer Deal, 3:27:18
5. Sonja Catano, 3:16:17 10. Rebecca Marrou, 3:30:04
