A thrilling day of racing at Challenge Gran Canaria marked by a career-best win for Will Draper (GBR) and a successful defense of her 2024 title by Marta Lagownik (POL) in 3:42:05 and 4:13:28 respectively.
Conditions were perfect for the 1.9km swim off Anfi Beach with Spanish athlete, Joan Riexach Abril leading out of the water in 22:43, closely followed by a large group that included the likes of Jonathan Brownlee (GBR), Ognjen Stojanović (SER) and Luis Buttrick (GBR).
Out on the bike and it was fast and furious. What started off as a big lead group of 15 slowly whittled down to five, led by Brownlee and including Tom Vaelen (BEL), Draper, Victor Alexandre (BEL) and Dries Matthys (BEL). Then, in the final kilometres, Brownlee and Matthys dropped off the pace, leaving Vaelen to lead the way into T2. A super fast transition saw Draper head out onto the run with a good 20 second gap with Alexandre and Vaelen chasing. Brownlee was around a minute down in fourth. It wasn’t long until Brownlee had run up into second, but always about a minute down on Draper, meanwhile behind them, Stojanović was charging up the field, claiming third place by the halfway mark. There was no change from this point with Draper taking the win of his career in 3:42:05, Brownlee as runner-up in 3:44:29 and Stojanović finishing off the podium in 3:44:46.
“It was a great event, as always. It was my second time here so I knew how I could plan the race and potentially win and I’m glad that I executed that today,” said Draper. “I came out of the water with a deficit and I had to ride my own race and make my way to the front but I held on on the run to take my first victory!”
Text continues below pictureIn the women’s race, Daisy Davies (GBR) led out of the water with a clear lead in 25:04, ahead of Lagownik, over 1:40 behind with Jean Collonge (FRA) in third. Davies maintained her lead on the bike while behind her the battle played out. Anne Sophie Pierre (FRA) made up a more than three-minute deficit to finally take the lead in the final stages of the bike. Coming into T2 neck and neck, it was Davies who headed out on the run first, holding off Pierre by about a minute. But at the halfway mark, Lagownik stepped up a gear, running into second and slowly chipping away at Davies’ lead. By 13km, the lead was hers but she was not home and dry. Behind her Pierre surged back into second, at one point reducing the gap to just 15 seconds. However, Lagownik managed to hold on, taking the win in 4:13:28, with Pierre coming in second in 4:14:07 with Davies rounding the podium in 4:16:00.
“Am so happy to win the race, and also very surprised, I for sure didn’t expect it!” said Lagownik. “It was pretty challenging but I did it! It was hard mentally as well but I tried to push as hard as I can and every lap I was hoping they don’t catch me!”
