While most fans had their eyes on Jolien Vermeylen, Natalie van Coevorden, and Ellie Salthouse as the main contenders for victory at Challenge Sir Bani Yas, it was Denmark’s Katrine Græsbøll Christensen who ultimately stole the show. Despite exiting the water with a deficit, the Danish star proved unstoppable on the bike and calmly sealed the win during the run in Abu Dhabi.
It was almost a textbook race for Græsbøll Christensen, although she would undoubtedly have preferred slightly better positioning after the swim. At that point, it was Vermeylen, Van Coevorden, and Salthouse who dictated the pace and were first onto the bike. The trio did not stay together for long, however, as Vermeylen – racing her first-ever Middle Distance event – surprisingly lost contact early on.
What followed was an exciting tactical battle between Salthouse and Van Coevorden, with the two Australian world-class athletes repeatedly trading the lead. The bike pace was high, but Græsbøll Christensen’s pace was even higher. After approximately 60 kilometers, she bridged up to the leading duo – and did not stop there. Staying firmly in her aero position, she powered past both competitors and immediately dropped them.
Over the remaining 30 kilometers of the bike course, which featured several short but punchy climbs, Græsbøll Christensen extended her advantage to around one minute over Salthouse and Van Coevorden. Fenella Langridge also delivered a strong bike leg from fourth position and managed to limit her losses, but no one could match the Dane’s dominance.
Even during the sun-drenched run laps on Sir Bani Yas Island, the gap at the front never came under serious threat. Græsbøll Christensen ran a controlled yet demanding half marathon to secure her first victory of the 2026 season, crossing the line in 3:47:45. Van Coevorden finished second in 3:41:02, while Salthouse claimed third place in 3:43:12.
