Julie Derron (SUI) produced a brilliant trademark run to inflict a first-ever T100 defeat on Taylor Knibb (USA) in San Francisco.
Derron, last year’s silver medallist at the Olympic Games in Paris, made a stunning start when moving into the T100 Triathlon World Tour after that, with second places in Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas and the finale in Dubai.
But every time she was denied by Knibb, despite going markedly faster on the run. Not here though as the Swiss star ‘only’ had just over a minute to make up on Knibb when the duo were first and second after the bike.
She had overhauled that gap within the first of four laps of the 18km run and never looked back.
Knibb kept on well to take second, well ahead of Kate Waugh (GBR), who won the season-opening T100 race in Singapore in stunning fashion on her debut in the series.
Swim – New mums show the way
While Derron, Knibb and Waugh rightly made many of the headlines, there were also two other superb performances by Brits Jess Learmonth and Holly Lawrence.
Both have given birth to their first children relatively recently – Lawrence just eight months ago – and they were right to the fore in the swim which started from a boat in San Francisco Bay with an incredible backdrop of Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Learmonth led it out early but it was Vittoria Lopes (BRZ) who was out of the water just ahead of her, with Waugh in third and Lawrence fourth.
Taylor Spivey (USA) was fifth, Derron seventh and Knibb eighth, less than 10 seconds covering those top eight.
Bike – Knibb ahead, but not by much
Onto the bike then and the Brit show continued as Learmonth led it out early, with Lawrence just four seconds behind and Waugh at +17 in third.
All the while though Knibb was closing ominously and before the end of the first of six laps the American superstar eased past Learmonth and into the lead.
She won four out of four T100 races last year, including the finale in Dubai, as she was crowned the overall champion.
And the usual scenario saw her putting the issue to bed on the bike – but not this time.
For Derron had moved up alongside Learmonth, with the pair in second and third, and would keep the gap pegged.
Derron was at +1:04 in second at T2, with Learmonth a further 20 seconds back in third and Waugh at +3:41 in fourth.
Run – Derron a class apart
The run was always likely to be a struggle for Learmonth due to a calf issue over the last few months and she did drop back a little in the early stages.
And it was obvious at that point who the fastest runner on course was as Derron quickly cut into Knibb’s lead.
The catch came early but to Knibb’s credit she stayed strong and never looked like relinquishing second place.
When the line came Derron stopped the clock in 3:38:46, just over two minutes ahead of Knibb, with Waugh third.
Findlay and Lawrence went past both Learmonth to take fourth and fifth respectively, with the latter being greeted by her daughter Poppy and husband Sean in a lovely moment after the line.
T100 Triathlon World Tour San Francisco
Saturday May 31, 2025 – 2km / 80km / 18km
PRO Women
1. Julie Derron (SUI) – 3:38:46 [16:26 / 2:11:38 / 1:06:37]
2. Taylor Knibb (USA) – 3:40:51 [16:26 / 2:10:20 / 1:09:35]
3. Kate Waugh (GBR) – 3:43:00 [16:18 / 2:14:22 / 1:08:02]
4. Paula Findlay (CAN) – 3:45:44 [16:57 / 2:14:57 / 1:09:02]
5. Holly Lawrence (GBR) – 3:46:24 [16:21 / 2:17:28 / 1:08:27]
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