Andrea Hewitt edges Jodie Stimpson in epic WTS Abu Dhabi battle on new Yas Island course

ABU DHABI // Andrea Hewitt waited to draw her last bit of energy to pip defending champion Jodie Stimpson in an epic victory in the opening race of the ITU World Triathlon Series (WTS) on Friday.

For much of the race it looked as though Stimpson was going to retain her Abu Dhabi title but, Hewitt sprinted the last 20 yards to move past the Briton to cross the finish line first.

Hewitt and Stimpson both raced close to each other throughout the swim, cycle and run, but it was the New Zealander who etched her name on the women’s Roll of Honour list at the Yas Marina.

“It was such a close race with Jodie,” Hewitt said. “We were neck-and-neck out of the water, we were pushing around the corners in the bike and ran side-by-side in the race.

“I raced two weeks ago, my first race this year, in Tiga and I won. So, I knew I was coming here really fit.”

When asked if she had any idea of winning at some point, Hewitt said: “I had the confidence but I didn’t know how Jodie was coming. She pushed from 400 metres out but I just hung and timed it perfectly.”

Stimpson, the winner 12 months ago, was gracious in defeat.

“That last bit of the run, everything changed,” she said. “I couldn’t take up that much. I was testing her on the road and I was the stronger one going on the hills but Andrea was stronger when it came to the flat section.

“I had no idea how Andrea was in the sprint. She came full stretch and I had no chance. If anyone I would lose [to] in a sprint, it was Andrea. That was all I had. I had no more speed left in my legs.”

Hewitt completed the race in two hours, three minutes and 46 seconds with Stimpson one hundredth of a second behind.

Austrian Sara Vilic finished a creditable third, her first WTS podium finish. Rachel Klamer of the Netherlands was fourth and Japan’s Ai Ueda came from a long way behind to take fifth.

Carolina Routier was the first to come out of the water. The Spaniard was followed by American Summer Cook, Russian Anastasia Abrosimova, and two more Americans Katie Zeferes and Sarah True.

Zeferes and True moved to the front in the opening two kilometres in the cycling, but not for long as Australian Gillian Backhouse moved up a gear go ahead after 8km.

The top six riders were closely grouped, though, with the chasing pack more than 20 seconds behind. The chase group, however, were closing in all the time. Hewitt took over from Backhouse after 12km and the lead kept changing as the first nine in the cycling took a dominant position.

On Saturday, Mario Mola will be attempting to complete a hat-trick in the men’s elite division.

apassela@thenational.ae

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