TRIATHLON Preview: Can Zaferes win her third in a row in Yokohama World Series?

American triathlon star Katie Zaferes

The third of eight rounds in the 2019 ITU World Series comes this weekend in Yokohama (JPN) for an Olympic-distance triathlon: 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike and 10 km run:

Swim: Two laps of 750 m
Bike: Nine laps of 4.45 km
Run: Four laps of 2.5 km

So far, the season has belonged to American Katie Zeferes, who won both the Abu Dhabi Sprint and the Bermuda tri convincingly, for her second and third career World Series victories. And she was second at Yokohama last year, behind the now-injured Flora Duffy (BER).

But it hasn’t been a cakewalk, as Britain’s Jessica Learmonth also has medals in both events this season: bronze in Abu Dhabi and silver in Bermuda. American Taylor Spivey has started brilliantly, finishing second in Abu Dhabi and sixth in Bermuda to stand third overall. The current standings:

Men:
1. 1,523 Vincent Luis (FRA)
2. 1,392 Fernando Alarza (ESP)
3. 1,287 Leo Bergere (FRA)
4. 1,142 Mario Mola (ESP)
5. 1,060 Dorian Coninx (FRA)

Women:
1. 2,000 Katie Zaferes (USA)
2. 1,781 Jessica Learmonth (GBR)
3. 1,602 Taylor Spivey (USA)
4. 1,268 Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR)
5. 1,256 Lotte Miller (NOR)

In the men’s standings, Mario Mola (ESP) had a streak of seven straight World Series races with a medal end in Bermuda, where he got caught in a jam in the bike phase and finished 26th. So he’s only fourth in the 2019 rankings, but looking to move up … and he won at Yokohama in 2018.

At Bermuda, France’s Dorian Coninx won a surprise victory; can he follow it up? Countryman Vincent Luis – fifth at Abu Dhabi and fourth in Bermuda – is now the series leader. He’s used to being in front, as the winner of the 2017 and 2018 Grand Final. Spain’s Fernando Alarza stands second; he finished third in the 2016 seasonal race and was third in Abu Dhabi.

Look for results here.