Canadian triathlete Tyler Mislawchuk just misses podium at World Series event in Japan
Oak Bluff, Man., athlete posts personal best result
World champion Mario Mola of Spain dominated the 10-kilometre race to win the World Series Triathlon event in Yokohama on Saturday while Canadian Tyler Mislawchuk just missed the podium in fourth place.
It was Mola's third consecutive title in Japan. He took over the lead in the first kilometre and then pulled away from the pack to cross the finish line in one hour, 44 minutes, 59 seconds – 40 seconds ahead of Australian Jake Birtwhistle.
Fernando Alarza, also of Spain, was third, 51 seconds off the pace. Mislawchuk, from Oak Bluff, Man., was 1:11 off the lead in fourth.
"I felt good all day and feel this result has been in my legs for a while, but today was a culmination of everything," Mislawchuk said. "I just kept telling myself, I've done it every time in workouts, why not today, and I went for it. I'm just going to have a beer tonight with my friends and enjoy this one."
Victoria's Matt Sharpe did not finish after he got caught up in a crash on the sixth lap, and was forced to call it an end to his day.
"I took a bad line in that corner. I came in with too much speed, my brakes locked up, and I hit the deck," Sharpe said. "I had some road rash, but I'll be alright. I had to make a decision. If I would have continued it would have hurt my prep for the next race."
With Mola's comfortable win secured, the focus shifted to the race for second place where Birtwhistle surged ahead of Alarza down the stretch.
In the women's event, world champion Flora Duffy of Bermuda pulled ahead of the pack early in the 10-kilometre race to claim her second consecutive title in Japan with a time of 1:53:26.