MONTREAL — Ashleigh Gentle of Australia posted her first World Triathlon Series victory, but Joanna Brown of Ottawa may have celebrated just as much for finishing fourth.
A week after coming in seventh in Edmonton, Brown finished just behind three of the top women in her sport to post her career best result in the top level of international women's triathlon.
"I exceeded all my expectations," said Brown, who had family members among the large crowd that lined the cycling and running course through the narrow streets of Old Montreal. "I'm so happy to make a good race in Canada."
A men's event is set for Sunday.
Gentle, who was worried she wouldn't be able to race because of an illness, ended Bermudian star Flora Duffy's four-race winning run. She finishing the Olympic-distance 1.5-kilometre swim, 40-km cycle and 10-km run in one hour 59 minutes three seconds.
Duffy came in second, 23 seconds behind Gentle. Andrea Hewitt of New Zealand was third in 1:59:48 while Brown was beaming after she came in at 2:00:24.
"Everyone on the podium was in the front bike pack and they're all really strong athletes," said Brown. "I knew they'd be ones to watch when it came to the run.
"We just wanted to stay smart and watch everyone and stay safe because there's a few really technical elements out there on the bike. There's a couple of cobbled sections and tight corners. It was about staying safe and keeping the pack running."
Brown has her sights set on making Canada's team for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo after missing out on the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. She said having a training partner like Ottawa-born Kirsten Kasper, who races for the United States, may help her get there.
"Just to be able to train every day with her — she's world class," said Brown. "It's great just to see what it takes."
Kasper, who moved to the U.S. as a teenager and now calls Boston home, finished fifth.
Gentle pulled ahead at the start of the run and never relinquished the lead on a route that, unlike most triathlon circuits, included one challenging climb. Duffy, racing for a second week in a row, could not quite keep up. The defending series champion was coming off wins in Yokohama, Japan, Leeds, England, Hamburg and Edmonton.
"I never thought about ending Flora's streak," said Gentle. "I have the utmost respect for her.
"I just think about doing my best. I have ended her streak, but that's not what motivates me."
Gentle, who skipped Edmonton, tweeted on her arrival that she was worried about her health.
"After the plane trip I had a really sore throat and headaches and swollen glands," she said. "I saw the ITU doctor.
"I thought 'I'll make a decision in the morning.' I'm really happy I did. It'll look disgusting. I felt I had mucous all over my face the whole race, so I'm going to be scarred. I'll never look back at the footage of that. But I got it done anyway. I guess it doesn't matter what you look like."
Duffy wasn't heartbroken to see her streak end, saying she is only concerned with winning the season title.
"I knew it would come at some point," she said. "(Gentle) is one of the best out there.
"Often it's her swim that lets her down but the way the race played out she was in the front group. I was hoping to run with her for at least a couple of laps but she just kind of took off."
Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press
