The two leading women’s 2023 WTCS performers waged a fierce duel before Great Britain’s Beth Potter unleashed a race-best 32:57 10k run to top Cassandre Beaugrand of France by six seconds to take the gold at the Paris Olympic Games test event.

Beaugrand emerged from a tight pack of 24 women who arrived at T1 in a traffic jam, then took off like shot to lead the run by a 10 meters margin. On the second lap of the run, Beth Potter surged on to Beaugrand’s elbow, the two leaders creating a small gap over chasers Emma Lombardi of France and Laura Lindemann of Germany. By the bell Lap, Potter and Beaugrand led chasers Lindemann and Lombardi by 8 seconds and were pulling away together.

When they hit the blue carpet on a bridge over the Seine, Potter found the last few ounces of energy to issue a final kick to hit the finish in 1:51:40 with Beaugrand finally beaten. In an unrelenting battle for the bronze, Lindemann crossed the line 19 seconds behind the winner with a one second margin over Lombardi. Powered by a 3rd-best 33:12 run, Taylor Knibb placed 5th and earned the USA’s first Olympic qualifying slot.

Unlike the USA’s qualifying protocol, Potter took a great step toward a British Olympic slot but must sew it up with further performance.
“I just really enjoyed that battle with Cassandre,” Potter told World Triathlon media after her first Olympic-distance win in the WTCS series. “I just couldn’t go with Cassandre out of the bike-to-run transition. But I thought I would work my way back up to her. It was actually really fun and I enjoyed every moment of it. This was my main goal for the season and I am super happy I ticked it off.”

The Swim

While the majority of the top-ranked athletes took the center of the pontoon, Taylor Knibb took the far right and Zsanett Kuttor-Bragmayer of Hungary the far left, but Bianca Seregni of Italy lined up next to the American and took the lead on the first 900-meter lap in the Seine. By the end of the 1500-meter swim, Beregni finished in 19:42 with a 3 seconds margin over Summer Rappaport of the U.S., 11 seconds over Beaugrand, 13 seconds ahead of Vittorio Lopes of Brazil, 15 seconds ahead of Lombardi, 16 seconds over Lindemann and varying margins over top ranked chasers including , 21 seconds ahead of Taylor Spivey of the U.S., 29 seconds ahead of Katie Zaferes of the U.S., 30 seconds ahead of Nina Eim of Germany, 36 seconds ahead of Potter, and 37 seconds ahead of Taylor Knibb.

The Bike

Spivey flew out of T1 but Beaugrand quickly seized the lead on the bike leg while Knibb and Zaferes fell back with poor transitions 14 seconds arrears. Potter fell to 15th coming on to the chase. Soon, however, Potter quickly surged ahead and on to Beaugrand’s wheel. Following closely, Lombardi, Lisa Tertsch and Lindemann tucked in close behind the leaders.

By Lap Two, Taylor Knibb led Kate Waugh by 1 second. 2 seconds behind were Taylor Spivey Julie Derron of Switzerland, Lena Messner, Vittorio Lopes, Emma Lombardi, Kirsten Kasper, and Sophie Coldwell in 9th. In 11th through 15th were Laura Lindemann, Beth Potter, Casandre Beaugrand, Nine Eim and Lisa Tertsch of Germany.
By Lap 6 of 7, Taylor Knibb held the lead, followed closely by Kate Waugh of Great Britain, Lena Meissner, Taylor Spivey, Lindemann, Yuko Takahashi, Lisa Tertsch, Summer Rappaport all within one second. Two seconds arrears were Lombardi, Nina Eim, Beth Potter, Vittorio Lopes of Brazil, Taylor Knibb, Lena Meissner, and Julie Derron of Switzerland.

The Run

Spivey flew through T2 but Beaugrand charged to the front, with Knibb and Zaferes losing ground with poor transitions 14 seconds down.

Charging back to the front from 15th place at T2, Potter landed on Beaugrand’s wheel. Leading the chase were Lombardi, Tertsch, and Lindemann with Spivey next in line. Emerging from 23rd place at T2, Taylor Knibb soon passed Spivey for the in the fight for USA’s first Olympic slot. In the battle for the bronze, Lombardo dueled with Lindemann for an assured Patis slot.

Nearing the blue carpet, Potter had enough in the tank for a final kick. and shook off Beaugrand and taking the gold. Beaugrand’s silver booked her a Paris 2024 start, Lindemann’s Olympic place was assured after holding off Lombardi to take the bronze. Knibb’s fifth earns her the first Olympic place for USA. Sixth place for Nina Eim secured her Germany’s second available place on the day,

“I am not going to lie, it was a tough one,” Beaugrand told World Triathlon media. “I don’t know how I made it to the end, I was cramping after the first lap in my legs. I tried to keep motivating my mind ‘you want this podium so much so keep pushing and running with Beth. I just couldn’t match the sprint finish at the end. “

“It means so much and it’s such a relief for me to get the (Olympic) qualification here, said Lindemann. “I am so happy. It’s great to be qualified and now I can focus on the Olympics.”

Results

1. Beth Potter GBR S 20:17 T1 00:51 B 57L07 T2 00:29 R 32:57 TOT 1:51:40
2. Cassandre Beaugrand FRA S 19:52 T1 00:56 B 57:25 T2 00:27 R 33:07 TOT 1:51:46
3. Laura Lindemann GER S 19:57 T1 00:58 B 57:18 T2 00:29 R 33:18 TOT 1:51:59
4. Emma Lombardi FRA S 19:56 T1 00:55 B 57:23 T2 00:29 R 33:18 TOT 1:52:00
5. Taylor Knibb USA S 20:18 T2 00:58 B 57:01 T2 00:37 R 33:12 TOT 1:52:04
6. Nina Eim GER S 20:11 T1 00:53 B 57:07 T2 00:28 R 33:35 TOT 1:52:13
7. Kate Waugh GBR S 20:27 T1 00:54 B 56:51 T2 00:32 R 33:40 TOT 1:52:23
8. Julie Derron SUI S 20:19 T1 00:56 B 56:56 T2 00:32 R 33:44 TOT 1:52:26
9. Lisa Tertsch GER S 20:18 T1 00:52 B 57:06 T2 00:31 R 33:52
10. Taylor Spivey USA S 20:02 T1 00:52 B 57:16 T2 00:29 R 34:08 TOT 1:52:46
12. Katie Zaferes USA S 20:10 T1 00:57 B 57:09 T2 00:34 R 34:10 TOT 1:52:57
15. Kirsten Kasper USA S 20:23 T1 00:54 B 56:54 T2 00:34 R 34:47 TOT 1:53:29
16. Summer Rappaport USA S 19:44 T1 00:57 B 57:35 T2 00:30 R 35:08 TOT 1:53:53