Rachel is World Champion! (06.11.2011)

The last race of Rachel Joyce’s season underlined her great performance in 2011. In Nevada’s desert she became ITU Triathlon Long Course World Champion!

When you hear about races in deserts you would think about a fight in the heat. The ITU World Championships experienced something completely different. Air and water temperature was that low that the swim had to be cancelled. That was nothing Rachel would have hoped to happen, as she is one of the fastest women in the water. But she proved that she is also a world-class athlete in the other disciplines.

In 5-second intervals the athletes were sent onto the bike course. Rachel hammered the second fastest split onto the road. With more than 3 minutes ahead of here direct opponent and countrywoman Leanda Cave she started the 30 km run. Already halfway she took the lead from the Australian Nikki Butterfield who was the strongest cycler. Cave was fast too but the gap between her and Rachel stayed pretty much the same. Without any problems Rachel could keep her speed on the run and won the title with more than 3 minutes ahead of Cave. The gap to the 3rd, the American Meredith Kessler was more than 6 minutes.

With the ITU World Champion title Rachel finished an awesome season. Now she can enjoy the off-season and she can be proud of all her successes this year. Beside that title she won Ironman Lanzarote, got second at Ironman South Africa and became 4th on Hawaii!