Findlay takes Madrid!

Canadian Paula Findlay Wins Second Straight Triathlon World Championship Series Race of Season in Spain

—Findlay’s victory equals most-ever World Championship Series wins by female athlete—

MADRID, Esp.—Canada’s Paula Findlay entered the second triathlon race on the World Championship Series calendar as the number-one ranked athlete in the world, and lived up to her billing by taking down the world’s best in Madrid, Spain on Sunday.

Just weeks after celebrating her 22nd birthday, Edmonton’s Findlay put down one of the strongest and most impressive performances of her young career after posting a time of two hours, three minutes, 46 seconds (2:03:46) to win back-to-back under ideal race conditions.

“The feeling is awesome. That was one of the best races of my life and the best swim I have ever had,” said Findlay, whose bike sponsor Specialized rallied to get a new bike together for her after she arrived in Madrid to realize her bike frame cracked during the flight. “I was so happy with my swim that it gave me so much more confidence the rest of the way.”

Focused on having a strong swim, Findlay stayednear the front of the pack and trouble-free in the calm 1.5-kilometre swim,entering the first transition in sixth spot.

“The swim was the highlight of my race by far, and like I said, a huge confidence booster for me,” said Findlay. “I’m happier with my swim than I am with the win to be honest.”

Findlay came out of the transition and charged aggressively to the front while riding up the grueling hill that athletes face within seconds of the start of each lap on the 40-kilometre bike course in Madrid. Findlay executed her race plan perfectly, staying out of trouble in the lead pack of 11 riders throughout the eight-lap course to position herself for a run for the gold.

Exiting the second transition in fifth spot, Findlay wasted no time darting into the lead on the 10-kilometre run course. Findlay, along with Britain’s Helen Jenkins and Andrea Hewitt, of New Zealand, quickly broke away into a group of three, pushing each other through the relatively flat tree-lined course until the bell lap where the red-headed Canuck took the lead and never looked back. Findlay and Jenkins dropped thefield mid-way through the final lap, and went head-to-head in the battle forgold. Findlay kicked it into top gear with 500-metres to go to solidify thevictory.

“It was a tough run, but I felt really in control. Helen was on my tail the whole way and I knew she had a good sprint in her,” said Findlay. “I knew I was being pushed, but I had something left in me at all times. I knew with about 800-metres left that I had to go. I didn’t know until I hit the blue carpet at the very end .”

Jenkins settled for the silver medal at 2:03:49, while Emmie Charayron, of France, caught Hewitt to win the sprint for the bronze medal. Charayron clocked-in at 2:03:58.

Montreal’s Kathy Tremblay was the only other Canadian in the field and finished 45th at 2:12:22.

The fourth victory in five races on the elite triathlon circuit, Findlay has equaled the most wins ever by a female athlete on the World Championship Series. Australia’s Emma Moffat, who is the reigning World Champion, also has four wins to her credit.

“It is so cool to have been able to do that. I look up to all of the girls out here so much and I’m still so star-struck by the Emma’s,” said Findlay. “I respect all of these girls and I know they are all so tough so every time that I get on the podium I am grateful because I know it doesn’t happen all the time.”

The triathlon world has watched the development of an absolute superstar in Findlay as her incredible run to stardom began just under one year ago when she shocked the world to win on the 2012 Olympic course in London in her first-ever World Championship Series race. She followed that performance up with a victory two weeks later in Kitzbuhel, Austria, before a fifth-place result at the Grand Final in Budapest, Hungary in September. Findlay crushed any doubts she may be a one-season wonder by winning the season-opener this year on the iconic course in Sydney, Australia.

“Obviously she has had a very quick rise. I keep telling her it is her consistency in all of her small details from training to recovery to nutrition,” said Patrick Kelly, who is Findlay’s head coach. “Paula’s ability to bear down when it starts to hurt is key. She is tough and has all the characteristics you want in a champion, but most importantly, she hates to lose and wants to win.”

Findlay will now head to Kitzbuhel, Austria as she prepares to defend her title, June 19, before heading home to hit the startline for a race in front of her friends and family for a World Cup in Edmonton, July 10.

Created in 2009, the ITU World Championship Series is an innovative series that has the world’s best triathletes competing in eight races around the world. Starting in Sydney, athletes will also compete in Japan, Spain, Austria, Germany, England and Switzerland before the Grand Final in Beijing.