Duffy shows her class with runaway victory

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Flora Duffy capped off her whistle-stop trip home to Bermuda by cruising to victory in the women-only SheRox Triathlon on the South Shore.

Duffy, who only arrived back on the Island on Saturday afternoon, finished in a time of one hour and 46 seconds more than seven minutes ahead of second place Kristyn Robinson.

Robinson, who won last year’s race which was reduced to a duathlon due to bad weather, posted a time of 1:07.59 while veteran triathlete Karen Smith finished third overall in 1.09:16.

Duffy, who was competing in the SheRox for the first time, said she felt exhausted before the race even started due to her late arrival.

“I got in yesterday afternoon and went straight to the (Fairmont Southampton) hotel, had dinner, did a speech, unpacked my bag and went to bed it’s been pretty exhausting,” said Duffy, who heads back to Colorado tomorrow.

“I’ve been meaning to come back for a few years to do this race but it’s so hard because it’s in November and that’s the end of season for me. Luckily this year I managed to pull it off as it fitted in with my school schedule.”

The 25-year-old, who competed in the season-ending ITU World Series Grand Finale in Auckland, New Zealand two weeks ago, raced well within herself and jogged much of the 5K run.

“I kind of shut my season down after New Zealand and have just been doing a little bit to keep going for this race. I’m pretty exhausted after this long season,” said Duffy, who suffered heartbreak at the London Olympics in the summer when she crashed early in the bike leg of the race.

“Today I just went moderately hard and just jogged the run. I just went one speed and fortunately that was okay for today.

“I love the course because I grew up riding these roads and it was just fun to be racing at home and having a few friends about cheering me on.”

Second-placed Robinson said she was thrilled to race against Duffy even if it meant surrendering her SheRox title.

“I won last year’s race but that was without the hometown hero. It’s so great to race with her and triathlon is one of the few sports where amateurs can race with professionals.

“I was happy with my race apart from the swim but that’s par of the course for me. It was good to get on the bike and then push it with the run.”

The race attracted 212 competitors and was the third SheRox Triathlon held Bermuda, with Robinson adding: “It’s a great venue, women come from all over with friends or by themselves and do something they may not have thought they could have done. They feel great when they finish and it’s an awesome event.”

Despite finishing third overall, Smith, who won the inaugural SheRox Triathlon in Bermuda two years’ ago, admitted she struggled to find her rhythm during the swim and bike ride

“I went out as best I could in the swim but I found it really choppy and I found it hard to get the rhythm going,” she said. “I was just happy to get out of the water and get on the bike, but my legs just weren’t working for me today.

“I started to feel a bit better during the run and I just tried to hold a nice pace and finish it off. I’m happy with how it went but I think the bike let me down a bit.”

Among the overseas competitors was former Bermuda’s resident Kim McMullen who beat off competition from ex-national champion Claire de Ste Croix and top local swimmer Lisa Blackburn to place fourth.

The winner of the duathlon Rose-Anna Hoey led a field of 12 women to finish in 1.06:57.

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