Following up on her world championship silver in Quarteira last year, Sweden’s Tilda Mansson powered to the gold in Montreal on Friday morning, pulling away from Jule Behrens over the last run lap to take the tape and the 2022 world title.

The format had been changed to duathlon after heavy rains in the preceding days affected the water course, and the previous year’s top two were soon locked in battle across the run-bike-run, eventually leaving the rest of the field trailing, Livia Gross of Switzerland was able to win the challenge for bronze.

“I would have liked to have the triathlon, that’s what I came here for, but it’s the same for everyone,” said a delighted Mansson. “I was very nervous today, I don’t know why, but I think I handled it well. On the second lap I just wanted to go, I heard the gap was getting longer and just thought, don’t stop! My mother’s here and she supports me, and my brother who is my coach, so I’m very grateful to him too.”

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The start line changed to the edge of transition, the women lined up four-deep and it was Mansson, Bherens and Myral Greco (ITA) who were straight to the front. It wasn’t long before the field had started to string out, Brazil’s Julia Munhoz sadly ending her race early with an injury in the very first lap.

Clara Normand (CAN) and Faith Dasso (USA) were among the names in the middle of the pack, Marcela Alvarez Solis (MEX) spearheading the athletes back to the blue carpet before looping round the hairpin to transition for the first time.

It was Solis out first with Greco and Ilona Hadoum (FRA), Mansson and Noemie Beaulieu (CAN) just five seconds behind. Elena Viejo Campos (ESP) was also well set as a pack of nine cyclists formed out front on the first of four laps.

Manon Laporte (FRA) was among those driving the train forward as 16 athletes came together, Bethany Cook (GBR) and Felipa Hermann (GER) also going well at the halfway point, 

Behrens from Laporte and Greco after lap one on the bike but 19 in the group now slicing through the tight and technical bike course.

Through transition for the final time, Beaulieu gave the crowds plenty to cheer as she was out first onto the run, Julia Brocker on her shoulder. But just a few metres back it was Mansson and Behrens already planning their move, and it wasn’t long before the duo had hit the front, the German sat right on the Swede’s shoulder for the first 2.5km.

The lead to Beaulieu, Brocker and Gross was 25 seconds at the bell, and as that gap grew, so Gross was able to pull clear in third. Meanwhile out front, it was Mansson who was able to afford herself a big grin as she looked over her shoulder one final time to see the gap now hitting 10 seconds to her nearest rival, and the world title was all hers. Beaulieu finished with fourth for Canada, Luna De Bruin (NED) running her way into fifth.

Full results click here.