There are easier ways to open an Olympic qualification campaign than lining up against Cassandre Beaugrand, Beth Potter, Lisa Tertsch and just about every other major player in women’s short course triathlon.
That’s exactly what Eva Goodisson faced in Sardinia on Saturday and happily so.
The Gold Coast-based Kiwi wanted a marker to open the LA Olympic qualification window and got it with a 27th place finish at WTCS Alghero as Beaugrand produced another masterclass to claim a third straight victory on the Italian island.
In the wash-up, the feeling is positive. Goodisson wants more and is convinced she has more to give.
“Yeah I mean it was the first race of the Olympic qualifying period so everyone who’s anyone was racing and all fit and firing, so it had to be one of the hardest World Series races I’ve done,” Goodisson told SBR-Tri.com.
“It was an average result, nothing to write about but nothing catastrophic, but left wanting more.”
The race exploded from the opening metres.
Britain’s Tilly Anema ripped through the 1500m swim to create an early front group alongside reigning world champion Lisa Tertsch, Sophie Evans and Márta Kropkó. Behind them, the likes of Beaugrand, Beth Potter and Georgia Taylor-Brown were left chasing.
A succession of attacks on the technical bike course eventually brought a lead pack of 22 athletes together, but not before the pace had already begun exacting a toll.
Goodisson found herself on the wrong side of one decisive move.
“One critical moment on the bike was the difference between the first and chase pack and I wasn’t able to match the power needed in that moment.
“The rest of the race was a solid grind in the heat.”
At the front, Beaugrand was busy turning adversity into victory.
Despite losing time in both the swim and transition, the French superstar fought her way back into contention before unleashing a devastating final surge on the run to drop Potter and Tertsch and claim gold in 1:53:49.
Goodisson crossed the line in 2:01:01, 7min 12sec behind the Olympic champion.
The gap tells part of the story. So too do the run splits.
Fresh from breaking the French 5000m record earlier in the week, Beaugrand produced the fastest 10km split of the day in 33:26. Goodisson stopped the clock in 37:09 — a difference of 3min 43sec across the run leg alone.
Those numbers underline both the challenge and opportunity facing the Hawke’s Bay 27-year-old.
This was just the sixth WTCS start of her career and arguably the deepest women’s field assembled outside a championship final in recent seasons.
Potter claimed silver ahead of Tertsch, while Jeanne Lehair, Leonie Periault and Taylor-Brown completed a star-studded top six.
Goodisson’s focus now shifts to upcoming sprint/mixed relay starts at WTCS Quiberon and WTCS Hamburg, events long circled in red for Team NZL given the importance of the mixed relay in securing Olympic slots.
Months training under Dan Atkins on the Gold Coast alongside reigning men’s WTCS champion Matthew Hauser and several of Australia’s leading male athletes has Goodisson in a good space. The result in Sardinia left her wanting more and hasn’t dented the belief.
“I was feeling really good going into the race,” she said.
“Got off to a good swim start but unfortunately the beach start was heavily advantaged to one side. Finished up 27th and can take away a few positives and work-ons.
“The first race back in World Series is done so now to move onto the next.”
