MONTREAL, Quebec – Two University of Denver division-I triathletes finished in the top 30 on Friday morning at the World Triathlon Junior Championship at Le Grand Quai at the Port of Montreal. Incoming transfer-student Clara Normand placed 24th overall for Canada, while Freya McKinley finished 28th for the United States.
 
Due to rain this past week in Montreal and for the safety of the athletes, the Junior World Championship was turned into a duathlon instead of a full triathlon. The race was supposed to begin with a 750-meter swim off the port and in the St. Lawrence River, but concerns over water quality from this week's rain changed the start to a 2.5-kilometer run instead.
 
The athletes then proceeded to do four bike laps around the port's vicinity totaling 19.3 kilometers before finishing with a 5K run in this sprint format.
 
From nearby Coteau-du-lac, Quebec, Normand finished tied for second among Canadians with national teammate Sidney Clement in a time of 1:01:05. Normand began the race on her home soil with an 8:50 run before producing a 31:54 bike time and a 19:09 run in the final 5K.
 
McKinley was the third American across the finish line with an overall time of 1:01:22. The Woodlands, Texas, native was in the same 2.5K run pack as Normand, recording a time of 8:51 before posting a 31:48 mark on the bike and a 19:21 run in the final leg.
 
Tilda Mansson of Sweden won the race in 57:17 and was joined on the podium by German Jule Behrens (57:29) and Livia Gross of Switzerland (58:03). Noemie Beaulieu was the top Canadian in fourth-place overall at 58:14, while the Americans were led in 14th by Faith Dasso (59:41). Overall, 45-of-48 athletes finished the race.
 
The Junior World Championship began a weekend full of events at the World Triathlon Championship Series in Montreal. The event concludes on Sunday with the elite and junior/under-23 mixed relay competitions that both McKinley and Normand could race in for their respective countries.


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