Jodie Stimpson ends season with gold in Alicante
British athlete "chuffed" to finish season on a high
Jodie Stimpson has rounded off an excellent 2013 season by winning the Alicante ITU Triathlon World Cup in Spain over the weekend, while fellow Brit Grant Sheldon took a well-earned bronze medal in the men’s race.
Stimpson was part of an early breakaway group which included Britain’s Lucy Hall and Natalie Milne, and managed to protect her lead during the run to finish in 2:02:38.
Italy’s Alice Betto (ITA) took silver in 2:03:24, and Rachel Klamer of the Netherlands came third in 2:04:15. Hall came seventh in 2:05:26, while Milne posted 26th in 2:08:16.
Stimpson said: “It’s brilliant to finish my ITU year with the win and having Lucy and Natalie there on the bike ensured it was a hard working group.
“I just ran hard to finish and I’m chuffed with the win.”
The British athlete’s other achievements of 2013 include a WTS win in Kitzbühel, WTS bronze medals in Yokohama, Madrid and Hamburg, and fourth place in the WTS Grand Final in London a couple of weeks ago, giving her second place overall in this year’s World Triathlon Series.
Seconds off second
In the men’s race meanwhile, just four seconds separated 19-year-old Sheldon from the winner, 2004 Olympic medallist Sven Riederer of Switzerland.
Sheldon ran the fastest 10km run split of the whole field to claim bronze in 1:53:48, mere seconds behind silver medallist Vincente Hernandez (ESP).
Britain’s Mark Buckingham also finished inside the top ten, placing ninth with a time of 1:54:24.
Jamie Beach
Former digital editor 
