36 women book their places for World Cup #1 Final

After having dealt with the sweltering heat at the Unidad Deportivo Acapulco, 36 women emerged from 3 tough qualification on the first day of competition at World Cup #1 to book their places for Friday’s Final.

In Group A, the pentathletes got proceedings underway with the swim where a time of 2:16.80 was enough for Russia’s Gulnaz Gubaydullina to claim 290 points and provisional first place as Emilija Serapinaite of Lithuania and Spain Marta Garcia-Miguel finished second and third respectively in the first discipline of the day.

In the fence, it came as no surprise to see the talented Belarusian Katsiaryna Arol dominate with her 17 victories giving her 250 points. The day in that group however belonged to the German pair of Annika Schleu and Janine Kohlmann comfortably won the combined. They crossed the finished line holding hands just ahead of Russia’s Gubaydullina and Donata Rimsaite. Ukraine’s Iryna Khokhlova finished fifth overall.

Now injury-free and looking in good form, Kohlmann told us, “It felt good, despite the hot and humid and conditions. I had a good fence and enjoyed the combined”. On her prospects for the Final, she added, “Overall I am looking for a repeat performance, maybe a bit more speed in the pool. I am feeling strong and relaxed, and really looking forward to it”.

The action in Group B had begun with fencing and it was Oktawia Nowacka who was victorious on the pistes as the Polish 23-year-old held off the challenge of Ukraine’s 2013 Junior World Championships bronze medallist Anastasiya Spas who finished in second. Ekaterina Khurashkina of Russia ended the first event of the day in third whilst the home supporters were pleased to see Tamara Vega place fourth, just ahead of Canada’s Mathea Stevens.

A strong swim by Nowacka then ensured she would be in pole for the combined. The fastest in the pool was USA’s Grace Kittle with a time of 02:10.64, just ahead of Great Britain’s London 2012 silver medallist Samantha Murray. In the run/shoot, Nowacka conformably held onto to her lead to finish first with Spas and Vega finishing in second and third respectively. Khurashkina was fourth overall with Ukraine’s Ganna Buriak and European Champion Zsofia Foldhazi just behind her.

France’s Elodie Clouvel was once again dominant in her heat in the pool in Group C to take the lead after the first discipline before her 17 wins with the epee, equal with Italy’s Claudia Cesarini and Brazil’s Priscilla Oliveira, gave her a 24-second head to start in the combined. After looking on course to win the Group, a nightmare in the last round of shooting at the range saw her drop to ninth. In the end, Cesarini finished first ahead of a packed group that included Russia’s Olga Karmanchikova, Germany’s Lena Schoneborn, Freyja Prentice of Great Britain, USA’s Margaux Isaksen and Brazil’s Yane Marques.

With so much quality set to feature in Friday's Final, it promises to a real spectacle.

WC1 Women's Group A results - WC1 Women's Group B results - WC1 Women's Group C results

Tomorrow sees over 80 men compete in 3 qualification groups with their Final to be held on Saturday.

Men Qualification schedule (subject to change due to extreme heat)

Group A

• Swimming 10:00
• Fencing 12:30
• Combined 16:00

Group B

• Fencing 09:30
• Swimming 13:30
• Combined 17:15

Group C

• Swimming 11:30
• Fencing 15:30
• Combined 18:30

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