HAMILTON, Bermuda — Katie Zaferes (Santa Cruz, Calif.) placed third in a photo-finish at ITU World Triathlon Bermuda on Saturday, leading the U.S. women with three finishers in the top 10.

The Olympic-distance 1,500-meter swim, 40-kilometer bike and 10-kilometer run

course was held in the seaside town of Hamilton with thousands of spectators lining the course to cheer on hometown favorite Flora Duffy. Despite earlier forecasts of rain, wet weather held off for both races.

Defending world champion Duffy took charge early, becoming the first woman to win an ITU race by leading after all three disciplines. She crossed the line with a time of 2 hours, 1 minute, 39 seconds. American Kirsten Kasper (North Andover, Mass.) came into T1 with Duffy and rode with her on the first of 10 bike laps until Duffy attacked on the steep Corkscrew Hill. Great Britain’s Vicky Holland passed Zaferes at the line as the two posted identical times of 2:03:25.

Zaferes did not finish the first series race of 2018 after falling on the bike during a slick, crash-marred ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi. She was determined to make the podium today despite not having ideal position on the swim.

“I was so excited to be on the podium,” Zaferes said. “This race definitely wasn’t an easy one. I was fighting from the start of the swim; it just did not feel good.”

In addition to Kasper, who finished fourth in 2:05:40, Taylor Spivey (Redondo Beach, Calif.) finished ninth in 2:07:02, Chelsea Burns (Seattle, Wash.) finished 17th in 2:09:25, Summer Cook (Thornton, Colo.) was 19th in 2:10:08 and Taylor Knibb (Washington, D.C.) was 23rd in 2:12:06.

Kasper moved into first place in the ITU World Triathlon Series Rankings with 1,582 points. Rachel Klamer (NED) fell to second with 1,484 points and Holland climbed to third with 1,384 points.

In the men’s race, Norway swept the podium, the first time a country has taken the top three places for the men in the history of the World Triathlon Series. For the women, both the U.S. and Australia have accomplished the feat.

Casper Stornes, racing in only his third World Triathlon Series event of his career, broke away on the third lap of the bike and built a lead of more than 2 minutes. He finished in 1:54:47, holding off countrymen Kristian Blummenfelt, who finished second in 1:55:08 and Gustav Iden, who posted a time of 1:55:10 for third place.

For the U.S. men, Eli Hemming (Kiowa, Colo.), posted a career-best WTS finish of 11th with a time of 1:56:33. Kevin McDowell (Phoenix, Ariz.) finished 18th in 1:57:35 and Ben Kanute (Phoenix, Ariz.) was 35th in 2:00:22.

The ITU World Triathlon Series continues with a stop in Yokohama, Japan, on May 12-13.

2018 ITU World Triathlon Bermuda
1,500m swim, 40k bike, 10k run

Elite Women — Complete Results
1. Flora Duffy (BER), 2:01:39
2. Vicky Holland (GBR), 2:03:25
3. Katie Zaferes (Santa Cruz, Calif.), 2:03:26

U.S. Finishers
4. Kirsten Kasper (North Andover, Mass.), 2:05:40
9. Taylor Spivey (Redondo Beach, Calif.), 2:07:02
17. Chelsea Burns (Seattle, Wash.), 2:09:25
19. Summer Cook (Thornton, Colo.), 2:10:08
23. Taylor Knibb (Washington, D.C.), 2:12:06

Elite Men — Complete Results
1. Casper Stornes (NOR), 1:54:47
2. Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR), 1:55:08
3. Gustav Iden (NOR), 1:55:10

U.S. Finishers
11. Eli Hemming (Kiowa, Colo.), 1:56:33
18. Kevin McDowell (Phoenix, Ariz.), 1:57:35
35. Ben Kanute (Phoenix, Ariz.), 2:00:22