Bermudian triathletes Tyler Smith and Erica Hawley gave good accounts of themselves to secure encouraging finishes in the Under-23 World Triathlon Championship Finals in Edmonton, Canada.

On the same day, and at the same venue where compatriot Flora Duffy clinched a record-equalling third women’s world title, the pair gave a glimpse into Bermuda’s future in the sport.

The day started with Hawley securing a promising 22nd-place finish in the women’s race. Exiting the water from the 1,500-metre swim in 20min 5sec, she clocked 1:04:25 on the 40km cycle and completed the 10km run in 39:17, for a combined total of 2:05:24. Emma Lombardi, of France, was the winner in 1:59:48.

There was also strong performance from Smith, who sealed a highly respectable nineteenth-place finish in the men’s under-23 race. He exited the water in 18min 52sec, clocked 56:46 on the cycle and completed the run in 34:41, for a combined total of 1:51:07. Csongor Lehmann, of Hungary, claimed victory in 1:46:47.

In the women’s race, a six-strong lead group, including the likes of Olivia Mathias, Sophie Alden, Barbara De Koning, Kira Hedgeland and Lombardi emerged first from the water and set about opening a lead over the first kilometres of the cycle.

The chase packs, including Hawley, soon merged but by the second lap the lead group had gained a near minute advantage as they continued to pull away.

That pattern continued, and by the time Mathias and Lombardi led out of the second transition, the lead group were significantly ahead by 80 seconds.

By the second lap, the quartet of Hedgeland, Alden, Lombardi and Mathias led the way but they were being chased down hard by the likes of Annika Koch, Lea Coninx, Alberte Kjaer Pedersen and Lisa Tertsch.

It was at this point that Lombardi made her move, seizing the initiative to go 13 seconds clear of Hedgeland and Mathias heading into the final lap and on her way to an impressive victory.

As Alden dropped out of contention altogether, Hedgeland and Mathias were soon reeled in and passed Pedersen and Koch, who found themselves side-by-side in a battle for silver.

In the final stretch it was Perdersen who crucially found the energy for one final push to edge out Koch, who settled for a well-earned place on the podium.

The final action of the WTCS finals saw 39 under-23 male competitors take to the Hawrelak Park start line.

Heading into the cycle, the lead group consisted of 11 riders that included the likes of, Matthew Hauser, Diego Moya, Valentin Morlec, Miguel Hidalgo, Dylan McCullough, Chase McQueen, Tim Hellwig, Leon Pauger, and Simon Westermann.

They had 25 seconds to the chase group led by Bermudian Smith, who in turn had a 10-second advantage over a third pack spearheaded by Paul Georgenthum at the halfway point.

Hauser pushed the pace straight out of second transition and took the race to Hidalgo, Hellwig, Moya and Lehmann.

By the halfway stage of the run it became clear that the podium would be made up of Hauser, Hellwig and Lehmann, as Moya and Hidalgo faded to fall more than 30 seconds adrift.

Lehmann went first and pulled clear, only for Hellwig to start closing back in. However the Hungarian was able to hold on, finishing just four seconds ahead of his German rival, with Hauser settling for third.