Taking on the World (Cup)
Grace and Peter Molloy were in fine form in the first major international race of the year, as the World Cup got underway in Locarno, Switzerland.
Peter enjoyed his best senior international performance to date, as he scored an excellent 13th equal place in the opening day Sprint. Seeded in the middle of the B block of runners, there was no expectation that he would contend, but he turned in a strong run, gaining ten places in the closing stretch, to come home in 14.42 and hold the leader's chair until the top of the field moved him back.
Grace had a couple of early wobbles in the hilly opening stage, with one significant overshoot of a alleyway but she dug in strongly in the latter stages to get back into 20th place (16.29).
The pair then made up half of the GB team for the Sprint Relay, and Peter was handed a two minute deficit from the first leg with GB in 40th position. He had the first half of his run all alone, but caught up with the back of the 3rd pack at the halfway mark, and had a leg time of 14.23, as he shed just another 53 seconds to the front of the race.
Grace was on the closer, and glimpsed the leaders as she turned into her closing loop. Her leg dropped 29 seconds to the lead, as she was back in 13.46, taking back two minutes on the GB II team which started ahead of her. GB was 27th, but raned as the 12th nation, with several countries placing multiple teams.
Their final action of the weekend was the Knockout Sprint, as the only two Brits in the final stages. Grace's quarter-final was the first of the morning session, and it became immediately apparent that the planners had arranged an 80% gaffled course with three variations. Grace was steady through the gaffles and then put the foot down into the finish to qualify for the semi by 17 seconds (8:19:8).
Peter's quarter was also the first race of the men's session, but, despite showing early promise, he was bypassed in the third gaffle by the field, and ended up 6th (7:09:4), in what's his first major head-to-head race.
The afternoon session saw Grace back in the field, but on a narrow course with few passing opportuntiies, those who were first into the Hills of Pain section were first to emerge into the arena, and Grace was 5th (6:50:0), 14 seconds outside the final berths.