The 2nd and final day of racing at the European Junior & Sprint Championships held in Elblag, Poland, saw the fast action of the relays, with the title of European Relay Champions on the line. Great Britain’s Junior Mixed Relay team proved a strong contender, with Emma Graham-Brown, Reuben Wadey, Kitty Scott and Lucas Gorrill, making up the team, following on from their success in the individual racing from the previous day.

The race took in much of the same course as the individual with a 300m swim, 8k bike, and just a little over a 1 mile run to finish, leaving it all to play for upon the cobbled streets of Elblag.

Emma Graham-Brown took the first leg for the team, exiting the water 6th, close enough to the leaders to form part of the small front pack early on in the bike. With the French athlete up the road eventually being pulled back, the group of 8 entered transition with an extended lead. Graham-Brown held her position at the front as it became strung out over the run, handing over to Reuben Wadey in 2nd, setting up the team in an optimal position into the next 3 legs.

Wadey kept GB’s presence at the front, starting the bike in the top 3, which initially began to create a gap over the bike leg, however the chase group joined on at the start of the 2nd lap, leaving a bigger group before more attacks, with the German athlete off the front into T2. With the gap pulled back through T2, the short distance provided a high pace to be set, with France pushing the pace on the run, before being brought back soon after, allowing Spain’s Garcia to push to the front. Wadey being the only other athlete to closely match the tempo set, handed over to Kitty Scott, taking the 3rd leg for the team in 2nd, just 4s off the lead.

Scott managed to gain space in clear water and lead out the swim into T1 as the following athletes exited closely behind, with the top 5 now separated by just less than 10s. A group of 6 formed into the first bike lap before becoming 5. With no intention of breaking away at this point, and despite seemingly little group work the 5 teams at the front of the race built a growing advantage over the rest of the field behind, leaving the race now strung out outside the top 5. It proved to be anyone’s race at this point, but the run to hand over to the final legs had a big impact, with the German Carlotta Bülck leading from start to finish of the run, and Kitty Scott remaining in close pursuit of the leader, with their pace now breaking apart the field behind.

With just 2s to the leader at the handover, Lucas Gorrill started the final leg for GB in 2nd, which set the team up well. Gorrill pulled into the lead on the swim, and now into the final leg wasted no time to wait for a group to form, with the race having reached a point where it was splintered in all areas, as the fight for the European Relay title and medal spots was soon to be decided. With an advantage of 24s now into the remaining sector of the race, keeping the power down at the front on the bike, helped Great Britain looked in ideal position to take the title. Heading onto the blue carpet, Gorrill had kept strong enough a pace on the run to see Great Britain take victory and win the Junior Mixed Relay title by 18s becoming the new European Junior Relay Champions.

Having been no further back than 2nd at each handover, the team where placed at the sharp end of the race throughout showcasing their collect ability to contribute to a European Relay title. See both the results here and livestream here for the full catch up on the European Champs.