JODIE Stimpson helped Loughborough to a second place finish in the British Triathlon Mixed Relay Cup last Saturday.

Team Leeds I lifted the cup for a second consecutive year after a solid all-round performance to put them nearly a minute ahead of a fast-finishing Loughborough I squad. Australia took bronze, one second adrift.

Six years to the day that triathlon featured at the London 2012 Olympics, 15 teams lined up along London’s docklands on a scorching evening in the capital. But after just under 70 minutes of racing it was Tom Bishop who anchored Leeds I to victory, welcomed home by teammates Lucy Hall, Sam Dickinson and Georgia Taylor-Brown.

The eventual winners were off to a strong start on the 300m swim, but it was Loughborough I’s Sophie Coldwell who lead out of the first T1, with Hall and Natalie Van Coevorden (Australia) for company. The trio created a 30-second lead following the 5.6km bike leg and it was Coldwell and Van Coevordon who then broke away on the 1.4km run to tag Barclay Izzard and Marcel Walkington, respectively.

Come leg two and all three teams maintained their dominance. A storming run from Dickinson, who returns from injury, allowed Leeds I’s Taylor-Brown to be awarded the first tag, with Tamsyn Moana-Veale (Australia) hot on her heels. The pair were closely followed by Oldbury's Stimpson (Loughborough I) and Hannah Knighton (New Zealand), after Kiwi teammate Dylan McCullough managed to latch onto the leaders.

Not even a strong bike from Stimpson could impact Taylor-Brown, who biked solo to extend her lead to 40 seconds over the field.

The two-time 2018 WTS medallist handed over to Bishop after a classy run, followed by Stimpson who worked hard to close the gap.

It was going to take something special for anyone to deny Leeds I the 2018 title and Bishop cruised home to confirm victory, repeating his heroics from 12 months ago.

Stimpson said: “That was such good fun. Relays are always cracking fun and the smallest mistake can make a huge difference. Thanks to the crowds for sticking around and giving us some support – it really adds to the race.”