Zoe Davison and Sam Curry finish 6th on final day of competition in Los Angeles
Gloucestershire’s Davison and Surrey’s Curry have up-and-down day in difficult conditions
The event rounds off successful competition after individual top 10s for Samantha Murray and Jamie Cooke
Zoe Davison and Sam Curry finished 6th in the World Cup 2 mixed relay after a topsy-turvy day in Los Angeles. On the final day of the competition, the Brits were placed between 4th and 8th throughout the day, eventually crossing the line 6th after losing out to both China and Guatemala following a close laser run battle between all three nations. It was important competition for both Pentathlon GB athletes with Davison gaining experience on the senior circuit in just the second World Cup of her career and Curry getting extra miles in the legs on his first World Cup appearance of the season.
Story of the Day
Davison and Curry were both making their second appearances of the week having competed in individual qualifying and got off to a strong start, clocking a time of 2:01.57 in the 200m swim. That left them in 4th place overall after the opening discipline although there was little to choose between the most of the 10 nations.
It was the fencing hall that proved to be the most problematic part of the day with the British duo struggling to gain any momentum throughout the discipline. It meant that Gloucestershire’s Davison and Surrey’s Curry recorded 14 victories and 22 defeats from their 36 bouts, seeing them drop to 8th place overall.
19-year-old Davison and 24-year-old Curry produced a fine bounceback in the horseriding arena though, demonstrating their skill in the discipline with a calm and composed clear round, picking up the maximum 300 points. It was the only clear round of the competition and saw the Pentathlon GB duo move back up to 4th place on leaderboard.
Davison, who is still in her first year as a Junior athlete and making just her second ever World Cup appearance was tasked with the first two shoots and first two 800m runs of the concluding laser run. A slightly tough second shoot meant she dropped just behind China and Guatemala at the exchange. Over the first 1200m of his laser run, Curry, who trains at Pentathlon GB’s National Training Centre at the University of Bath, closed to within touching distance of the other two nations but didn’t quite have enough in the tank to overhaul them, dropping back over the final 400m, as the British duo finished in 6th.
Italy won the mixed relay for the second consecutive World Cup with home favourites USA taking silver and Mexico the bronze medal.
The next World Cup takes place in Keckskemet, Hungary from 3rd-7th May, beginning with Women’s qualifying. Before that, Pentathlon GB’s Under 19 athletes will be competing at the U19 World Championships in Portugal. That event begins with girls’ qualifying on Sunday 8th April.
Report courtesy of Pentathlon GB
