In the pole position on the first leg, Cunha dialed back the pace on the second loop when Twichell moved into the lead. "It was just like World Championships when the pace slowed down. I wanted to pick it up."
Twichell pushed the pace into the third loop that dropped the field with the exception of Cunha and Jennings. By the fourth of five loops in the 17°C (62°F) water, it was clear one of the trio would emerge victorious. The pace was unrelenting by the fifth and final loop and the women were sprinting in nearly stroke for stroke. Less than 25 meters from the shoreline, Jennings burst into hyper-drive and stood up a few strokes before her competitors (see below).
Then the unexpected and the unfortunate occurred in a blink of the eye.
Jennings planted her foot wrong, stumbled a bit and jammed her knee hard into the hard sand on her next step. She screamed in pain and immediately crumbled to the shore. As the medical personnel rushed to her side, Cunha and Twichell ran on by to claim first and second.
At time of publication, Christine was released from the hospital and is flown back to Denver for treatment and surgery.
