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Taylor Knibb imperious in winning the San Francisco T100 – World Triathlon

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Taylor Knibb imperious in winning the San Francisco T100 – World Triathlon


American Taylor Knibb was dominant in winning the San Francisco T100 today on the iconic Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon course. She was second out of the water, but quickly took the lead on the bike from Switzerland’s Imogen Simmonds and went on to register an impressive victory by just under 4 minutes.

She was humble speaking afterwards. “It did not feel easy but it is a great course and atmosphere out there – and I was very grateful to do this race today.”

“On the swim I dove in, probably a little late, and the one thing I’d been given advice on was that you dive into the water and everyone disperses and that didn’t happen. But it was like, get to the end, figure it out, and I saw Imogen, she got 30 seconds on everyone, and I thought ‘oh my God’. But I think seeing the men really helped because I was ready for everyone to be there [together].”

“Once I was in the lead [on the bike], I wasn’t descending very well, I wasn’t taking the corners very well but I was trying to be better each lap. So, I think on the fifth lap I finally nailed the one turn into the curb, uphill.”

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On her 18km run, she said: “Well I just wanted to execute a good run and run well and see how it was, like see how it was after each lap and make decisions from there.”

Second placed Brit Kat Matthews, who made a late dash to San Francisco after her disqualification in Hamburg last weekend, was pleased with her performance.

“I’m pretty proud. I’m glad to have been able to have given Taylor a training day out before her Olympic prep begins,” she said with a smile on her face.

Asked if she hadn’t got the rub of the green this year so far, Matthews responded:

“I’m not sure I’ve had the luckiest two years to be honest. But I think there was something special about this. I had so much energy for this after my dramas from last weekend and maybe a good long taper actually suits me.”

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“This race feels like I’ve just got back level – a redemption of my own personal performance. I’m still now desperate for that personal satisfaction to go more, to go higher.”

How The Race Unfolded

The women’s San Francisco T100 race got underway with a dive from the San Francisco Spirit into icy sea waters known to play host to sharks. As with the men, it was a choppy affair in San Francisco Bay but canny use of the currents saw Imogen Simmonds (SUI) meet dry land in first place, clocking 17:00 in the water – 23 seconds ahead of pre-race favourite and T100 debutant Taylor Knibb (USA).

Despite the challenging gradients of the 80km bike leg, Knibb – recently crowned the US national time trial champion – was soon in the lead and pulling away from every other woman. By halfway into the bike course, Knibb’s lead to second-place Kat Matthews (GBR) was over 2 minutes, the Brit clearly positioning herself as the best of the rest. Laura Philipp (GER), Simmonds and Paula Findlay (CAN) were the only other challengers within 4 minutes of the leader.

From there, Knibb’s inexorable pace on two wheels just continued to pad her advantage in a showing that’s sure to strike fear into her Olympic competitors in both the triathlon and cycling time trial in Paris. 3:45 at 15km to go and 4:45 as she entered a lonely transition area, Knibb was truly showing her once-in-a-generation talent.

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With impressive pace for an athlete considered a swim-biker just a couple of years ago, Knibb continued to dominate once she’d laced up her running shoes, lapping athletes over 4km behind her on the course.

Behind, Matthews was running with her usual aplomb while Emma Pallant-Browne (GBR) picked off a couple of places in a fleet-footed performance.

Facing no threat to her maiden T100 victory, Knibb took in the crowd’s adulation on her way to a 3:38:01 finish, earning 35 points and $25,000.

Matthews’ run pedigree shone through, the Brit a minute faster than Knibb on two feet, but was still 3:45 behind when she claimed 2nd to score 28 points and $16,000.

Philipp ran strongly to maintain her podium position, beginning her T100 season with 25 points and $12,000.

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Likewise, Simmonds stayed in the 4th place position she’d been holding since T2 for 22 points. Meanwhile, Pallant-Browne put her first 20 points on the board to round out the top 5.

The next T100 race will be in London on 27-28 July.





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San Francisco, CA

San Francisco Giants Reportedly Discussing Shipping Star Outfielder to Mets

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San Francisco Giants Reportedly Discussing Shipping Star Outfielder to Mets


Right now, it’s a mystery regarding what the San Francisco Giants are going to do ahead of the July 30 trade deadline.

Whatever direction they take is going to impact this franchise moving forward.

This is a market favoring the selling teams with so many contenders searching for additions who can help them get into the playoffs and potentially make a championship run. While the Giants don’t have a ton of attractive pieces, anything they sell will likely get them an inflated package in return.

Blake Snell is the one name who multiple teams around the league would love to get their hands on since he’s started looking like the elite pitcher he’s been throughout his career.

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However, it seems like if San Francisco is going to sell, they are already having conversations regarding one particular player.

According to Mike Puma of The New York Post, they have discussed a trade that would send their star outfielder Michael Conforto back to the New York Mets.

This is a prime example of the Wild Card race being so tight that multiple teams are looking to add players. The Mets entered this season with the plan of trying to contend in the present, but also looking ahead to the future.

When they got off to a horrendous start, it seemed like they would pull the plug on their year.

Instead, they have fought their way back and hold the top Wild Card spot in the National League. Now, they reportedly are looking to add someone like Conforto who can help them get into the postseason.

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For the Giants, the veteran outfielder has been seen as a player who could be on the move. He’s in the final year of his $36 million deal he signed heading into 2023, so if they don’t move him right now, they would lose him for nothing.

The emergence of Heliot Ramos in the outfield and Tyler Fitzgerald as a utilityman might make this decision much easier. San Francisco could sell off some of their fringe pieces like Conforto while still keeping this roster in tact for a late playoff push.

New York would only be getting Conforto as a rental, but the fact he spent seven seasons with them at the Major League level and slashed .255/.356/.468 during his tenure, should give them confidence he can come in and provide solid at-bats.

The Giants likely wouldn’t get a whole lot back in return, but something is better than nothing.





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San Francisco Giants Rotation Faces Key Decision This Weekend

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San Francisco Giants Rotation Faces Key Decision This Weekend


The San Francisco Giants will cram four games into three days at home against the Colorado Rockies, thanks to a doubleheader on Saturday.

With that, the Giants face a decision at the back end of that four-game series, according to reporting from NBC Sports Bay Area.

The first three starters are set, but Sunday’s game will likely be “Jordan Hicks’ last start or Alex Cobb’s first,” per the outlet.

Cobb is nearly ready to return from his injury rehab and after a strong start to the season while Hicks has trailed off in terms of performance, putting manager Bob Melvin in a bit of a spot.

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Hicks has been a reliever most of his Major League career, but when the Giants signed him in the offseason they said they would convert him into a starter, something he wanted.

The early returns were promising.

He went 2-0 in his first six starts and kept his ERA under 2.00. Cobb and Robbie Ray started the season on the injured list. Blake Snell hit the IL after the season’s first three weeks. So Hicks’ performance was a great lift.

But the quality of those starts has gradually dropped. He went 2-2 with a 3.99 ERA in May, followed by an 0-2 June in which he had an ERA of 5.24. His three starts in July have been terrible — an 0-3 record and a 8.31 ERA.

NBC Sports Bay Area reported that the Giants would give Hicks one more start before a discussion about his role. But his last start on Tuesday — in which he gave up four earned runs and was unable to get out of the fourth inning — may have given them cause to reconsider.

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Whether Hicks starts on Sunday may depend entirely upon Cobb’s readiness.

San Francisco had hoped Cobb would return earlier than this. He had offseason hip surgery and was expected to miss a portion of the regular season. But while doing rehab work for the hip he felt mild shoulder irritation before throwing a bullpen session on April 16. That landed him on the 60-day injured list four days later and took him out of the mix until at least late May.

He wasn’t ready to make a rehab start until June 30.

In his last rehab start this past weekend he was sharp, tossing five innings and not allowing a run. More importantly, he threw 60 pitches.

A return to the rotation would give the Giants another veteran arm as they try to stay in the playoff race and allow them to move Hicks to the bullpen.

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As for the rest of the series, the Giants will start Kyle Harrison on Friday, followed by Blake Snell in Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader and rookie Hayden Birdsong in Game 2.  



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San Francisco, CA

San Francisco slashes homeless outreach team budget

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San Francisco slashes homeless outreach team budget


In March, the most recent month of immediately available data, HEART responded to 1,303 incidents, or 98% of calls the team received. But of those incidents, 700 were considered settled because the person was “gone on arrival,” and 125 were referred to the police, the Department of Public Works, the Emergency Medical Services Agency or another street team run by the city.

According to the March data, HEART placed one person in a shelter, referred four to an emergency shelter and placed two in a triage center. The team also resolved 210 American Disability Act violations, meaning encampments were moved to make space for pedestrians.

In a statement, the Department of Emergency Management and Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing said HEART completed more than 1,000 needs assessments and connected over 700 people to “benefits including shelter” with a team of 24 people.



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