Smith takes 'bittersweet' fourth in San Francisco
The New Zealand triathlete missed out on the season opener in Singapore last month due to injury but was back in action for the second race in the USA.
It was a race that saw the 27-year-old come agonisingly close to victory in 2024, pipped to the line by Marten Van Riel in a tense sprint finish.
That sprint finish also included Germany's Rico Bogen, who soared to victory a year later in San Francisco, with Jelle Geens taking second and Mika Noodt third.
Smith crossed the line for fourth in a performance where he admitted he laid everything on the line.
"It's good to be back racing at the highest-level bit another fourth place is pretty bittersweet," he said. "Dubai 70.3 worlds and now here I've finished fourth.
"I gave it everything I had today but I felt quite flat and definitely don't feel as strong as last year.
"If I was on a really good day then maybe I could have got third but I'm pretty happy with fourth for my first race back in the series."
Smith was third after the bike leg in San Francisco, with Bogen in the lead and wildcard Jamie Riddle in second.
But will Geens and Noodt producing strong runs to close their race, Smith held on well for a fourth place finish, crossing the line less than a minute behind Noodt.
A fourth place finish just one month after he was forced to skip the start line in Singapore bodes well for Smith, who is still aiming for his maiden T100 victory.
With two second places finishes last season, alongside victory in the Challenge Samorin and a fourth place finish at the 70.3 World Championships, Smith refuses to fall away from podium contention.
It's a level of consistency he hopes can be the difference between him and the rest of the T100 field this season.
"There are a few things that I know I have to work on between now and Vancouver so I'm just going to try and get a bit sharper and freshen up," he said.
"Other than that, I think I'm quite good at being consistent.
"Some over athletes are super hot and super cold but I'm quite good at staying at the same level and so I hope that can be the arrow in my quiver this season.
"I really like racing here, it's an honest course and you can see that. The strongest guy won but it wasn't me today."
The T100 Triathlon World Tour is a season-long schedule of World Championship level races competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run), where the world's best triathletes go head-to-head in iconic locations. For more information visit www.T100Triathlon.com
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