Japan
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Olympic Champion Gets first major Win in Yokohama
Posted on August 23rd, 2009 No comments
Reigning Olympic Champion, Jan Frodeno of Germany, finally claimed his first major win outside of the Olympic Games today at the Yokohama Dextro Energy Triathlon – ITU World Championship Series event in a time of 1 hour 44 minutes and 31 seconds. Thousands of spectators lined the streets of the Tokyo suburb to watch a daring breakaway on the bike and a solid run by the German, giving him his first world series win. Eighteen seconds behind him was New Zealand’s Kris Gemmell in second place as he outsprinted defending world champion Javier Gomez from Spain.“After Hamburg I was really disappointed and I went back to the drawing board to refocus,” said Frodeno. “Today was awesome. Thanks to the boys, Atko [Courtney Atkinson] and Maik [Petzold]. If they hadn’t gone on the bike you never know what would have happened. I’m already looking ahead with one eye on next season. I’ll take this win with confidence.”
Despite a non-wetsuit swim the men were to exit the water in one large group to head onto the bike course. 2007 world champion Daniel Unger of Germany pulled out early with an allergic reaction to a jellyfish sting acquired during the swim warm up.
Over the first 25 kilometres of the bike all of the top contenders seemed content to sit and wait until Australia’s Courtney Atkinson leapt from the pack to test his legs. It was not long until the German duo of Frodeno and Maik Petzold decided to join the strong Aussie at the front. Working in tandem the three leaders managed to put 41 seconds into the unorganized chase group including Gemmell and Gomez.
Frodeno was the one to show strength in pulling away from Petzold and Atkinson early in the run. The chase group of Gomez, Gemmell and young Laurent Vidal of France swallowed up Petzold in the first lap and then Atkinson before the four kilometre mark. Early on it looked as though Frodeno would be next after the chasing trio knocked his lead down to 22 seconds within the first lap. It was not to be as Frodeno found his second wind on the third lap and stretched his lead. With time to spare the Olympic champion slapped hands and played to the large crowd gathered at the finish line, relishing every minute of his first Dextro Energy Triathlon – ITU World Championship Series win.
With three kilometres to go Gomez cranked up the speed, dropping Vidal but not Gemmell. The crafty Kiwi stayed on the Spaniards heels until the final few hundred metres when he bolted away.
“I asked him [Gomez] if he was ready for a sprint and he said ‘no, not really’,” laughed Gemmell. “I said before London that the goal was the end of the year and my form is coming together. What a great day for Frodeno, anyone who races like that deserves to win.”
“It was an uncomfortable week, the podium is good but it was not a good day for me,” said Gomez. “I did not feel good all day and I don’t do well in the heat but I’m happy seeing as I crashed in London only a week ago.”
The duo of Atkinson and Petzold ultimately paid the price for the breakaway, fading throughout the run to finish in eight and tenth respectively.
Gemmell’s second place moves him into third in the rankings. Gomez’s third place keeps him in second and within 351 points of series leader Alistair Brownlee heading to the Grand Final in Gold Coast, Australia in three weeks time.
“You never know what can happen on the day. So I will be ready to give my best in Gold Coast,” answered Gomez when asked if Brownlee can be caught in Gold Coast.
Dextro Energy Triathlon – ITU World Championship Series
Official Rankings – Round 7 of 8
1st – Alistair Brownlee (GBR) 3,200 pts
2nd – Javier Gomez (ESP) 2,849
3rd – Kris Gemmell (NZL) 2,559
4th – Maik Petzold (GER) 2,493
5th -Laurent Vidal (FRA) 2,404Yokohama Dextro Energy Triathlon – ITU World Championship Series
1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run
Elite Men – Unofficial Results
Gold – Jan Frodeno (GER) 01:44:31
Silver – Kris Gemmell (NZL) 01:44:49 +:18
Bronze – Javier Gomez (ESP) 01:44:52 +:21
4th – Laurent Vidal (FRA) 01:45:05 +:34
5th – Bevan Docherty (NZL) 01:45:39 +1:08
6th – Jarrod Shoemaker (USA) 01:45:49 +1:18
7th – Yulian Malyshev (RUS) 01:45:51 +1:20
8th – Courtney Atkinson (AUS) 01:46:07 +1:36
9th – Dan Wilson (AUS) 01:46:18 +1:47
10th – Maik Petzold (GER) 01:46:35 +2:04Source: triathlon.org
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Update From Kieran Doe
Posted on June 22nd, 2009 No comments
Hi All,Well today I found out the limits of my body by racing IM Japan just 6 days
after winning the ITU Long distance race in Korea.
During the week I had not recovered very well still struggling by
Friday but I was mentally in a good place and still on a high so thought
that could get me through.
Once the race started I was never myself leading the swim out but I was
struggling already from the first few km on the bike I could tell this was
going to be a long day I felt weak, empty and had nothing but I kept telling
myself I would come right and pushed through. This didn’t happen, the form
strength and power of a week ago was a distant memory I hung on with everything I had to the lead group of four on the bike.
Things were not helped when I snapped my chain in half at the 140km point
sitting on the side of the road for a good 7-10min before the mechanic van
put a new chain on and I continued to the finish of the bike.
Coming off in 3rd 8min back onto the run well I couldn’t call it running I
was shuffling at mile 2 like I was at mile 20 using every ounce of energy I
had by mile 3 I could not go any further and that was my day over.
To conclude I am happy I raced as now I know what I can handle race wise with in a week and what I can’t I proved that I was back in great form last weekend and this weekend was simply a case of 6 days not being enough recovery time for an for my self for to do an IM.
I gave everything my body could today but it simply had nothing to give.
All in all this has been a successful trip coming away with one big win from two i guess is not to bad.I will be in touch soon with my race plans.
Thanks for the support.
Cheers Doeboy
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Atkinson Makes It Five In Ishigaki Triathlon World Cup
Posted on April 26th, 2009 1 comment
Australia’s Courtney Atkinson won his fifth Ishigaki Triathlon World Cup on the Japanese island following a textbook race plan that saw him utilise the same tactics that gave him victory in the opening World Cup in Mooloolaba, Australia.Having exited the swim with the front pack Atkinson was dropped early on as he struggled to find his cycling legs in the uncharacteristically cold conditions. Having spent the first 5km bike lap trailing the leaders, which included the Vasiliev brothers from Russia, he made contact on one of the climbs over the now infamous Ishigaki bridge.
Working well together the lead pack of six managed to establish a four minute lead over the chasers coming into second transition as talented runners such as Jarrod Shoemaker from the USA and Germany’s Sebastian Rank were left with too much to do to make it up to the podium positions.
Atkinson battled with Denis Vasiliev for one 3km lap before pulling away to an unassailable advantage. Following his early exertions Denis dropped back into the clutches of older brother Ivan who ran through for second. Vladamir Turbaevskiy added to the Russian success with fourth place ahead of Australia’s James Seear who played a key part in driving forward the breakaway.
“I was probably more nervous today than usual, but I’ve won a fair few times here and to win my fifth race on the island is great,” commented the 30-year old Atkinson. “I’m not the best in the cold, and it was a bit chilly here today. It was a bit difficult on the run as I don’t often race the European guys so I didn’t know how strong they were. But once I settled into my pace I was able to conserve a little bit of energy for next week whilst managing to pull away.”
“I’m so happy, today was great, we raced really well and this is an excellent start to the year,” said Ivan Vasiliev. “I’m really pleased for my brother, Denis, I haven’t seen such a strong performance for someone in their first world cup; he was brilliant.”
“It was a fantastic time for me this weekend, I’m so surprised by my result, it has been an amazing day,” said Denis Vasiliev. “I never expected to take a medal in my first world cup; it’s a bit of a dream.”
Ishigaki ITU Triathlon World Cup
1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run
Elite Men – Unofficial Results
Gold – Courtney Atkinson (AUS) 1:48:24
Silver – Ivan Vasiliev (RUS) 1:49:01 +:37
Bronze – Denis Vasiliev (RUS) 1:49:23 +:59
4th – Vladamir Turbaevskiy (RUS) 1:49:41 +1:17
5th – James Seear (AUS) 1:49:46 +1:22
6th – Hirokatsu Tayama (JPN) 1:50:13 +1:49
7th – Sebastian Rank (GER) 1:51:34 +3:10
8th – Jarrod Shoemaker (USA) 1:51:50 +3:26
9th – Kyle Jones (CAN) 1:51:59 +3:35
10th – Yohann Vincent (FRA) 1:52:03 +3:39
Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.The women’s race saw Beijing fifth place finisher Juri Ide take her first World Cup medal as she struck late on to deny Canada’s Kathy Tremblay the gold.
A strong front pack formed during the two lap harbour swim including all of the pre-race favourites apart from Canada’s Lauren Groves who found herself 30 seconds adrift.
Despite repeated attempts by New Zealand’s Nicky Samuels to force the pace and break up the leaders, the front runners stayed in regulation throughout the 40km cycle and were eventually caught by Groves with just two laps of the bike course to navigate.
On the run Spain’s Ainhoa Murua went straight to the fore along with Tremblay and Japanese duo of Ide and Kiyomi Niwata. The four would battle each other for most of the 10km run before Ide stretched away on the final downhill taking Tremblay with her. In a repeat of last year’s race Ide was able to hold off the Canadian, but instead of duelling for fourth as they did in 2008, they found themselves racing for gold.
Ide crossed the line delighted with her performance whilst compatriot Niwata held off Murua for bronze completing an exceptional day for Japanese triathlon and the home support.
“I’m really happy to have won in Japan, but I’m especially happy that all of my friends, family and fans were here to see it and to share the experience,” commented Ide. “”From start to finish I never felt like I was alone, the support was incredible and kept me going.”
“I felt pretty sick last night as I accidentally ate some shrimp which I’m allergic to, but I put that behind me today and focussed on putting in a good performance,” said Tremblay. “I started pretty steadily on the run just trying to stay relaxed. Juri and I managed to get ahead on the final lap but she kicked first and got the gold, I couldn’t quite react.”
“I am very happy to make the podium again in lovely Ishigaki, it was my fourteenth time racing here today and my third medal winning performance,” commented Niwata. “I had been training hard on the bike to cope with the hilly course here, and I feel it really worked out well.”
Ishigaki ITU Triathlon World Cup
1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run
Elite Women – Unofficial Results
Gold – Juri Ide (JPN) 2:03:33
Silver – Kathy Tremblay (CAN) 2:03:38 +:05
Bronze – Kiyomi Niwata (JPN) 2:03:54 +:21
4th – Ainhoa Murua (ESP) 2:04:16 +:43
5th – Lauren Groves (CAN) 2:04:51 +1:18
6th – Olga Dmitrieva (RUS) 2:05:22 +1:49
7th – Melanie Annaheim (SUI) 2:05:28 +1:55
8th – Nicky Samuels (NZL) 2:05:39 +2:06
9th – Ai Ueda (JPN) 2:05:46 +2:13
10th – Misato Takagi (JPN) 2:06:12 +2:39
Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.Source: competitor.com