Triathlon News

• Wellington Sets a New Standard

  Posted on October 11th, 2009 admin No comments

  She might not have quite led from start to finish here today at the Ford Ironman World Championship, but almost from the gun the race here in Kailua-Kona was had a predictable conclusion as Chrissie Wellington broke Paula Newby-Fraser’s course record.

  Wellington trailed after her 54-minute swim, but was still in eighth place in the women’s race thanks to her 54:31 swim split. The swim was led by South Africa’s Lucie Zelenkova, but the race lead was truly on loan from Wellington – it wouldn’t take long before the defending champ would take the lead.

  Wellington simply rode away from a field that included the best the world had to offer. By the time she was finished the bike ride she had a lead of over 11 minutes on her closest competitor and almost a half hour on some of the women expected to compete with her for the win, including athletes like Leanda Cave, Mirinda Carfrae and Rebekah Keat.

  The run finally provided some interesting racing … but not for the win. The two burning questions during the run were simple: would Wellington break Newby-Fraser’s course record and who would come second.

  In the end the runner-up position would go to Carfrae, who set a new run course record to pass seven women during the marathon to post an impressive first Ironman. Virginia Berasategui would hang on for third, while Tereza Macel would hang in for fourth. Fifth across the line was Keat, but she would eventually be disqualified, which put Canadian Samantha McGlone in the official fifth spot.

  Coming into this race it was thought that Wellington could run away with the race – which she did. It was thought that she would also break the course record – which she did, also, but Newby-Fraser took satisfaction in the fact that Wellington had to suffer through some tough miles during the marathon to do that.

  If there was any doubt that Chrissie Wellington has redefined Ironman since she blazed onto the scene here in Kona in 2007, that was all erased today as she truly put herself in the record books with another incredible performance.

  1 08:54:02 101 Wellington, Chrissie Feltwell NOR GBR 54:31 4:52:07 3:03:06
  2 09:13:59 131 Carfrae, Mirinda Brisbane QLD AUS 58:45 5:14:18 2:56:51
  3 09:15:28 106 Berasategui, Virginia Bilbao BIZ ESP 58:52 5:01:42 3:10:43
  4 09:23:43 127 Macel, Tereza Toronto ON CAN 53:29 5:04:17 3:21:12
  5 09:30:28 126 McGlone, Samantha Tucson AZ USA 58:47 5:16:17 3:11:27
  6 09:32:27 146 Joyce, Rachel London MID GBR 53:31 5:10:03 3:23:43
  7 09:34:45 113 Lawn, Joanna Auckland AUK NZL 57:16 5:19:10 3:13:35
  8 09:38:28 103 Wallenhorst, Sandra Hannover NIE GER 1:03:07 5:20:43 3:09:24
  9 09:40:59 110 Griesbauer, Dede Boston MA USA 55:05 5:10:22 3:30:53
  10 09:42:41 125 Stewart, Tyler Novato CA USA 1:08:31 5:06:20 3:22:59
  11 09:44:27 105 Corbin, Linsey Missoula MT USA 1:03:05 5:19:12 3:17:37
  12 09:47:00 129 Deckers, Tine Wijgmaal VLA BEL 1:02:55 5:08:44 3:31:05
  13 09:50:13 154 Tajsich, Sonja Sinzing GER 1:12:06 5:14:35 3:17:54
  14 09:51:59 112 Snow, Caitlin Brockton MA USA 58:50 5:32:52 3:14:41
  15 09:55:48 137 Niederfriniger, Edith Merano BZ ITA 59:46 5:24:21 3:26:36

  Source: Ironman.com

  Chrissie Wellington, Country, Ironman, Triathlon News, USA

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• Another win for Alexander

  Posted on October 11th, 2009 admin No comments

  There are only four men who have ever managed to repeat as Ford Ironman World Championship. The fourth joined the exclusive group today - Craig Alexander managed to do what has been so difficult for others today with a convincing win today, beating a truly world-class field in the process as he ran his way to his second successive win here at the Ford Ironman World Championship.

  Alexander was the first to acknowledge, though, that his impressive achievement was one of the hardest things he’s ever done. To win this race he had to overcome Chris Lieto’s 12-minute lead off the bike, which he did thanks to a 2:48 marathon.
  The day began with two early breakaway swim leaders, American’s John Flanagan and Andy Potts. Those two were eventually joined on the bike by a huge group – at times the main group of men’s leaders included almost 20 men.

  Lieto broke away from the rest of the field during the bike ride today, content to ride with the leaders through the early stages of the ride. When he did make his move, though, the American flew away from the field, using the descent from Hawi to open a gap that he extended along the typically challenging last 40 miles of the bike ride along the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway.

  By the end of the ride, Lieto was well clear of the rest of the field, although it looked like 2007 Ford Ironman World Champion Chris McCormack, who had overcome an unusually disappointing swim to surge into third place overall off the bike might be the man set to pose the biggest challenge to the American as he came off the bike behind two Germans, Maik Twelsiek and 2005 Kona champion Faris Al-Sultan.

  Early in the run it looked like McCormack would be the man to move to the front, but it was Alexander, who found himself a running partner in the form of Andreas Raelert, who would steadily move towards the front of the race. By the time they were in the Energy Lab, Lieto’s lead was down to four minutes. That’s when Alexander decided it was time to go – he easily pulled away from Raelert and started to chase Lieto. The lead dropped by almost a minute per mile until Alexander took the lead for good shortly after exiting the Energy Lab. Lieto gallantly tried to go with the Australian defending champ, but simply couldn’t match Alexander’s incredible pace as he ran towards his second straight title.

  Lieto hung tough for second, an impressive race for the American. With Raelert following up his second place finish in Clearwater and win at Ford Ironman Arizona last November with a third place finish here today. McCormack managed a 2:55 marathon, despite having to stop and walk for parts of the marathon and claimed fourth ahead of Denmark’s Rasmus Henning, who’s incredible fifth place finish came despite a broken hand that was operated on just a few weeks ago.

  In the end, though, there was no one who could stop Craig Alexander’s incredible drive to the finish line and impressive step into Ironman history. Today he added his name to those of the greats in our sport – Dave Scott, Mark Allen and Tim DeBoom - by winning the Ford Ironman World Championship two years in a row.

  1 08:20:21 1 Alexander, Craig Cronulla NSW AUS 50:57 4:37:33 2:48:05
  2 08:22:56 24 Lieto, Chris Danville CA USA 51:07 4:25:11 3:02:35
  3 08:24:32 54 Raelert, Andreas Drage NS GER 51:00 4:38:01 2:51:05
  4 08:25:20 15 McCormack, Chris Burraneer NSW AUS 52:51 4:32:45 2:55:59
  5 08:28:17 32 Henning, Rasmus Birkerod DNK 51:06 4:37:07 2:55:33
  6 08:28:52 28 Bracht, Timo Eberbach GER 54:30 4:33:49 2:56:27
  7 08:29:55 79 Bockel, Dirk Munsbach LUX 50:50 4:37:29 2:57:42
  8 08:30:15 161 Jacobs, Pete Sydney NSW AUS 50:03 4:38:41 2:57:14
  9 08:30:30 7 Potts, Andy Colorado Spr CO USA 47:45 4:46:07 2:52:15
  10 08:31:44 11 Al-Sultan, Faris Al-Ain ABU UAE 50:53 4:33:40 3:03:11
  11 08:34:45 30 Bozzone, Terenzo Auckland NZL 50:55 4:37:25 3:02:47
  12 08:35:10 14 Twelsiek, Maik Lemgo NRW GER 52:54 4:28:34 3:09:27
  13 08:37:29 8 Hecht, Mathias Willisau LUZ SWI 50:54 4:37:32 3:04:47
  14 08:37:55 2 Llanos, Eneko Vitoria-Gast ARA ESP 51:06 4:37:17 3:05:03
  15 08:38:38 25 McKenzie, Luke Tweed Heads NSW AUS 50:51 4:37:29 3:06:19

  Source: Ironman.com

  Andy Potts, Cameron Brown, Chris Lieto, Chris McCormack, Country, Craig Alexander, Ironman, Terenzo Bozzone, Triathlon News, USA

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• Update From Kieran Doe (Doeboy)

  Posted on October 5th, 2009 admin No comments

  Hi,

  My last few weeks of Training have been fantastic due to my last training
  block of key sessions which my team and I devised. I am in some of my best
  form and full of confidence with everything coming together nicely for my
  next race the ITU World Long Distance Champs in Perth in three weeks. I am
  itching to race again and can’t wait to hear that gun go off on the 25th of
  October.

  Thank you for all the continued support, I look forward to reporting back to
  you all after the race.

  All the best to Jo , T , Cam and Macca for the big one in Kona this
  weekend.

  Cheers,

  Kieran Doe
  www.doeboy.co.nz

  Kieran Doe, Triathlon News

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• Emma Moffatt Wins Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship With Grand Final Victory

  Posted on September 14th, 2009 admin No comments

  Australia’s Emma Moffatt overcame pre-race injury worries to win the 2009 Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship as she beat her main rival, Lisa Norden from Sweden, in a sprint finish to cross the line in a time of 1:59:14, winning the Series Grand Final on Australia’s Gold Coast. Andrea Hewitt of New Zealand managed to finish eighth and in so doing so secured the championship bronze medal.

  Moffatt entered the final event of the year just 120 points ahead of Norden knowing that a top two finish would ensure her the world title, however she had been suffering with a foot injury in the lead up to the race which had reduced her training.

  Starting with a beach run to the water, it was America’s Sarah Haskins who took full advantage of the ocean swells and choppy waves as she hit the front and pushed the pace along with Jessica Harrison from France. The pair exited the water after the first 750m out in front with the main pack bunched together. On the second lap Haskins increased her lead whilst Harrison dropped back into a small pack of six giving the front seven a slight break on the rest of thee field, which they were able to carry onto the 40km cycle.

  Haskins, Harrison, Norden, Moffatt, Great Britain’s defending world champion Helen Jenkins, Sarah Groff from the USA and Australia’s Annabel Luxford worked strongly to put time into the chasing athletes, which included third ranked Andrea Hewitt from New Zealand and Switzerland’s fourth ranked athlete, Daniela Ryf. Despite repeated attempts to increase the pace and track down the leaders the chasers could not organise themselves appropriately and the front seven were able to carry a fifty second lead onto the 10km run.

  Moffatt lead out of transition and looked to be the certain winner until Norden bridged up to her half way through the opening lap, putting pressure on the Aussie. With Haskins shadowing the leading pair, maintaining a twelve second gap, the possibility of Moffatt slipping out of the gold medal position was always a possibility and the raucous home support cheered her through lap after lap.

  With just one kilometre to go Moffatt made her decisive move on the final incline to try and put distance into Norden, however the Swede was able to respond. It took 800 metres of hard running for the determined Scandinavian to eventually fall off the pace, leaving Moffatt a clear run into the finish, greeted by an ecstatic Australian crowd.

  Further back Helen Jenkins stormed past Haskins on the final lap to deny USA Triathlon a podium finish at the 2009 Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship Grand Final, and in so doing overtook Haskins in the final world championships, moving up to fifth. Hewitt’s eighth place finish was enough for her to retain third position in the standings with Ryf fourth.

  “I’m absolutely delighted,” said Moffatt. “I was a bit worried having a month off running, but I knew that recovery had been going well and once I started the run I knew I had it in the bag. To come through so strongly in front of a home crowd like this is just incredible; it’s been an amazing year.”

  “I knew it was very hard to get up to third today and I hoped that Haskins or Jenkins could catch up to us,” said Norden, Sweden’s first senior elite world championship medallist. “Emma is a really strong girl, she had an injury and she came through today. I expected there to be a breakaway, but I didn’t expect to be in it. To be in the front pack today was a big step for me coming from a non-swimming background, and as a sportswoman that’s a really big achievement. It’s been an amazing year and an amazing experience.”

  “I didn’t have the best race I could,” admitted Hewitt. “I missed the front group and I had to work a lot on the bike which took it out of me on the run, but I still made the podium and I’m stoked. I knew I needed about five positions on Sarah Haskins and Helen Jenkins, but I was just trying to do my best.”

  2009 Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship
  Gold. Emma Moffatt, Australia. 4340pts / 2009 World Champion
  Silver. Lisa Norden, Sweden. 4130pts
  Bronze. Andrea Hewitt, New Zealand. 3462pts
  4. Daniela Ryf, Switzerland. 3187pts
  5. Helen Jenkins, Great Britain. 3173pts
  6. Sarah Haskins, USA. 3139pts
  7. Juri Ide, Japan. 2477pts
  8. Magali Di Marco, Switzerland. 2422pts
  9. Jessica Harrison, France. 2365pts
  10. Annabel Luxford, Australia. 2191pts

  Austria, Emma Moffat, Triathlon News

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• Snowsill out of Grand Final

  Posted on September 3rd, 2009 admin No comments

  Olympic and three-time world champion Emma Snowsill was today forced to withdraw from the upcoming Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship Grand Final on the Gold Coast, Australia due to her recent hip surgery.

  Snowsill recently returned home from racing in Europe for medical attention to a labral tear and soft cartilage injury to her hip. Whereas keyhole surgery was successful, it required her to rest the troubled joint before returning to a heavy load of training. Despite being underdone, Snowsill was keen to race, but a weekend meeting with her surgeon convinced her and coach Craig Walton that it was not worth returning too early and causing potential long term damage.

  “I am really disappointed that having the opportunity to compete at home in front of family and friends is not going to happen,” Snowsill said. “I have done everything possible I was allowed to in that short time, however, I can only be thankful it happened this year and not last year. I am still excited to witness the first Grand Final of the World Series unfold and will still feel proud to showcase our sport to the local community and the international athletes who are competing.”

  Walton said Snowsill is a fierce competitor and extremely frustrated; however, it was always going to be a tall order to get her on the start line for the Grand Final on September 13.
  “If Emma continues to push the envelope like she already has and competes with the labrum injury under repair, she would most likely be compromising the joint if she over stresses the area now, which may adversely impact on her longer term run-up to the next Olympics.”

  Snowsill’s withdrawal means all eyes will be on Emma Moffatt as she attempts to clinch her first world title in a year when, for the first time, the championship is decided over a series of races.

  Snowsill current sits 11th in the Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship rankings.

  Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU Triathlon World Championship Grand Final
  Race 8, Gold Coast, Australia
  Elite Men: Saturday, September 12, 3.15pm AEST
  Elite Women: Sunday, September 13, 2.45pm AEST

  Australia, Emma Snowsill, Olympic, Triathlon News

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