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MOOLOOLABA, Australia (March 26, 2007) -- Laura Bennett opened the 2007 ITU World Cup campaign with an eighth place finish in Mooloolaba, Australia. For the American men, the top finisher was Matt Reed in 27th place.
Three-time world and Commonwealth Games champion Emma Snowsill of Australia won the women’s race, with a time of 1 hour 59 minutes and 20 seconds. Amongst one of the most competitive women’s fields ever assembled for a world cup, Snowsill was able to break away from her biggest rival Vanessa Fernandes of Portugal at the five kilometer mark in the run to take top spot in the first world cup of the 2007 season. Snowsill’s team mate and current Under23 world champion Erin Densham was able to pass Fernandes in the final stage to claim second place, 31 seconds back. A further 10 seconds back in third was Fernandes.
After the opening 1,500 meter ocean swim, a group of 22 athletes formed early on the bike, including all the top players such as local favorites Annabel Luxford, Felicity Abram and Emma Moffatt, American Laura Bennett, the second and third ranked Joelle Franzmann and Anja Dittmer of Germany, Junior world champion Kirsten Sweetland of Canada, the Kiwi duo of Debbie Tanner and Andrea Hewitt, as well as the eventual podium finishers. The large group was able to work together over the hilly 40 kilometer bike to build almost a minute gap on the rest of the field which included a number of strong runners such as Samantha Warriner of New Zealand, Lauren Groves of Canada and Rina Hill of Australia.
Out onto the tough and hot run course it was Snowsill, Fernandes and Tanner immediately taking the lead with Densham trailing. The first to drop off the heated pace was Tanner and at the 5 kilometer point of the run Snowsill was able to break away and cruise to her sixth world cup win.
“I knew Vanessa was there for a while,” said Snowsill. “I never at any stage knew she wasn’t there. It was all about going as hard as possible.”
The fading Fernandes was eventually overtaken in the final kilometer by a late-charging Densham.
“She’s [Fernandes] definitely up there on a pedestal with Emma. And I don’t know how to explain beating her actually, she’s such a great athlete,” said a shocked Densham. “I just went as fast as I could in the finish. I kept looking down. I could see her shadows but then the finish line just came.”
Fernandes was stopped short of her, would be, record-breaking 13th consecutive world cup win with her bronze medal.
“I never thought of it. I just wanted to win,” stated Fernandes. “I tried to go with Emma but she was very strong today on the run, and I think I’m not so good on this kind of course, with the sun on the run. I think it was because of that I lost a bit of time to Densham. I think we have another very good girl with Erin Densham. I think it’s very good for the sport.”
Bennett’s time was 2:01:56.The American contingent also included Julie Swail (19th), Sarah Haskins (25th), Becky Lavelle (36th), Rebeccah Wassner (50th), and Margaret Shapiro (DNF).
An estimated 25,000 spectators enjoyed the 32 degree temperatures to watch a total of 153 of the world’s top triathletes competing for valuable Olympic qualifying points and their share of the US$100,000 prize purse.
ITU BG Mooloolaba World Cup Top 10 – Women
1 Snowsill, Emma AUS 01:59:20
2 Densham, Erin AUS 01:59:51
3 Fernandes, Vanessa POR 02:00:01
4 Tanner, Debbie NZL 02:00:22
5 Lisk, Ricarda GER 02:00:56
6 Hewitt, Andrea NZL 02:01:09
7 Niwata, Kiyomi JPN 02:01:29
8 Luxford, Annabel AUS 02:01:47
9 Bennett, Laura USA 02:01:56
10 Dittmer Anja GER 02:02:02
Other U.S. Results
19 Swail, Julie 02:03:21
25 Haskins, Sarah 02:04:40
36 Lavelle, Becky 02:06:14
50 Wassner, Rebeccah 02:10:47
DNF Shapiro, Margaret
Full women’s results: Triathlon.org.
Photo Courtesy Of International Triathlon Union
Reed Top American
Matt Reed battled to 27th place in Mooloolaba to finish as the top among six American competitors. Reed used a strong run to pull past teammates Andy Potts and Brian Fleischmann.
Brad Kahlefeldt of Australia nipped number-one ranked Javier Gomez of Spain in a dramatic sprint finish. Kahlefeldt’s time of 1 hour 49 minutes and 23 seconds elated the large crowds gathered to cheer on their local athletes. Gomez, who led most of the run, was a mere 3 seconds back with Kris Gemmell of New Zealand claiming the final podium spot a further 10 seconds down.
“To be able to win a world cup in your home country is fantastic. I think it’s one of the best ever wins for me,” said the 5-time world cup winner Kahlefeldt. “It doesn’t get much harder then the Mooloolaba course. It was important to show the Aussie [Olympic] selectors that I can perform on a hard course and I can beat the best in the world.”
A large group of men were able to maneuver through the rough surf of the 1,500 meter swim to exit in just over 18 minutes. The strong swim-surf Aussies Craig Walton, Courtney Atkinson and Simon Thompson led the charge with American Andy Potts, Gomez and the Kiwi duo of Gemmell and Bevan Docherty in the mix.
Kahlefeldt exited the water 20 seconds back of the leaders and spent most of the 40 kilometer bike ride, which contained a total of 16 hills, in the chase group. It was not until the final stages of the bike that his group was able to close the gap, with a finishing bike split of just under 58 minutes, and exit the second transition with the leaders.
Quickly to the front of the run went Kahlefeldt, Gomez, Gemmell, Atkinson and Docherty. Gomez was the one to make the first move at the half-way point of the 10 kilometer run, pulling away from the group. It was Kahlefeldt, however, who was able to reel in the young Spaniard over the last of four laps, leaving it to a final sprint.
“I thought that I had it at the halfway point,” said Gomez, who celebrated his 24th birthday today. “But I didn’t feel good on the last lap of the run. I had a pain in my back and I couldn’t run as fast as I wanted to.”
With only 50 meters to go Kahlefeldt was finally able to pull away to the cheers of thousands of fellow Aussies. Kahlefeldt’s run spilt of 32:02 was the fastest on the day.
“The Aussie crowd was behind me the whole way, banging the barriers, and it made for a great sprint finish, said Kahlefeldt. “Javier’s run was very good today. He is such a strong athlete.”
Gemmell was able to pull away from team mate Docherty to take the bronze medal.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect this at all,” commented Gemmell, who doubles as the ITU athletes representative. “I didn’t even taper for this race. Bodes well for the rest of my season.”
After opening with a strong swim and bike, Andy Potts was forced to pull out of the race. Fellow American Brian Fleischmann had a strong day with a 29th place finish, just eight seconds back of Reed (1:53:26). Doug Friman finished in 48th, while Jarrod Shoemaker turned in a 52nd place performance. Joe Umphenour did not finish.
The 2007 BG Triathlon World Cup series will next visit the fishing island of Ishigaki, Japan in three weeks time with more Olympic qualifying points on the line.
ITU BG Mooloolaba World Cup Top 10 - Men
1 Kahlefeldt, Brad AUS 01:49:22
2 Gomez, Javier ESP 01:49:26
3 Gemmell, Kris NZL 01:49:36
4 Docherty, Bevan NZL 01:50:09
5 Atkinson, Courtney AUS 01:50:15
6 Thompson, Simon AUS 01:50:25
7 Tichelaar, Paul CAN 01:50:49
8 Reed, Shane NZL 01:50:53
9 Sexton, Brendan AUS 01:50:57
10 D'Aquino, Emilio ITA 01:51:06
U.S. Results
27 Reed, Matthew 01:53:26
29 Fleischmann, Brian 01:53:34
48 Friman, Doug 01:55:14
52 Shoemaker, Jarrod 01:55:46
DNF Potts, Andy
DNF Umphenour, Joe
Full men’s results: Triathlon.org.
About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is the national governing body for triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 2,000 races and connects with more than 85,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world.
Website: USATriathlon.org.
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