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1^st 4:09:00

Swim 26:08 (4th)              
Bike 2:23:38 (2nd)              
Run 1:16:28 (1st)
 

Melissa Rollison 55 (and an Aussie flag). This is what I see when I rack my bike in T1 Sunday morning. I've got my own bike rack with my name on it. How cool is that? Usually we just rack by our number.
 
I'm putting on my wetsuit. All the cameras are on Mirinda Carfrae. She's also trying to get into her wetty, with cameras in her face. Spectators taking photos. I guess she’s used to this, she's a champion. The current World Ironman Champion. 
 
We're treading water between the two buoys, waiting for the deep water start. The commentator is counting us down. 5,4,3,2,1…GO! "Be aggressive Mel, start hard, stay with them, get on their feet" I keep repeating to myself. I know I need a good swim in this race. I'm up against some tough competitors. I can't give away too much time in the swim. The swim course is straight up and straight back. Surely this means I shouldn't have directional issues this time, the river isn't that wide. It’s also very shallow. At one point I followed the cue of the other girls and was even dolphin diving for what seemed like a good 50m. I see the swim finish, my feet touch the ground, I grab for my wetty strap and start pulling it off. As I'm running to my bike I hear the commentator say "and here's Melissa Rollison in 4th, three girls are 2minutes up the road". No way! Oh my god, 4th, me, are you sure??? Only two minutes down on the leaders...does this mean Mirinda is behind me? Wow! I start fumbling around trying to get my wetty off. I can't get it off. It's stuck like glue to my ankles. I try jumping on it, pulling it, yanking it, I fall over (I sure hope the photographers weren't capturing this) and dig my fingers in and eventually get the thing off. Even trying to get the wetty into the plastic bag seemed like a mission. The race starts and finishes at different points so I HAD to get it in the bag and tie it up otherwise I may not get it all back at the other end.
 
I get 'Buddy' (my bike) out of transition and onto the road and try to relax and settle into a good pace. That's not happening on this course. Out of the saddle, in the saddle, out of the saddle, climbing, winding, bumping all over the road. What a bike course. It was definitely an interesting one. The hills were good, the windy roads were fun but the road surface was in a pretty bad state. If I finish this bike course with two working wheels that'll be awesome :-)
 
I hardly even looked at my Garmin, my speed was all over the place and besides I was too focussed on looking out for potholes and weaving over the road to find the best surface.

It wasn't until almost 75km that I caught two out of the three girls ahead of me. So that left just Leanda up ahead. 10km to go, almost there. I've only had 3 out of my 5 gels. With such a technical and bumpy course I found it hard to eat and drink. I better get another one in before I start the run. I don't like taking in gels on the run. I carry one, just in case I need it but very rarely do I use it. I rip it off my bike where I have them taped, take a mouthful then I see a massive bump in the road, there's no avoiding this one, it goes right across the road. I hold on to my bars with the gel in my hand... Bang! The gel covers my hand. I’ve just run out of water and the gel is drying fast, my hand is sticking to my handlebars. This stuff dries like glue!
 
Rack my bike, chuck on my Nikes, and I'm off running. I get into a comfortable pace then hit my watch to start clicking the miles. 5:37, a little fast, 6 flat, perfect, 6:02, I take the lead, 6:00, 5:44, 5:54, the course has some nice hills, 5:54, 5:52, 5:55, my stomach starts to churn, argghh... 6:00, ok the churning stomach has passed. I pass a pro man "damn, I've officially been chicked" he says as I run past. 5:57... 1mile to go... I think it's mine. I'm feeling great, the spectators on the side of the road start getting thicker, 
they’re all cheering... I see the finish chute. I look around and enjoy the experience. I cross the line 4:09 flat. Course record by over 6minutes. Plus run record. My Homestay host, Barbara, who was volunteering puts a finishers medal around my neck. 
 
What an amazing feeling! Up against some of the best in the world... And I won! I'm so happy. But how was my swim?? Did you see my swim? I still can't get over my swim :-)
 
"You've got a big target on your head now" the commentator says to me after I cross the line.

Barbara and Pat Ryan

Thanks again to all my sponsors, supporters, manager, partner. I wouldn't be here without you!
 
Barabra and Pat Ryan from Santa Rosa were my lovely Homestay hosts this trip and what a fantastic couple they are. My trip ran so smoothly thanks to all their help. And thank you very much Barbara for the wonderful photos.
 
Scody.  Avanti.  Connectel. Compressport.  Rudy Project. Continental.  Nike.  SiS.  WRCC. Ifeelgood24/7.  Aquashop.  Rideoz. Cadence

Hamburg, Germany (16 July 2011) - Australian Brad Kahlefeldt got his 2011 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship season back on track in the best possible style, claiming his first ever series win in a thrilling sprint finish in Hamburg.

 

Kahlefeldt just managed to hold off Great Britain's  William Clarke  and France's David Hauss, powering away from both in the final 50 metres in one of the most interesting series races so far this season.

Photo: Delly Carr / ITU

 

Without series leader Alistair Brownlee (GBR) in the field, there was plenty of cat and mouse games being played throughout the bike as several pairs tried to breakaway, but in the end a huge group of about 50 athletes hit T2 together, setting up a showdown on the 10km run. Just before halfway, a breakaway group of eight turned into six as Kahlefeldt, Clarke, Hauss, Javier Gomez (ESP), Joao Silva (POR) and Sebastian Rank (GER) started to build an unbeatable lead. Then with three kilometres to go, reigning Hamburg champion, Gomez tried to turn on his signature burn. But it wasn't effective this time as Kahlefeldt and Clarke stuck right to his heels. Then with one kilometre to go, Kahlefeldt, Hauss and Clarke went for it. The excitement continued to the final few steps, as until the last 50 metres it looked like Clarke had the win, before Kahlefeldt found that other gear he's employed so successfully in the past to burst through the tape. It was a blistering run, with the first four all breaking the 30-minute barrier and the top 13 finishing within a minute of Kahlefeldt.

 

It marked a big step in the Australian's season, after initially getting off to a great start to the 2011 season with a World Cup win in Mooloolaba, last year's overall bronze medallist didn't finish in Sydney and finished 51st in Madrid. But after a fifth place in Kitzbühel, and a period of sustained success in Hamburg, he said he wasn't settling for second this time.

 

"I've been to Hamburg many times, I think its my ninth time here - it's showing my age - but I got my first podium here in 2003 with a sprint finish between Andrew Johns and Bevan Docherty, so that was my first podium ever in a World Cup," Kahlefeldt said. 

 

"Then I think what was it after that, I think 2004 it was a top five finish and 2005 I think I was up there again, then 2006 another podium, 2007 another podium, 2009 another podium. So I've been very very close to winning many times but I just couldn't get the win, so I was thinking about that today and then on the final lap I knew I just finally had to try and get this win in. Because it's my favourite race on the circuit and I'm just very, very happy."

 

Kahlefeldt became just the seventh man to win a round of the Dextro Energy Triathlon Series since it was introduced as the new ITU World Championship series in 2009. It was also the first series podium, male or female, for an Australian triathlete in 2011.

 

It was also a huge breakthrough day for Clarke - with his first Dextro Energy Triathlon Series podium. His previous best was the fourth place he claimed in Kitzbühel just last month.

 

"I rounded that corner and I saw the finish line and I was like, just give 100 per cent now and I think I sacrificed myself a little bit early," Clarke said. "But I'm still absolutely delighted to get second, to be honest it's a bit more than I thought, I'm just over the moon I've been dreaming about this for a long time."

 

Hauss said his strategy had paid off, particulary after the wetsuit swim - which was confirmed after the water temperature was measured at 19 degrees - had initially put him back.

 

"I made a really bad swim with the wetsuit, but I keep going and I tried to push so that I was in control during the race and then after the bike I was in pretty confident with my run," he said. "So I wait for a chance in the race and then in the last bit I tried to break away and, I'm really really happy as I haven't got good results in my last races." 

 

The result also changes the top of the Dextro Energy Triathlon Series leaderboard at the halfway mark. Gomez's eventual sixth place was enough for him to take the lead from Alistair Brownlee - who didn't race in Hamburg - but the podium finishes really paid off for Clarke and Hauss, who moved up to second and third respectively. Gomez now has 2026 points, just ahead of Clarke at 1935 and Hauss at 1905. Sven Riederer (SUI) is in fourth overall and Alexander Brukhankov (RUS) in fifth. Kahlefeldt moved up seven places, to ninth, thanks to his win.

 

In other notable results, Chris McCormack (AUS) finished 26th in his second ITU comeback race. McCormack led the second chase pack as it aimed to bridge a 24 second intitial gap, and eventually did, and then crossed the line 26th place. It proved to be another unlucky day for reigning Olympic champion Jan Frodeno, who hasn't yet been able to win the race in his home town. Frodeno was at the front from the swim, before a problem with his bike in the final lap and eventually finished 43rd.

 

Hamburg marks the halfway point of the 2011 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series, with London, Lausanne and the Beijing Grand Final to come.

 

Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Hamburg - July 16, 2011           

Final Results - Elite Men - Official - 1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run                                                                                   

Gold - Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) - 1:44:08                                                                            

Silver - William Clarke (GBR) - 1:44:09                                                                 

Bronze - David Hauss (FRA) - 1:44:09                                                                                

4th - Sebastian Rank (GER) - 1:44:12                                                                                     

5th - Joao Silva (POR) - 1:44:16                                                                                    

6th - Javier Gomez (ESP) - 1:44:19                                                                                     

7th - Tim Don (GBR) - 1:44:33                                                                               

8th - Reto Hug (SUI) - 1:44:35                                                                                   

9th - Jonathan Zipf (GER) - 1:44:44                                                                                       

10th - Sven Riederer (SUI) - 1:44:56

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Back in February Josh and I decided that I would to attempt to qualify for the 2011 World 70.3 Championships which are to be held in Las Vegas in September. The new WTC qualifying criteria for professionals state that the top 25 females on the ranking points as of July 18 would gain a start, with points from an athletes best five 70.3 results going towards ranking points. As of the end of April I had not yet raced in any 70.3 races, so it was always going to be a tough ask to fit in 5 races between then and now. However we worked out a plan that would hopefully provide me with the best opportunity to make the cut, as such I have raced five 70.3's in the past 10 weeks - Port Macquarie (April 29), Busselton (May 7), Kansas (June 12), Buffalo Springs (June 26) and Muncie (July 9). Not surprisingly my best results have come when I have been at my freshest (2nd at Port Mac and 4th at Kansas). 

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1st 4:08:48  Swim - 30:10 (8th)         
Cycle -2:16:47(2nd)          
Run - 1:19:19 (1st)
 
We dive into Prairie Creek Reservior, I position myself to the right of all the other athletes. In previous races I've been swimming off track. I always veer right and find myself heading way off course. Positioning myself to the right to start may seem strange if thats the way I tend to head but I breath only to the left when racing. So this way I figure I will see myself heading off track if I do this. It worked. My swim coach, Zane King back in Brisbane also spent a lot of time with me before I headed to the states, teaching me to swim straighter. It did help that the swim bouys were huge, bright and many of them. I think one of the best marked swim courses I've done. I had a slow start, or my competitors had a fast start, I couldn't keep up. This may have been due to not warming up. I didn't get a swim before the start as I was frantically running around looking for a timing chip strap. Once everyone settled into their pace I found myself passing athletes, something I've never done before in the swim leg so this was encouraging. I ran out of the water in 8th place. There were 19 professional female starters. Obviously still not as strong a swimmer as the leaders who still managed to put 2min 50sec into me but I was fairly happy with my swim. 
 
We had a long transition to the bike. This was nice. It gave me a chance to get my legs going before I jumped on 'Buddy', my trusty Avanti Chrono TT bike. I lost a couple of spots briefly in transition as I tried to get my race belt on as quick as possible. I noticed I was one of only a few that didn't wear a speed suit over my tri suit. Many of the girls already had there race belt on under their suit. They must have been quick to get their suit off as they were off before me. 
 

I didn't know how far I was down on the leaders but I knew I had to work hard. My partner, Jared had given me the heads up that Cave was a very strong swimmer/cyclist and Williamson was a great swimmer/runner so I knew I had my work cut out for me. I couldn't let Cave gap me too much more and I had to try and catch Williamson on the bike. I had no idea where I was placed, how much time I was down and who any of them were so I just rode hard. My bike time of 2:16:47 was 2min 13sec slower than Cave but I had caught the rest of the field. The bike course was flat. Very flat. We had a few slight climbs but nothing you really had to get out of your saddle for. What made it a little difficult was the wind. We had long straight roads so we had a long time into a head wind but then also a long time into a nice tail wind. For the first half of bike leg my left leg felt 'dead'. It felt really tight and fatigued. But after about 40km I started to feel good.
 
90km complete, I quickly rack my bike, grab my SiS visor and head off for the run. I have an official course bike riding next to me. I'm puffing hard and my legs feel terrible and I yell to him "what's my position?". He said "your in second about 4min down". 4 minutes...whoa! That's tough but doable I think to myself. I later found out I was in fact over 5min down on the leader. After a mile I feel great. I get my running legs and settle into a comfortable pace. The course had some rolling hills and was an out and back course so you could only see your competitors once you hit half way. I'm about a quarter of the way through the run and some nice spectator tells me I'm 2min behind the leader. "Awesome" I think to myself. "I can keep up this pace and catch her by half way". But there is also this thought running through my head "I'm WAY ahead of the pace Jared told me I should sit on". I'm clocking every mile on my watch and I'm running too fast. I've only been back running for 5-6 weeks since taking time off after rolling my ankle. But I'm feeling good and it feels very comfortable. I tell myself, I'll slow a little and catch her by 10mile. This is what I told myself to do but I couldn't help myself, I kept the same pace and caught her at mile 8. I ran past still feeling great. "Ok, now slow down, your in the lead".  I put the brakes on a little but still kept the pace strong. You never know who else is coming from behind. And there was still Williamson...somewhere... don't know where...I'm sure running her way through the field...
 
I was running in my new road racing flats supplied to me by Nike ('Lunar Racers'). I haven't run in Nike before, they have just started helping me out last month. These shoes are fantastic. They're as light as a feather and you would expect them to be as hard as a rock but somehow Nike has produced this shoe that feels so soft and comfy it's like your running on clouds. 
 
Running down the finishing shute...I finally relax, give some spectators a high 5 and smile. I've done it... I've won my first race of my International season. It was an awesome feeling! My finishing time of 4:08:48 was 3:31 ahead of a fast finishing Williamson. I was 8th in the swim, I clocked the second fastest bike leg and I had the fastest run split.
 
Thank you very much to all my sponsors and supporters  Scody. Avanti. Connectel. Compressport. RudyProject. Continental. Nike. SiS. WRCC. Ifeelgood24/7. Aquashop. Rideoz. Cadence Cycling. 
 
And a special thanks to my manager Phil Stoneman - M5 Sport and Event Solutions, my partner Jared Hauschildt, and my swim coaches Brendan Capell and Zane King.

I also want to send out a big thank you to my Homestay family in Muncie, Melissa & Bill Greene and their two lovely kids Matthew & Emily. The Greene's were fantastic. They ran me around everywhere, fed me and gave me a bed and 

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An undulating single track trail run, provided a great challenge on the weekend!  In the company of 700 runners, I ran, jumped, and climbed stairs within a 10.8km circuit in the 1st round of the Salomon Trail Series, Yarra trails.  

I have had minimal running over trails recently however muscle memory (or fear) kicked in on the first descent. It certainly heightens the senses with a constantly changing surface underfoot.  

As a bonus, I had entertainment while running, with a guy yelling encouragement to himself! The outbursts were initially startling but then I started responding to his shouts as if was geeing me up to push myself along! 

I started off more conservatively than a recent 10km road race I did and it certainly paid off feeling strong over a small climb around 5k and set of stairs to ascend not far from the finish (a little brutal on the quads though!).  

At a switchback, I saw 3rd place female and that was the time to try and pick up the pace to hold onto 2nd.  It was a moment that the head said go but the legs said no.  I had a look at the watch and figured it would be about 6mins to the finish, so I could give one last push over the narrow rocky section around 9km.  I finished feeling pretty good and held 2nd place.  Surrounded by experienced mountain runners I was happy with the result.

Onto the next challenge...back to the streets for Run Melbourne, 10km, July 17.  Will be a BIG event.  

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Pontevedra, Spain, 25 June 2011 - Emmie Charayron (FRA) once again reigned supreme as a European champion, this time in the women's elite division at the 2011 ETU European Triathlon Championships. While Charayron won the 2009 Junior European Championships, she failed to medal last year as a competitor in the elite division.

 

However, she changed that this year with a beastly run to win the elite title with more than a minute run to spare. The French woman even had time to slow down to pick up her country's flag and give a few high five's along the way.

 

"I'm very, very, very happy," Charyron said. "It was very good to race here. It was a very hard race because it was hot, I am very pleased to win. I remember my first junior title and I wanted to do the same here."

 

Early on in the race, top swimmers Sarissa De Vries (NED), Margit Vanek (HUN), Jodie Stimpson (GBR), Hollie Avil (GBR) and Aileen Morrison (IRL) looked to make a break on the bike, but were shortly caught by the chase groups. Although Charayron was nearly a minute down after the swim portion of the race, she pushed the pace of the second chase group to catch the lead pack after three laps on the bike.

 

The two chase groups fused into a large pack of more than 30 athletes to make up a heavy lead pack. Throughout the bike, it was anybody's game, as the women played a giant game of cat and mouse, each jostling for positions in the front of the pack. The bike portion saw no less than fiver different leaders in it's eight-lap course.

 

Mateja Simic (SLO) looked to be a strong contender for a podium position, as one of the most consistent athletes in the swim and bike segments. Despite coming out first in T2, it didn't take long for her to be overtaken. Charyron wasted no time in unleashing her speed on the run, quickly demolishing the competition.

 

After the first lap, Charyron owned a 20-second lead, a pace which she maintained throughout the run. By the halfway-mark, she owned a 40-second advantage. She managed to increase her distance even more, running smoothly to a comfortable minute and a half win.

 

"I was in the second group out of the water, but we rode so hard to catch up," Charyron said. "On the run, I felt very good and it was amazing"

 

Midway through the run, with Charayron out of sight, it became clear the race was for a podium position between Ainhoa Murua (ESP), Vendula Frintova (CZE), Annamaria Mazzetti (ITA). While Mazzetti rode strong in the lead pack, she battled back from a six-second deficit after the first lap to join the chase run group.

 

The three ran together through the final turn, when Fritova and Mazzetti switched into high gear and sprinted towards the finish, leaving Murua behind. Going stride for stride, Frintova found some extra strength in the final 100 meters to sail past Mazzetti for the silver.    

"I didn't want to finish fourth," Mazzetti said. "I wanted a medal. To finish third is a great result.

I am very happy. In the winter, when I was training, I was dreaming of this race - the European Championships. I am very happy."

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Sydney, Australia (10 April 2011)- Javier Gomez labelled his performance in the opening round of the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series in Sydney as one of his best-ever, as he fought back from a bike crash to claim an impressive victory.

 

A downpour of rain hit the course in the second lap of the elite men's bike and from then on it almost became a survival of the fittest, particularly when Gomez went down on the bike.

 

But the reigning ITU World Champion got back on, rode the last 10 kilometres by himself and then proved his class even further when he managed to catch the leading pack.

 

It was then whether Gomez still had the legs to drop Jonathan Brownlee, Alistair Brownlee, Sven Riederer, Brendan Sexton and David Hauss. For a time it looked like the Brownlee brothers would work together to get there, but Alistair came unstuck when he fell rounding a corner in the rain and dropped off the pace.

 

Jonathan Brownlee fought to match Gomez but he couldn't as the two-time world champion broke away and finished with scintillating 30-minute, 9-second run. Brownlee ended up second, and Sven Riederer ran his way into third. But the afternoon really belonged to Gomez, and after showing his emotion with a fist-pump over the line, he said he wouldn't forget the race easily.

 

"It was definitely one of the hardest ones," Gomez said. "It doesn't happen many times that you crash and then you get up again and catch the first group again and then be the fastest runner, I'm really proud. I will always remember this race."

 

He also said it helped him to realise just how good his form was.

 

"I realised that I was fitter than I thought," he said. "I thought maybe I should give up after the crash, the time (gap) was a bit far and I wasn't sure if I would catch them or not and the rain and I realised I was really strong today."

 

Overall, the British men's team had a strong day with Jonathan Brownlee making the podium, Tim Don coming in sixth - 11 years after he competed in the Sydney Olympic Games Triathlon - and Will Clarke finishing ninth. Alistair Brownlee finished in 29^th place, but if he hadn't have fallen, the Brits may have had four men within the top ten.

 

Sexton backed up his impressive silver medal from Mooloolaba two weeks ago with a solid fourth place here, top for the home team.

 

Last year's winner Bevan Docherty finished 18^th, 2008 Olympic champion Jan Frodeno finished 45^th, while 2011 Mooloolaba winner and last year's world championship bronze medallist Brad Kahlefeldt did not finish.

 

Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Sydney - April 10, 2011 

Final Results - Elite Men - Official

1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run

Gold - Javier Gomez (ESP) 1:50:22

Silver - Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 1:50:29

Bronze - Sven Riederer (SUI) 1:50:34

4th - Brendan Sexton (AUS) 1:50:41

5th - David Hauss (FRA) 1:50:49

6th - Tim Don (GBR) 1:50:58

7th - Jonathan Zipf (GER) 1:51:04

8th - Joao Silva (POR) 1:51:18

9th - Will Clarke (GBR) 1:51:20

10th - Dmitry Polyansky (RUS) 1:51:27 

Click here for full field results 

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Olympic triathletes Emma Moffatt and Brad Kahlefeldt have kick-started their 2011 World Championship campaigns with stunning victories in the Australian Sprint Triathlon Championships in Geelong today.

 

First it was two-time and defending world champion Moffatt who showed all her class, who scampered away on the final lap of the run to beat Canadian Kirsten Sweetland to win her second National Sprint title.

 

Then it was boyfriend and coach Kahlefeldt's turn to tame the picturesque 750 metre swim; 20 kilometre bike and five kilometre run course.

 

Kahlefeldt showed why he is one of Australia's best hopes for next year’s London Olympics with a brilliant run leg, which showed his class.

 

The Beijing Olympian, who finished third in last year’s World Championship Series, produced one his best ever swims.

 

He emerged after the 750m swim in fifth place, just five seconds behind leader, Alstonville’s Clayton Fettell.

 

It enabled him to stay within striking distance on the four-lap bike leg with less than a minute separating the first half of the field.

 

Kahlefeldt pushed the go button on the first lap of the run and it was all over bar the shouting as he joined French Olympian Laurent Vidal, Australia’s Brendan Sexton and British Olympian and under 23 World Champion who all positioned themselves for the run home.

 

The Wagga-born, Gold Coast-based Kahlefeldt crusied to the line, leaving Vidal in second and Sexton a brilliant third, ahead of Clarke.

Kahlefeldt admitted he felt “pretty sluggish” the whole day being his first race back. 

 

“I’ve been swimming a lot in training and the swim felt quite good out there, sitting about third or fourth the whole way through which was nice,” said Kahlefeldt.

 

“It’s a nice improvement from sitting back in 20^th spot where I was a couple years ago. 

 

“The heart rate was high on the bike and I got off pretty tired although I wasn’t sure how I was going to go after the one lap because there was a few boys with me. 

 

“I just stuck to it and I knew in the closing stages I’d probably come through.

 

“I just kept the tempo on at the three-km where I surged, and tried to open up a gap, those guys would have to do a lot coming from the last kilometre.  I had a decent lead by then, a nice buffer, so I could just cruise home.

 

“I’m very happy with my first Australian Sprint Championship; I’ve won three Olympic Distance Australian Championships but never a sprint so that is pretty special.”

 

Twenty-six-year-old Moffatt took control of the women’s race on the final lap of the five-kilometre run course to record a comfortable victory.

 

The Olympic bronze medallist made her move on Sweetland on the final hill climb and was never headed.

 

The pair had rubbed shoulders through the first four kilometres but it was Moffatt who was full of running.

 

Sweetland hung on for second and it was Australia's Under 23 world Champion Emma Jackson who produced a brilliant sprint finish to hold off fellow Australian Felicity Sheedy-Ryan for third.

Moffat, in her first race back since wrapping up her second World Championship in Budapest last September, led the 15-strong field out of the swim.

 

Gold Coast-based British Olympian Blatchford, Canadian Olympian Sweetland and Jackson were close behind.

 

The leading foursome shared duties on the four-lap 20 kilometre bike course with a determined Moffatt always in control.

 

Coming into the second transition from the bike to the five-kilometre run it was Moffatt who produced a smooth change over to steal a 10 metre lead.

 

It was the kind of class which has seen the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist remain a major podium threat again for the London 2012 Olympics.

 

Today's title was Moffatt's second National Sprint Championship, having won her first in Hobart in 2008.

 

And she knew she had to go from the gun.

 

"I knew that there was lots of good runners in the pack so my aim was to get out on top of the swim and hammer it a bit on those first few laps of the bike so that we could possible form a group which we did,” said Moffatt.

 

“The four of us worked well together so I knew I just had to get off and run just as hard as I swam and rode. It was a great race.

 

"We rode pretty hard and got off, Kirsten (Sweetland)  went pretty hard from the start, and I felt really good so I kicked on for the last half of the final lap.

 

"You never stop running hard until the end but running up the last hill she backed off a little bit and I just  keep going hard now and form that gap and just keep it for as long as I can.

 

"It’s a nice title to have, it’s not the main goal of this season but it’s a great way to start the year and hopefully I can continue and be consistent."

 

Moffatt and Kahlefeldt will now prepare for the second race of the Triathlon Australia Championship Series, the Mooloolaba World Cup next month.

 

The best triathletes in the world will then converge on Sydney for the first round of the Dextro Energy ITU World Championship Series in Sydney on April 9 and 10.

 

Results

Elite Men

 

1.                   Brad Kahlefeldt                   (Aust)                 53.54

2.                   Laurent Vidal                       (Fra)                    53.58

3.                   Brendan Sexton                 (Aust)                 54.03

4.                   Will Clarke                             (GBE)                  54.12

5.                   Cameron Good                   (Aust)                 54.23

6.                   Ryan Fisher                           (Aust)                 54.41

7.                   Dave Matthews                  (Aust)                 54.45

8.                   Jesse Featonby                   (Aust)                 54.48

9.                   Drew Box                              (Aust)                 54.53

10.               Mitchell Robins                   (Aust)                 54.58

 

Elite Women

1.                   Emma Moffatt                    (Aust)                 58.48

2.                   Kirsten Sweetland             (Can)                   59.09

3.                   Emma Jackson                     (Aust)                 59.42

4.                   Felicity Sheedy-Ryan        (Aust)                 59.44

5.                   Liz Blatchford                       (GBE)                  59.51

6.                   Lauren Campbell                (Can)                   1.00.34

7.                   Ashleigh Gentle                  (Aust)                 1.01.03

8.                   Charlotte McShane           (Aust)                 1:01:04

9.                   Lisa Marangon                     (Aust)                 1:01:43

10.               Vendula Frintova               (CZE)                   1:02:09

  

When I crossed the finish line in my first Half Ironman at Shepparton in November I swore I would never do one again! However I soon forgot about the pain and managed to find myself on the start line of the inaugural Falls Creek Long Course Triathlon this morning. 



I was really excited to be competing in a race at such an amazing location. For those that don't know, Falls Creek is located in the Victorian Alps, 1600m above sea level. It truly is one of the greatest places on earth and we were all so lucky to be competing there.

I had been up to Falls Creek a month earlier and had done some training over the course, so I had a fair idea of what I was in for come race day. The course is brutal, starting off with a 2km swim in 15 degree water, followed by a super hilly 80km on the bike, and finishing off with a 20km trail/cross country run. The course alone is tough enough, however we had the added bonus of altitude to contend with. This was not your average race, and I knew that the strongest athlete would come home with the goods at the end of the day. I love tough racing, so couldn't wait to get started. 



I had a great swim and came out of the water in 2nd place, about 2min down from ITU racing specialist Liz Blachford. Close behind me were Michelle Wu and Nicole Ward. I managed to have a super fast transition and went about trying to catch Liz, which I did by the end of the first lap (of three) on the bike. We were soon accompanied by Wu and stayed together for the remaining 2 laps. Coming into T2 I knew that I would have to have one of my best ever runs if I were to beat these girls, as they are both amazing athletes and have a number of titles to their names.



I managed to get out on the run course first and just focused on holding a constant pace and getting my nutrition right. As the k's ticked over I started to feel stronger and stronger and knew that if I let my lead slip now then I had missed a great opportunity, so I put all I had into getting to that finish line in the top position. I was super excited when it finally came around and I crossed the line in First Place Elite Female and Victorian Long Course Champion. 

This was a breakthrough race for me. I was really looking at giving it my all out there today and putting in 110% effort. I knew that it was time to step it up and I had to start mixing it with the big girls, especially if I want to have success in the USA this year. 



This would have to be one of the greatest triathlons I have competed in and congratulations must go to SuperSprint and Falls Creek for putting on such a fantastic event. If anyone is looking for a challenging race in one of the best locations in the world, then Falls Creek Long Course is a must for the 2012 racing calendar. Also, well done to all the other competitors out there today, just to get to the finish was a huge achievement!

I must say a massive thanks to Mum, Dad, Sam, Barb, Colin, Susannah and Coop for their race day support. Also to my amazing sponsors in Malvern Star, Peak Bike Hub, Brooks Running, Selle SMP Saddles and Team Barefoot. 

The biggest thanks must go to my coach Joshua Rix, the support, belief and advice he has provided me with is second to none and the future is exciting!

Until next time,

Take it easy...

Back to Back Race Wins for Oldfield and Sexton

VIS triathlete Brendan Sexton, and defending series champion Madeleine Oldfield, both finished up with back to back wins at Race 2 of the Gatorade Triathlon Series 2010/11 held at Elwood Beach today, Sunday 12 December 2010.

Sexton had an impressive win following a strong run leg, steaming down the finish straight ahead of former ALF player Tim Clarke and fellow VIS triathlete Jamie Huggett.

SuperSprint Race Director, David Hansen said it was great to see Clarke matching the talent of Victoria’s top triathletes in today’s stellar field.

“It was an impressive result for Tim after only just coming into the sport of triathlon after his AFL career with Hawthorn.” Mr Hansen said.

Today also marked a special occasion where Michael Forbes completed the bike leg in the Teams event, after his tragic bike accident two years ago that left him a quadriplegic.

“We were so pleased to welcome Michael back to triathlon and he is a great inspiration to us all!” said Mr Hansen.

2000 triathletes braved the tough and windy conditions at race 2, over the 500m swim, 20km ride and 5km run course.

Race 3 of Victoria’s premier triathlon series heads to Sandringham on Sunday January 9, 2011, and incorporates “The Melbourne Triathlon” (Victorian Olympic Distance Championships). Entries at 

www.supersprint.com.au

A full race report on today’s event can be found at firstoffthebike.com

Overall Elite Results

Elite Male

1.       Brendan Sexton: 54min 46sec

2.       Tim Clarke: 54min 54sec

3.       Jamie Huggett: 54min 58sec

Elite Female

1.       Madeleine Oldfield: 1hr 4min 23sec

2.       Anna Coldham (ITU Junior): 1hr 5min 21sec

3.       Kate Murphy: 1hr 5min 40sec