BARB
EYES ACCENTURE TITLE ON EASTER SUNDAY, AS AUSSIES
PLAY FOR COMMONWEALTH GAMES SPOT
American
triathlete Barb Lindquist is poised to become the
first foreigner to snatch victory in an Australian
women's professional racing series, with the winner
of the five round Accenture Triathlon Series decided
at Geelong this Easter Sunday (March 31st).
Lindquist
needs only to finish in the top ten on Sunday to capture
the inaugural Accenture Series and break the long
time Australian stranglehold on professional racing
titles. However, Lindquist will have a tough assignment
with her Australian rivals also racing for final selection
for the Commonwealth Games and World Championships.
While
Loretta Harrop secured her Games spot last round in
Canberra; NSW's Nicole Hackett and Michellie Jones,
now look in the best shape on the National Points
Table to score the final two berths. Hackett sits
most secure and a top three spot on Sunday will book
her seat; while Olympic silver medallist Jones needs
a good finish to be in Manchester on August 4.
Melbourne's
Emma Carney, Sydney's Melissa Ashton and Pip Taylor,
and Queensland's Rebekah Keat and Josie Loane have
all also made TA's Eligibility Squad but are relying
on a win, and bad performances by the current frontrunners,
on Sunday to make the team.
Elite
racing on the Easter Sunday gets underway with the
Accenture women's final showdown at 12 noon, followed
by the men at 2.15pm. Age groupers kick off early
with racing from 7am.
Fans
can watch the world's best for FREE with the Olympic
distance course (1500m swim; 40km bike; and 10km run)
starting at Cunningham Pier, Eastern Beach and taking
in bike and run courses that capitalise on Geelong's
picturesque Esplanade which stretches along the waterfront
and Eastern Beach.
Lindquist's
quest for the Accenture crown comes with a trace of
irony. The American admitted today, that without the
help of the Australians in training and racing, she
would not be in the position she is in.
"When
I first came to Australia and raced - I thought if
you can't beat them, join them," said Lindquist,
who has made Australia her southern summer home for
the past few years.
"Because
I raced against the tough girls here, it has made
me a better and faster athlete to the point that I
now have the luxury of beating them."
She
said Sunday's racing will be particularly tough, with
so much on the line for the Australians.
"The
race tactics won't change, but the level of play will
be a lot higher with Games selection for the Aussies.
A lot of the women are peaking for this race."
Sydney's
Michellie Jones, who was suffering from the flu for
the first selection race in Canberra, said she is
back to full fitness for the final Accenture race.
She is not yet ready to concede that the Accenture
title race is over. "The title race is not dead
because anything can happen. You still have to finish
the race - and you can't drop a race. You may be way,
way out in front - but there is always a chance that
the unforeseeable will happen."
The
Sydneysider also believes the race will be a little
harder to predict - with no one having raced over
the course before. "Geelong will be interesting
because no one has raced on the course and it will
also be a little bit different from Canberra, in the
fact the water is more salty and it could be a wet
suit swim," said Jones who will also race on
the same course for the World Cup in Geelong on April
14.
"I
just want to be up front being the rabbit rather than
the chaser and get my Games spot"said Jones who
represented Australia back in l990 at Auckland's Commonwealth
Games,when tri was a demonstration event.
With
$80,000 in prize money, a Hyundai Santa Fe Car, contract
spots for 2003 and 200 plus ITU points (International
Triathlon Union), the scene is set for some exciting
Easter racing.
Adding
further spice to the women's showdown will be the
inclusion of international competitors American Laura
Reback, New Zealand's Heather Evans and Great Britain's
Catriona Morrison.
The
racing is no less cut-throat in the men's Accenture
title race with Gold Coast's Courtney Atkinson leading
the way on 95 points, in front of Queensland training
partner Miles Stewart (87) and Kiwi Shane Reed (72),
third. Like the women, the men are racing for an additional
two Commonwealth Games, and four World Championship
team positions.
Easter
Sunday Racing Schedule - FREE FOR ALL SPECTATORS!!!!
Elite Age Group Racing - 7am
Accenture Women's Race - 12pm
Accenture Men's Race - 2.15pm
Race
Course
Swim: 1.5km swim loop - Adjacent to Cunningham Pier
Bike Leg: 40km - 6 laps of a 6.6km loop. From Eastern
Beach & Rippleside Park
Run Leg: 10km - 3 laps of a 3.3km loop. Between Eastern
and Western Beach. Easter Sunday
For
further information contact Ingrid Roepers or Sara
Jane Morris of IRPR on
(02) 9360 1166/ 04 111 989 44.
