ITU Media Release: 20 July 2003 – For immediate release |
| Corner
Brook, Newfoundland: Race Synopsis for immediate use: Jill Savege,
Canada and Hamish Carter of New Zealand won the 6th stage of the 2003
ITU Triathlon World Cup in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. In the women's
event, Savege worked with American teammates Sheila Taormina and Susan
William through the swim and bike sections, then left them behind on the
final 10km run, finishing over 30 seconds ahead of Taormina. In the men's
event Australia's Craig Walton built up a sizeable lead on the swim and
early bike before being caught by Kiwi teammates Hamish Carter and Bevan
Docherty. The trio built up almost a 3-minute lead on the bike before
Walton had to retire due to a foot infection. Carter ran away with the
event on the run to finish almost 30 seconds ahead of Docherty. Doug Friman
of the USA was 3rd. Olympic champion Simon Whitfield, Canada ran into
4th place after being forced to cycle 2 laps on the bike with a flat time.
The next World Cup event will take place in Salford, England on 27 July
2003. The story in detail: It was a perfect day for triathlon in Corner Brook, Newfoundland for the 6th stop on the 2003 World Cup: water temperatures just below 19oC, with the weather overcast, 21oC, humid and a gentle breeze. Sheila Taormina of the United States, a gold medallist in swimming from the Atlanta Olympic Games moved immediately to the front of the 1.5km swim with Sandra Soldan of Brazil, Jill Savege of Canada, Sylvia Gemignani of Italy and American teammates Joanna Zeiger and Susan Williams all trying to stay with Taormina in an effort to be in the lead group on the 6 lap 40km challenging bike course. By the swim to bike transition a group of 9 formed at the front led by Gemignani who was first out of the water followed by Taormina. The group included all of the leaders in the swim as well as Nina Anisimova of Russia, Teresa Macel, and Kathleen Smet from Belgium - the 2002 European Champion. The chase group was led out of the water by Canada's Carol Montgomery and Emma Carney from Australia over 40 seconds behind. Taormina tried to break from the leaders on the 1st lap of the bike but was soon reeled back as the lead group settled down and started to increase their lead on the chase group that included many good runners. Susan Williams attempted to breakaway on the 2nd lap, but was pulled back by Joanna Zeiger and Tereza Macel. On lap 4 Anisimova, Gemignani and Macel were dropped by lead group on the hill and by the start of the bell lap were over 1 minute back and in danger of being swallowed by the big pack led by Montgomery, Carney, Portugal's Vanessa Fernandez and Natalie Daumas from France. After a quick bike to run transition, Taormina was 1st onto the 4-lap 10km run course with Savege on her heels followed by Williams, Smet and Soldan. Joanna Zeiger, riding with borrowed bike shoes crashed at the entrance to transition and appeared to be injured, but gathered herself up and continued the run leg. Despite a deficit of over 4 minutes, Carol Montgomery and Italian teammates Beatrice Lanza and Nadia Cortassa soon settled into the hunt for the leaders. After 2 laps on the run, Sheila Taormina and Jill Savege were still running shoulder to shoulder at the front, with Susan Williams 10 seconds back. Kathleen Smet was a further 10 seconds back in 4th with Sandra Soldan in 5th Jill Savege put the pedal down on the final lap and ran home for her first World Cup win of the season, 30 seconds ahead Sheila Taormina who was 2nd. Susan Williams of the USA won her first podium finish by placing 3rd, with Sandra Soldan of Brazil and Kathleen Smet of Belgium rounding out the top 5. In the men's event Australia's Craig Walton took a predictable early lead in the swim followed closely by Axel Zeebroek of Belgium and Marko Albert of Estonia. Walton won World Cup titles on this course in 1998, 1999 and 2000 by taking an early lead during the swim, then riding the challenging bike course alone to build up a big enough lead to run home for the win. By the end of the swim Walton had a lead of 20 seconds as he stormed through the 1st transition. Hamish Carter and Bevan Docherty quickly found the solution to trying to get a large chase pack organized by first breaking away and then working together to bridge the gap to Walton. By the end of the 2nd lap Carter and Docherty had caught Walton and the trio at the front turned into a solid unit that increased their lead over the chase group on each of the remaining four laps. The chase group also broke up as a workable group of 12 broke off the front. This group included Simon Whitfield of Canada (winner of last weekend's Edmonton ITU World Cup) and perennial podium finisher Martin Krnavek of the Czech Republic as well as a large group of Americans: Seth Wealing, Doug Friman, Michael Smedley, Andy Kelsey, Joe Umphenour and Brian Fleischmann. 2001 World Champion Peter Robertson of Australia was meanwhile slipping out of contention in the 3rd pack along with teammate Bryce Quirk and Canada's Sebastian LeFlamme. By the bell lap the leaders had increased their lead to 2:32 and it appeared as if the podium would be limited to the lead group of Walton, Carter and Docherty. However, Craig Walton who came into this event suffering from a foot infection was forced to withdraw from the event at the start of the run, leaving it up to Carter and Docherty to fight it out for the top of the podium. Carter, who hasn't won a World Cup event since 2000 had a little more fire in his belly on this day as he pulled away from Docherty on each of the 4 laps. Simon Whitfield flatted on lap 4 of the bike and had to ride 2 laps on a flat tire, which increased his deficit from the leaders after the bike to run transition. Carter and Docherty's lead was insurmountable for 1st and 2nd place, so attention turned to the battle for the last podium step taking place further back in the field. Michael Smedley and Martin Krnavek appeared most determined during the first half of the race until Doug Friman moved up with the duo and Simon Whitfield ran through the field into contention. Although Whitfield stirred the home-country fans that lined the course into a frenzy for their hero, it would be Doug Friman's day to take his first ever podium finish in a World Cup event almost 3 minutes behind Hamish Carter. Hamish Carter was gracious in his victory praising the work done on the bike by teammate Bevan Docherty and Craig Walton. "Craig was a "king-maker" today - he worked as a real team player on the bike - none of us knew how much pain and discomfort that he was in. There is no question that his efforts on the bike made it possible for us to build up that lead" Canada's Minister of Sport, the Honorable Paul Devillier and Newfoundland's Premier Roger Grimes presided over the podium presentations. |
|
Place |
Name |
Country |
Finish Time |
|
1 |
Jill Savege |
CAN |
2:05:26 |
|
2 |
Sheila TAORMINA |
USA |
2:05:59 |
|
3 |
Susan WILLIAMS |
USA |
2:06:21 |
|
4 |
Sandra SOLDAN |
BRA |
2:06:49 |
|
5 |
Kathleen SMET |
BEL |
2:07:09 |
|
6 |
Nadia CORTASSA |
ITA |
2:09:21 |
|
7 |
Carol MONTGOMERY |
CAN |
2:09:26 |
|
8 |
Beatrice LANZA |
ITA |
2:09:37 |
|
9 |
Emma CARNEY |
AUS |
2:10:02 |
|
10 |
Renata BERKOVA |
CZE |
2:10:16 |
|
Place |
Name |
Country |
Finish Time |
|
1 |
Hamish CARTER |
NZL |
1:51:49 |
|
2 |
Bevan DOCHERTY |
NZL |
1:52:17 |
|
3 |
Doug FRIMAN |
USA |
1:54:39 |
|
4 |
Simon WHITFIELD |
CAN |
1:54:53 |
|
5 |
Seth WEALING |
USA |
1:55:01 |
|
6 |
Marko ALBERT |
EST |
1:55:13 |
|
7 |
Andrea D'AQUINO |
ITA |
1:55:19 |
|
8 |
Michael SMEDLEY |
USA |
1:55:30 |
|
9 |
Brian FLEISCHMANN |
USA |
1:55:33 |
|
10 |
Joe UMPHENOUR |
USA |
1:55:40 |