Seven top 20 placings on day one of world champs
The BG World Triathlon Championships got underway in wet and cold conditions in Germany overnight with the completion of the Junior (19) and U23 races for both men and women.
The weather conditions resulted in a number of spills on the bike, one of which affected U23 hopes Martin van Barneveld and Will Curtayne as they were amongst a number to crash on the last lap of their 40km bike leg, leaving both Kiwis at the back of the field heading into transition off the bike. Both were able to remount though and continue racing, eventually finishing inside the top 20 with strong performances on the run leg.
Overall New Zealand placed in the top 20 seven times, with the most consistent results coming from the U19 men with all three Kiwi athletes achieving that goal including the Hoetjes brothers from Christchurch.
Best of the New Zealanders was Northland's Kelly Bruce in 8th place in the U23 women's race.
Triathlon New Zealand High Performance Director Stephen Farrell described a tough day overall, one that was impacted heavily by the weather.
"The weather played a big part today and saw many athletes from all nations caught out thinking that the bike groups would all come together before the run. The wet conditions changed the approach and changed tactics, with everyone too scared to risk putting pressure on the bike to catch up. This impacted on a number of our athletes and left them too far off the pace heading into the run."
"Kelly Bruce was superb today with her recent work at the Tri NZ base paying off. She enjoyed a big run and showed some great bike handling skills in difficult conditions. Given Jos Hoetjes is still just 17 years old and inexperienced his result (17 th) in the U19's is great but older brother Ben will be disappointed not to top ten. He just missed the swim leaders but whole race slipped away from that point given those tactics I described earlier, despite both him and Ryan (Sissons) running well."
Farrell said today's tactics and weather will have fired a warning shot for the big races still to come.
"The elites will have to be wary of the weather and consider their tactics; if it is wet they must get on the lead bike group as quickly as they can. Bunches are sorted early on this course if there is rain about; races are won or lost then. The advantage the older athletes have though is experience from the World Cup races so this should not come as a surprise to them."
"The good news is a top 25 finish here in the U23's qualifies up to four extra spots over and above the two allocated to each country for next years World Championships. This means that we have already secured five places in the women's and four in the men's on the back of today's results, achieved in difficult conditions."
The elite women race overnight tonight NZT and the men on Sunday night.
2007 Hamburg BG World Triathlon Championship
Junior (U19) Women results – 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run
1
H. AVIL (GBR)
00:59:43
2
A. GENTLE (AUS)
+ 0:00:11
3
R. ROBISCH (GER)
+ 0:00:26
4
Y. YELISTRATOVA (UKR)
+ 0:00:53
5
Z. TOTH (HUN)
+ 0:01:01
PLUS
NZers
36
N. MCKAY (Tauranga/NZL)
+ 0:03:59
49
T. STEENS (Tauranga/NZL)
+ 0:05:34
2007 Hamburg BG World Triathlon Championship
Junior (U19) Men results – 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run
1
A. RAPHAEL (FRA)
00:53:43
2
A. BROWNLEE (GBR)
+ 0:00:25
3
V. LUIS (FRA)
+ 0:00:31
4
A. PARIENKO (RUS)
+ 0:00:48
5
D. VASILIEV (RUS)
+ 0:00:56
PLUS
NZers
14
B. HOETJES (Christchurch/NZL)
+ 0:01:39
17
J. HOETJES (Christchurch/NZL)
+ 0:01:51
20
R. SISSONS (Auckland/NZL)
+ 0:02:13
2007 Hamburg BG World Triathlon Championship
U23 Women Results – 1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run
1
L. NORDEN (SWE)
02:01:24
2
J. OEINCK (USA)
+ 0:00:50
3
R. KOCH (HUN)
+ 0:01:16
4
R. CLARKE (GBR)
+ 0:01:20
5
A. YATSENKO (RUS)
+ 0:02:18
PLUS
NZers
8
K. BRUCE (Maungaturoto/NZL)
+ 0:02:58
11
J. SEEBOLD (Auckland/NZL)
+ 0:03:44
23
S. BRYANT (Dunedin/NZL)
+ 0:06:31
2007 Hamburg BG World Triathlon Championship
U23 Men Results – 1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run
1
G. BUCHHOLZ (GER)
01:49:31
2
B. SEXTON (AUS)
+ 0:00:03
3
I. VASILIEV (RUS)
+ 0:00:09
4
R. NICHOLLS (GBR)
+ 0:00:13
5
S. RANK (GER)
+ 0:00:14
PLUS
NZers
12
W. CURTAYNE (Auckland/NZL)
+ 0:01:36
20
M. VAN BARNEVELD (Wellington/NZL)
+ 0:02:17
37
T. DODDS (Wanaka/NZL)
+ 0:04:14
Elite Female
12.50am, Sunday 2nd September
Athlete City ITU rank
Sam Warriner Whangarei 3
Debbie Tanner Auckland 5
Evelyn Williamson Kapiti Coast 61
Taryn McLeod Dunedin 78
Elite Male
1.00am, Monday 3rd September
Athlete City ITU rank
Bevan Docherty Auckland 3
Kris Gemmell Palmerston Nth 4
Shane Reed New Plymouth 10
Clark Ellice New Plymouth 66
Terenzo Bozzone North Shore 73
For more information in Hamburg, contact:
PLEASE NOTE TIME DIFFERENCE, HAMBURG IS TEN HOURS BEHIND NZ