In the womens competition all eyes were on Emma Snowsill, the Olympic champion. Having not lost a race since September 2007, and not lost to anyone other than Beijing silver medallist Vanessa Fernandes since 2005, she was expected to clock her second win of the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series.
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However her training partner and compatriot Emma Moffatt had other ideas as she rallied strongly in the swim with the American contingent to forge a breakaway, much like in the mens race.
A small group managed to open an advantage coming onto the bike as Moffatt partnered up with 2008 world champion Helen Jenkins from Britain and Madrid winner Andrea Hewitt, amongst others. Snowsill found herself caught between the leaders and the chase pack and worked hard to try and close down the front group, but to no avail.
Luckily for the Aussie she was swept up by Switzerlands Daniela Ryf and Swedens Lisa Norden who were driving the pace of the chasers. Their tireless work combined with the lack of structure of the front runners meant that they were able to reel and catch the breakaway by the halfway point during the 40km cycle.
Once back together the American pairing of Pan American champion, Mary Beth Ellis, and 2008 world championship silver medallist, Sarah Haskins, delighted the home support by putting in an injection of pace to open up a lead of 35 seconds which they carried into second transition.
Behind them Moffatt stormed through the transition area and started strongly to chase down the Americans whilst Norden tried to retain contact whilst Snowsill suffered a poor change over and settled into an easy pace alongside Ryf. They soon caught and passed Ellis who was struggling from her exertions on the bike, but only Moffatt was able to overtake Haskins, as she took the lead after a couple of kilometres.
Norden dropped to the side of the course with cramp and lost second place to Snowsill who made her move at the halfway mark. The slight Australian looked to be running well, however the gap to Moffatt had grown too large and she was unable to make much of an impression in the leaders advantage. Ryf and Haskins duelled it out to complete the podium with the Swiss reigning under 23 world champion finally breaking the Americans resolve with a turn of pace 2.5km from the finish.
Moffatt was able to enjoy the moment as she crossed the line in 1:59:55, some 25 seconds ahead of Snowsill. Ryf finished third with Haskins mirroring the USAs best mens performance with fourth. Jenkins held off Hewitt for fifth with Frances Jess Harrison taking seventh ahead of Japans Juri Ide. Sarah Groff placed ninth for the USA with Canadas Lauren Groves clocking the third fastest run split to move from the distant chase pack into tenth.
Washington DC is a spectacular place with the history and monuments, although I didn’t get a chance to take a look during the race, joked Moffatt. I’m really happy with how it went today; it’s a hard year and you have to keep smart with your training and racing to be successful. It’s nice to know when you take the run out that hard, and to know you’re not hurting at all, that no one is catching you. It’s a great feeling!
I think the ride was really where the push began, explained Snowsill. There was even a surge in the swim right off the bat and those girls really pushed the pace to close that gap on the bike. Even then once we were together people were trying to make breakaways so we were all going really hard. It was surprisingly windy out there and we were all just hoping that the clouds didnt have any rain; thankfully they held off which was really great because that makes for such much faster racing for us.
It was a pretty rough swim with the current. I tried a couple of times to get away on the bike but with no luck, said a delighted Ryf. The run was fantastic as I managed to stay with Emma [Snowsill] for the first 5km and I am incredibly happy with my race. My finish gives me a lot of confidence. To stay and run with an Olympic champion is pretty amazing. I knew that I had to do a lot of work to keep with the best girls in the world and today I did.
Brownlees victory also took the Brit to the top of the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Rankings after the first three of the eight races. He displaces Russias Dmitry Polyansky who won the European Under 23 Championships in Italy the same weekend as the Washington race. Australias Brad Kahlefeldt managed to hold on to second ahead of compatriot Courtney Atkinson in third.
Moffatt moved into the top spot as the extra points she accumulated at the Mooloolaba World Cup triathlon took her clear of Snowsill despite them both registering a first and second from the first three races. Frances Jess Harrison slipped one place to third with Juri Ide retaining fourth.
Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship Rankings
After Race Three of Eight
1. Emma Moffatt (AUS) 1818pts
2. Emma Snowsill (AUS) 1540pts
3. Jessica Harrison (FRA) 1525pts
4. Juri Ide (JPN) 1448pts
5. Daniela Ryf (SUI) 1405pts
Washington DC Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship
1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run
Elite Women - Unofficial Results
Gold Emma Moffatt (AUS) 1:59:55
Silver Emma Snowsill (AUS) 2:00:20 +0:25
Bronze Daniela Ryf (SUI) 2:01:01 +1:06
4th Sarah Haskins (USA) 2:01:18 +1:23
5th Helen Jenkins (GBR) 2:01:27 +1:32
6th Andrea Hewitt (NZL) 2:01:44 +1:49
7th Jessica Harrison (FRA) 2:02:05 +2:10
8th Juri Ide (JPN) 2:02:28 +2:33
9th Sarah Groff (USA) 2:02:52 +2:57
10th Lauren Groves (CAN) 2:02:59 +3:04
Emma Moffatt ha logrado una victoria sorprendente en la tercera carrera de las Series del Campeonato del Mundo de Triatln ITU Dextro Energy superando a su compatriota y medallista de oro Olmpica Emma Snowsill para llevarse el triunfo. Emma cruz la lnea de meta situada en frente del Edificio del Capitolio con un tiempo de 1:55:55, lo que la coloca al frente de la Clasificacin del Campeonato del Mundo de Triatln ITU Dextro Energy.
La australiana medallista de bronce Olmpica, hizo una carrera de libro de principio a fin formando parte de un pequeo grupo en el segmento de la natacin, que logr llevar la iniciativa para conseguir una pequea ventaja. Snowsill se encontraba entre el grupo lder y el grupo perseguidor, antes de que se la uniese la suiza Daniela Ryf. El gran trabajo de la atleta suiza llev al grupo perseguidor hasta el grupo de cabeza ya que no este grupo no trabajo lo suficientemente unido para mejorar su ventaja.
En la ltima parte de los 40km el pblico local se levant de sus asientos para ver el ataque llevado a cabo por Mary Beth Ellis y Sarah Haskins. La pareja americana consigui una ventaja de 35 segundos para iniciar los 10km de carrera a pie, pero rpidamente Moffat las dara caza.
Mientras que Moffatt se colocaba lder, Lisa Norden se tuvo que echar a un lado tras 2,5km de carrera debido a los calambres que sufra despus de ir en tercera posicin. Snowsill, quien llevaba sin perder una carrera desde la Copa del Mundo de Beijing en Septiembre de 2007, segua luchando junto con Ryf, aunque Haskins segua fuerte en segunda posicin.
No sera hasta el punto medio del recorrido cuando la campeona Olmpica y de la Commonwealth hiciese su ataque ya que comenz a recortar la diferencia, pero ya era demasiado tarde ya que Moffatt cruz la lnea de meta. Snowsill se hizo con la segunda posicin y la campeona del mundo Sub 23, Ryf, encontr la energa extra necesaria en los ltimos 10 minutos para superar a Haskins y hacerse con la medalla de bronce.
Washington es un lugar espectacular por su historia y sus monumentos. Aunque no tuve la oportunidad de echar un vistazo durante la carrera! Estoy verdaderamente contenta por como ha ido hoy el da; es un ao duro y tienes que ser inteligente con tu entrenamiento y tus carreras para tener xito, dijo Moffatt. Es bueno saber que cuando estas corriendo a un ritmo alto y no tienes la sensacin de estar pasndolo mal del todo, que nadie te puede dar caza. Te sientes genial!
Fue una bonita natacin con el mar revuelto. Intent un par de veces sin suerte escaparme durante la bicicleta. La carrera a pie fue fantstica, ya que logr mantenerme con Emma [Snowsill] durante los 5 primeros kilmetros, as que estoy muy feliz con mi carrera, dijo una encantada Ryf. Mi final me da mucha confianza. Correr junto con una Campeona Olmpica es bastante sorprendente. Saba que tendra que trabajar duro para estar con las mejores chicas del mundo y hoy lo he hecho.
Clasificacin General del Campeonato del Mundo ITU2009 Dextro Energy
Despus de la Tercera de las Ocho Carreras
1. Emma Moffatt (AUS) 1818pts
2. Emma Snowsill (AUS) 1540pts
3. Jessica Harrison (FRA) 1525pts
4. Juri Ide (JPN) 1448pts
5. Daniela Ryf (SUI) 1405pts
Campeonato del Mundo de Triatln ITU Washington DC 2009 Dextro Energy
1.5km natacin, 40km bicicleta, 10km carrera a pie
Elite Femenina Resultados no oficiales
Oro Emma Moffatt (AUS) 1:59:55
Plata Emma Snowsill (AUS) 2:00:20 +0:25
Bronce Daniela Ryf (SUI) 2:01:01 +1:06
4th Sarah Haskins (USA) 2:01:18 +1:23
5th Helen Jenkins (GBR) 2:01:27 +1:32
6th Andrea Hewitt (NZL) 2:01:44 +1:49
7th Jessica Harrison (FRA) 2:02:05 +2:10
8th Juri Ide (JPN) 2:02:28 +2:33
9th Sarah Groff (USA) 2:02:52 +2:57
10th Lauren Groves (CAN) 2:02:59 +3:04