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April 14, 2008
Race Results: 2008 Women’s Ishigaki BG Triathlon World Cup
from Triathlon.org…
Australian superstar Emma Snowsill added to her extensive medal count today with a win at the Ishigaki BG Triathlon World Cup. Snowsill led from start to finish claiming her eighth world cup title in a time of 2 hours 3 minutes and 11 seconds. In second place, 29 seconds behind, was fellow Aussie and Olympic hopeful Erin Densham. A further 1 minute 45 seconds back in third was young Hollie Avil of Great Britain in her world cup debut, nipping home crowd favourite Juri Ide of Japan in an exciting sprint finish. In fifth position was Canadian Kathy Trembley.
“I just wanted to get out there and get a second hit out,” said Snowsill after her win. “I felt like I had a bit more of a plateau, not so many ups and downs. I’m really happy, 2 for 2 what more can I ask for at this stage.”
April 14, 2008
Race Results: 2008 Flora London Marathon
The 2008 World Marathon Majors (WMM) racing calendar opened today with exciting performances by both the men’s and women’s professional fields at the Flora London Marathon. Kenyan Martin Lel extended his lead for the 2007-08 series championship as he set a London course record in 2:05:15 while German Irina Mikitenko made history of her own by winning her first marathon in only her second appearance in the distance.
Points earned by the top five men and top five women finishers in London have created significant shifts in the standings for the 2007-08 crowns. Five 2008 races remain including next week’s Boston Marathon followed by the Olympic Marathons this August in Beijing. At the conclusion of the two-year series this fall, the male and female point leaders will each be awarded $500,000.
Lel’s first-place finish (25 points) has put considerable distance between him and the rest of the contenders as the Kenyan now has earned 75 points in three consecutive WMM wins at London (2007 and 2008) and New York (2007). In second place on the 2007-08 leaderboard is Abderrahim Goumri (MAR) with 30 points following a third-place finish today.
2006-07 WMM women’s champion Gete Wami extended her lead in the 07-08 series with a total 65 points following today’s third-place finish behind Mikitenko and Svetlana Zakharova (RUS). Mikitenko’s 25 first-place points vaulted her into a tie for second in the 2007-08 series with China’s Zhou Chunxiu as each woman has accumulated 40 total points.
April 11, 2008
Team Running USA Athletes - Hall, Kastor and O’Neill - Ready for Marathon Tests in London and Boston
from Running USA…
Three Team Running USA athletes - Olympians and recent national champions Ryan Hall, Deena Kastor and Kate O’Neill - are ready to race at the most important marathons to-date in 2008, the Flora London and U.S. Olympic Trials Marathons, on Sunday, April 13 and Sunday, April 20, respectively.
In London, Hall, 25, who last November won the U.S. Men’s Olympic Marathon Trials in impressive and record fashion over the hills of Central Park, returns to the site of his U.S. record debut of 2 hours, 8 minutes and 24 seconds, where he raced like a veteran and finished 7th overall against a deep international field.
This year at London, in his third marathon, the Stanford grad again faces world class competition including defending race champion Martin Lel of Kenya, 2004 Olympic Marathon gold medalist Stefano Baldini of Italy, two-time world marathon champion Jaouad Gharib and last year’s London runner-up Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco, 2007 world marathon champion Luke Kibet of Kenya and his countryman, the world half-marathon record holder Sammy Wanjiru who ran 2:06:39 in his marathon debut in Fukuoka last December and South African veteran Hendrick Ramaala.
Team Running USA Coach Terrence Mahon commented on his young charge, “Ryan’s build up to the Flora London Marathon has been his best training by far. He is stronger, faster and more relaxed when putting in the training workload required to be one of the world’s best marathoners. He is excited to test his fitness against the incredible field that they have assembled in London. We both feel that this marathon will be a great test for what lies ahead in Beijing.”
For a recent Hall interview via a podcast where he talks about his London preparations, his tapering strategy and expectations and more, visit: www.thefinalsprint.com/2008/04/tfs-running-podcast-132ryan-hall-takes-on-the-london-marathon-part-deux
A week later at the Olympic Trials over a multi-loop course in downtown Boston, Kastor and O’Neill hope to join teammate Hall on the Beijing U.S. Olympic marathon team. Based on her long list of running achievements including the first sub-2:20 marathon by a U.S. woman and her 2004 Olympic Marathon bronze medal, Kastor, 35, is the clear favorite to win the event.
According to Coach Mahon, “Deena is ready to begin her quest to a return to the Olympic podium. Her training has gone very well and she is stronger than ever. She would like nothing better than to cross that line at Boston and find out that she will share her trip to China with her training partner Kate O’Neill.”
O’Neill, 27, an Olympian (10,000 meters in 2004), ran an impressive debut (2:36:15) in the heat at Chicago in 2007 and as a result, the Yale grad, who won the 2008 USA Half-Marathon title in Houston on January 13, is also a contender for a top three finish at the Olympic Marathon Trials.
Coach Mahon further commented, “O’Neill, much like Ryan Hall, is a newcomer to the marathon but appears to be a natural for the event. Her third place finish in a hot and steamy Chicago shows that she knows how to handle whatever marathon race day throws at her. Having the advantage of being able to train with Deena Kastor on a daily basis - Kate knows what it will take to make the Olympic team and feels more confident about her chances after each training session.”
“Deena and Kate have worked extremely hard in their Trials preparations, and they will be tough to beat and will inspire each other during the race,” he added.
Other Olympic Marathon Trials contenders at Boston include two-time Olympian Elva Dryer, 2004 OMT fourth place finisher Blake Russell, Mary Akor, 2004 OMT fifth place finisher Magdalena Lewy Boulet, Samia Akbar and Desiree Davila. As past Olympic Marathon Trials have shown, however, upsets are more the rule than the exception, and someone again could “shock” the field and the pundits.
For more Olympic Trials information including the list of qualifiers and entrants, prize money, course configuration and more, go to: www.usatf.org/events/2008/OlympicTrials-Marathon-Women or http://bostontrials2008.com
April 11, 2008
Race Preview: Ishigaki - BG Triathlon World Cup race #3
from Triathlon.org
The small fishing island of Ishigaki, Japan comes alive this weekend as it hosts the longest-running world cup and a favorite stop for many of the world’s best. Last year’s women’s race was a fierce battle between Portuguese star Vanessa Fernandes, three-time world champion Emma Snowsill and 2006 winner Debbie Tanner, three of the premiere runners in the sport. Both Snowsill and Tanner will be back to battle on the tough Ishigaki course. As expected a large Japanese team will be on the start line including the veteran Olympian Kiyomi Niwata and Juri Ide who took silver at last year’s BG Triathlon World Cup finale in Israel. A number of top Europeans will also be in Ishigaki this Sunday including German Anja Dittmer, Elizabeth May of Luxembourg, Nicola Spirig and her teammate Daniela Ryf who’s coming off a fourth place finish in New Plymouth last weekend. Last year’s junior world champion Hollie Avil of Great Britain is expected to make her elite world cup debut this weekend. Click here for full women’s start list
On the men’s side, Courtney Atkinson of Australia looks to continue his mastery of the Ishigaki course with a fifth victory. The Beijing bound Atkinson considers Ishigaki to be his lucky race after losing his wedding ring during the swim three years ago. His compatriot Peter Robertson looks to rebound from a disappointing start to 2008 with a strong showing in Ishigaki. They will have to contend with a strong men’s field that is expected to include 2006 world champion Tim Don of Great Britain, two-time European champion Frederic Belaubre of France and 2000 Olympic gold medalist Simon Whitfield. Also in the mix are Rasmus Henning of Denmark, Kris Gemmell, Russian Alexander Brukhankov and Sven Riederer of Switzerland. For the home team, Hirokatsu Tayama looks to duplicate his success from last year’s season finale when he became the first Japanese triathlete to ever win a world cup title. They’ll all be vying for the US$100,000 prize purse. Click here for full men’s start list
On April 1st, ten days before the Ishigaki BG Triathlon World Cup, the podium that had been used for the Osaka Track and Field World Championship last year in September was donated to Ishigaki. This commemorated the renovation of the Ishigaki City Central Sports Park and the completion of its all-weather running track. The podium arrived at Ishigaki only through the hard work of locals and all those involved and this year it makes its debut at the Ishigaki Island Triathlon.
In addition a photo exhibition entitled “Huge Passion for a Tiny Island: Reliving the Memories” has been set up in the entrance hall of Ishigaki City Hall, and all the photos and T-shirt designs up to this year are being showcased.
April 11, 2008
US coach: Every swim record could be broken at Beijing Olympics thanks to new Speedo suit
From the Associated Press…
MANCHESTER, England (AP) -The Speedo LZR Racer swimsuit is making such a splash in the pool that U.S. coach Mark Schubert believes every record in the sport could fall at the Beijing Olympics.
Since the suit was unveiled in February, 19 long-course world records have been set and four short-course marks. The new Speedo suit has been worn in all but one of the 23 records.
At this point in 2004 - the last Olympic year - five world records had been set.
Swimming’s world governing body decided last weekend not to ban the new high-tech suit, despite claims of buoyancy and “technological doping” by some critics.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see every world record broken at the games, and hopefully we’ll get a big percentage of those,” said Schubert, one of the most outspoken supporters of the new swimsuit.
April 8, 2008
FINA rules to allow Speedo’s new LZR Racer suit
Italy coach criticizes move as ‘technological doping’
from the Associated Press…
MANCHESTER, England (AP) - If the current trend continues, world records could become the norm after the International Swimming Federation ruled Speedo’s new high-tech LZR Racer suit is legal.
The LZR has been worn for 18 of the 19 world records set since it was introduced in February. Critics have claimed the swimsuit makes competitors more buoyant, but FINA disagreed.
“There is no scientific proof that it helps somehow, to the best of FINA’s knowledge,” FINA told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
FINA is set to meet with swimsuit manufacturers at the short-course world championships this weekend in Manchester. Other companies are due to come out soon with suits to compete with the LZR.
“The meeting on Saturday is not because of this, it was already scheduled before. It’s a coincidence that FINA will be meeting with all the manufacturers - Speedo, Arena, Diana, Nike, Adidas,” FINA said.
April 6, 2008
Race Results: 2008 Women’s New Plymouth BG Triathlon World Cup
from Triathlon.org…
Moffatt takes New Plymouth gold
Australian Emma Moffatt ran away with today’s New Plymouth BG Triathlon World Cup and in the process asserted herself as the front runner for a spot on the highly competitive Australian Olympic team. She finished with a time of 2 hours, 1 minute and 1 second to collect her second career world cup title. She won’t be racing in Ishigaki next weekend and knew this was her final chance to impress Aussie Olympic selectors.
“I had a bit of pressure on myself for today to make sure I performed since and it was the last opportunity to do this, so I had to see what I could do and I guess I did it,” said Moffatt.
Just six seconds behind for the silver was Swede Lisa Norden who is enjoying a spectacular start to 2008 after taking bronze last week in Mooloolaba. It’s not only a breakthrough for Norden but also for the Team BG Elite Athlete Development Programme. Moffatt’s teammate and fellow Aussie Olympic hopeful Felicity Abram took the bronze for her first career world cup podium finish.
April 6, 2008
Race Results: 2008 Men’s New Plymouth BG Triathlon World Cup
from Triathlon.org…
Gomez storms to 9th world cup win
He was down by more than a minute after the bike but the deficit didn’t matter for world number one Javier Gomez. As he’s done so many times before, the Spanish sensation ripped through the run to win today’s New Plymouth BG Triathlon World Cup. The run course was accurately measured at 10.2 kilometers, which Gomez absolutely shredded with a superhuman run clocked at 29:37.
“It’s amazing, two weeks, two victories. This was my best race ever. It’s the best way to start the season. It was a difficult race and I am very happy.” said Gomez. “It’s a great start but the Olympics are still a ways away and there is lots to do.”
The victory comes hot on the heels of his season-opening win in Mooloolaba last weekend. Not able to keep up with his Spanish rival, Aussie Brad Kahlefeldt once again finished runner-up taking the silver 31 seconds behind. British veteran Andrew Johns made it back to the world cup podium with a bronze, his first medal since a bronze in Makuhari, Japan in 2003
April 4, 2008
2008 New Zealand Olympic Team confirmed
from the New Zealand Olympic Committee…
The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) today confirmed the final selections for both the men’s and women’s Triathlon at the Beijing Olympic Games in August.
Andrea Hewitt and Shane Reed were today announced to join Sam Warriner, Debbie Tanner, Bevan Docherty and Kris Gemmell on the start line in Beijing.
In ratifying the nominations of Hewitt and Reed and confirming their selection for Beijing, the New Zealand Olympic Selectors commented on the rigorous process that Triathlon New Zealand (Tri NZ) undertook in the selection of their athletes for the Beijing Olympic Games.
April 4, 2008
Race Preview: New Plymouth - BG Triathlon World Cup race #2
from triathlon.org…
One week after the season kicked off in Mooloolaba, Australia last weekend, the BG Triathlon World Cup series shifts to New Plymouth on the North Island of New Zealand. Since taking gold and silver at the Athens Olympics, the small country has become a triathlon powerhouse, producing numerous world cup winners including 2004 Olympic silver medalist Bevan Docherty, Kris Gemmell, along with the mighty women’s trio of Samantha Warriner, Debbie Tanner and Andrea Hewitt; all world cup winners. In 2005 in New Plymouth, Docherty and Gemmell delighted the home crowds with a Kiwi gold-silver sweep and hope to duplicate that success in 2008.
Last year’s world number three and 5-time world cup winner Samantha Warriner opens her 2008 campaign at home this weekend after opting to skip the season opener in Mooloolaba. Andrea Hewitt and Nicky Samuels will dual again, vying for Olympic selection. Hewitt pulled ahead of Samuels in the race for Beijing after finishing as the top Kiwi in Mooloolaba last weekend, a designated Olympic qualifier for Triathlon New Zealand. A large Austrian contingent that includes Olympic gold medalist Kate Allen is expected to make the trip as New Plymouth is a designated Olympic qualifier for the Austrians.
