http://www.triathlon.org/news/ en merryn.sherwood@gmail.com Copyright 2012 2012-01-31T22:30:08+00:00 http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/triathlon_tweets_of_the_week/ http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/triathlon_tweets_of_the_week/#When:03:12:37Z While pre-season training was one of the triathlete tweeps’ favourite topics this week, the conversation between ITU stars on Twitter also took in the weather, Australia Day, and some tennis. Helle Frederiksen tweeted this picturesque snap of 2008 ITU World Champion Daniel Unger on the track. Helle Frederiksen @helle_f. “Daniel Unger setting the track a light at Club La Santa. During a 20 x 400m track session last night http://fb.me/1tvBiztDy.” While cold snap in New Zealand had plenty of Kiwis talking. Debbie Tanner @debstanner. “30 degrees yesterday nek minute it’s snowing!! Thank goodness I got a rest day tomorrow! http://twitter.com/debstanner/status/162451166809178112/photo/1.” Tom Davison @tom_davison_nz. “You know its cold when there’s snow settling inside your room eh.. #summercamp http://twitter.com/tom_davison_nz/status/162458063595515904/photo/1.” Some of those completing a pre-season in the land of Aus joined in with Australia’s national day celebrations, although Brad Kahlefeldt didn’t enjoy Emma Moffatt‘s dinner suggestion. Vicky Holland @VixHolland. “awesome aussie day BBQ with @katiepure and @sportsrehabtw11 - had some roo steak to honour it!.” Brad Kahlefeldt @GOSticksy. “Kicking back for Australian day. @_Moffy suggested Mexican for dinner #unaustralian #aussieBBQ.” Then late on Thursday night, plenty of triathletes tuned into the epic Australian Open semi-final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Jamie Huggett @jamie_huggett. “Hoping fed comes through with the win! Love the way he goes about his game. #calm #ausopen.” Chris McCormack @MaccaNow. “Come on Roger!.” Vicky Holland @VixHolland. “personal opinion here, but both fed&rafa not plain their best tennis 2nite. looks like they’ll b fighting it out on willpower #truechampions.” And for those seeking a bit of triathlon nostalgia, ITU photographer Delly Carr posted this picture of four Australian triathlon legends. ITU commentator Barrie Shepley bought our attention to it. Barrie Shepley @Barrieshepley. “Awesome shot of 4 of the sport’s greatest ever triathletes racing head to head from the early 90s. http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=266797436669715&set=o.248771691812698&type=1&theater.” And finally, there was a triathlon wedding to celebrate. Hollie Avil @Hollie_Avil. “It’s wedding day! All my love to such a beautiful couple and two very inspiring people, @Teamdillon and @StuHayes13! See you at the Chapel x.” Make sure you follow the ITU... Athletes, Regions, Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania 2012-01-27T03:12:37+00:00 http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/cas_dismisses_harry_wiltshire_suspension_appeal/ http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/cas_dismisses_harry_wiltshire_suspension_appeal/#When:18:35:22Z The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeal filed by Harry Wiltshire against the International Triathlon Union (ITU) regarding a 6-month suspension imposed on him due to unsportsmanlike conduct at the European Championships on 25 June 2011. Following the elite men’s race, Wiltshire’s unsafe and unsportsmanlike conduct during 2011 Pontevedra European Championships was investigated.  The ITU Executive Board—with the exception of members from the British and Spanish federations—voted to impose a six-month suspension against Wiltshire based on violations to the ITU Competition Rules (2.1 a.) (i), 3.3 a.) (i), Appendix L 6. and Appendix L 7).  Wiltshire filed an appeal against ITU in CAS on 10 August 2011 to challenge the decision of the Executive Board.  The CAS panel reviewed video evidence and heard testimonies from Wiltshire as well as from on-course technical officials and the race referee.  The panel concluded that Wiltshire did in fact violate ITU Competition Rules with reference to “repeated unsportsmanlike conduct” and that the Executive Board had the right to sanction Wiltshire with a suspension. Furthermore, the panel decided the 6-month suspension was not evidently and grossly disproportionate as Wiltshire had contended.  As a result, Wiltshire’s appeal was dismissed and CAS required the appellant to pay ITU the amount of 2,500 Swiss Francs as compensation for this legal process. ITU is strongly committed to maintaining the integrity of the sport by ensuring athletes are competing within the competition rules and with a high degree of sportsmanship. Click here to download the full ITU Competition Rules (PDF) Athletes, Media Centre, Event Release, Regions, Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania 2012-01-06T18:35:22+00:00 http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_silvas_breakthrough_in_yokohama/ http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_silvas_breakthrough_in_yokohama/#When:04:12:51Z Portugal’s appetite for triathlon was well and truly started with Vanessa Fernandes, one of the greatest ITU triathletes in history. And therefore the excitement around Joao Silva’s season in 2010 meant the tag ‘next best thing out of Portugal’ had stuck. In that 2010 season he didn’t make the series podium, but was consistently close and his fourth place finish in the Budapest Grand Final handed him an overall fifth place finish in the series. Heading into season 2011, reigning ITU World Champion Javier Gomez had labelled him one of his biggest threats. It meant he was no longer just popular in Portugal, the whole triathlon world was watching. His results throughout the year were still promising, but for someone who had been predicted to be a real podium threat, he still hadn’t climbed onto a series one. But what was emerging was a pattern; each good result was then followed by one slightly down the pecking order. He finished eighth in Sydney, followed by 27th in Madrid, 5th in Hamburg, but then 20th in London, eighth in Lausanne, and finally 27th in the Beijing Grand Final. According to that pattern, Silva was set for another top 10 in the final race of the 2011 season in Yokohama. So it perhaps shouldn’t have been surprising that in blistering hot conditions, Silva laid down a 30-minute 14-second run – one of just two sub 30:30 times on the day – to claim his first series victory. In a weekend that already had Portugal’s attention due to the comeback of Fernandes from a seven-month lay-off, it was Silva who stole the spotlight. He said afterwards he revelled in the hot conditions. “This course suits me better than Beijing; I like it hot. I was a little disappointed after Beijing and I haven’t been back home for a long time, so it’s a great end to the season and I am really happy,” said Silva. The journey to the top for Silva hasn’t been easy. He’s battled injury problems that have stalled his development. He said at the start of this year that it was the first time he had the chance to train consistently. ALL ABOUT JOAO SILVA Age: 22 Dextro Energy Triathlon Series Wins: 1 ITU World Cup Wins: 1 Where he calls home: Benedita, Portugal “I felt like I improved so much in 2010 as until then I never had the opportunity to train continuously, mainly because of all my injuries. Perhaps now I’m a little more responsible or I’ve been fortunate but I’ve have no serious injuries which allowed me to train solidly,” he said. But there is something that... Athletes, Regions, Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania 2012-01-02T04:12:51+00:00 http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_andrea_hewitts_grand_final_redemption/ http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_andrea_hewitts_grand_final_redemption/#When:09:45:05Z Coming into the 2011 series Grand Final in Beijing it had been a case of so close, but so far, for Andrea Hewitt. A gutsy third in Sydney, fourth in Madrid, 11th in Kitzbühel, fourth in Hamburg, sixth in London and then another third in Lausanne – she had been the epitome of consistency so far. Coming into the season finale, she was just one point behind Paula Findlay in fourth spot, a podium place was well within reach. It was almost the exact same position she was in 12 months before, at the 2010 Budapest Grand Final. Except that back there, she missed out on a medal with a 22nd place finish. ALL ABOUT ANDREA Age: 29 Dextro Energy Triathlon Series Wins: 3 (2 Silver, 4 Bronze) Where she calls home: Christchurch, New Zealand You can follow Andrea on Twitter, @andreahewitt But instead of being intimidated, Hewitt used that memory to her advantage. She rode with the lead bike group, and then her and Helen Jenkins broke away early on in the run, before Hewitt sprinted away in the final few metres. While Jenkins still claimed the overall ITU World Championship, that win ensured that Hewitt stole the show in Beijing and finished with overall ITU World Championship silver. She said afterwards, she was determined not to let this one slip with last year’s finish fresh in her mind. “From the start of the run, I led the first kilometre and then as soon as Helen passed me I just hung on to her and I knew I had a little bit more energy for the last part, so I went for it soon as I came into the stadium,” Hewitt said. “Last year I was so close to getting on the podium for the world champs series, so this year coming second, it just makes up for everything.” But if Hewitt’s Beijing win was brilliant, and it was, what she did afterwards was simply remarkable. The pint-sized Kiwi backed-up just 10 days later to win in 38-degree conditions in Yokohama, with enough time to stop and high-five fans all the way down the finishing chute and still beat Emma Moffatt by 13 seconds. Her season didn’t finish there though, as she headed home for the 2011 ITU Auckland World Cup. The preview for next year’s World Triathlon Series Grand Final was not only at home, but extremely hilly course on each of the eight bike laps meant the pressure was really on. Even though she said on the bike leg afterwards, “It just kept going on and on…those hills just take everything out of the legs,” Hewitt went on to her most convincing win yet, with a margin of almost a minute separating her... Athletes, Athletes in Profile, Events, World Championship Series, Features, Regions, Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania 2011-12-20T09:45:05+00:00 http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_barbara_riveros_diaz_creates_triathlon_history_in_lausanne/ http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_barbara_riveros_diaz_creates_triathlon_history_in_lausanne/#When:05:08:46Z Lausanne is a notable city in the career of Barbara Riveros Diaz, and not just because it’s the city she was crowned World Champion in August of this year.  She had raced here before, back in 2006 at the ITU Junior World Championships, just her third international race. Back then an unknown 19-year old kid from Santiago, Chile finished the junior women’s race with an unimpressive 41st place showing.  But aside from the race, Riveros made an important connection that would change the course of her career.  She met Libby Burrell, Director of ITU’s Development programme, who was making decisions on where to invest attention into and decided Riveros had serious potential. ALL ABOUT BARBARA Age: 24 ITU Elite Sprint World Championships: 1 (2011) Dextro Energy Triathlon Series wins: 2 Where she calls home: Santiago, Chile You can find out more about Barbara on her website “Barbara was very unpolished at that time but I decided she was definitely worth the effort,” said Burrell.  “She has a mental ability second to none.  I’ve been coaching a long time but her resilience is something I haven’t ever seen in my life before.” Fast forward five years later, after a few years in the ITU Development programme and after qualifying for the Beijing Olympic Games, Riveros is back in Lausanne.  But this time as one of the world’s best and ready to show that very resilience in the second edition of the ITU Sprint World Championships. Racing on the same course as a junior five years earlier, Riveros did not go unnoticed this time.  Despite fading to fourth place in the final kilometre, Riveros rocketed past leader Emma Jackson down the final stretch to claim gold in one of the most stirring races of the year.  It was the first ITU World Championship ever for Chile. “Something happened that I can’t explain,” said Riveros.  “I get this new energy and I get through.  It was really magical.” But 2011 wasn’t all sunshine and roses for the Chilean star.  Not long after her splendid triumph in Lausanne, Riveros’ season came crashing down at the Grand Final in Beijing. Despite entering the race as a contender for the overall World Championship title and a front runner for a spot on the podium, Riveros staggered to a disappointing 44th place finish while letting a World Championship medal slip from her grasp.  One would think she would want to bury the memory, but instead Riveros embraced the disappointment, not... Athletes, Athletes in Profile, Events, World Championship Series, Regions, Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania 2011-12-17T05:08:46+00:00 http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_jonathan_brownlee_sprint_king_in_lausanne/ http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_jonathan_brownlee_sprint_king_in_lausanne/#When:23:36:46Z With an older brother like Alistair Brownlee, it’s no surprise that people were predicting big things for Jonathan Brownlee. He was certainly living up to them, a podium spot in the Junior Men’s world title race in 2008, an Under23 World Championship and Elite Sprint title in 2010. But in 2011, the younger of the Yorkshire-based pair didn’t just show he had potential, he actually bettered his brother. The first time in Sydney didn’t really count, after Alistair slipped on a rain-slicked road and limped over the line, but the second time certainly did. ALL ABOUT JONATHAN Age: 21 ITU Elite Sprint World Championships: 2 (2010, 2011) Dextro Energy Triathlon Series wins: 1 (3 Silver, 2 Bronze) Where he calls home: Yorkshire, England You can follow Jonny on Twitter, @jonny_brownlee In Lausanne, Jonathan said before that he needed to run 14 minutes 30 seconds in order to win. He ran the five kilometre leg in 14 minutes 24 seconds, and he won. It was his second consecutive ITU Elite Sprint Triathlon World Championship and the first time he has beaten Alistair in an ITU race. In the final two kilometres it was clear the top place on the podium belonged to either Jonathan or Javier Gomez. Jonathan said afterwards he did find it strange without Alistair there, but that didn’t stop him. “I overtook Javier pretty quickly, which again was something completely different because normally Alistair is there, so instead of me just kind of following Alistair and he takes you past people, well it was like ‘this is up to me now’,” Jonathan said in Beijing after the season. “I’ve never been in a sprint finish before so I thought with about 300m to go, to just go for it.” That win in Lausanne meant that he and Alistair went into the final race in Beijing ranked one and two in the world. They duly went on to finish that way in the overall standings, and since then both Brownlees have been in demand at home. Both have been splashed across newspapers, TV interviews, a Blade versus Bike new ad that pits Jonathan against Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius and even shot a barely clothed spread for a future issue of GQ magazine. But the focus is changing slightly, while it used to be mostly squarely on Alistair - and deservedly so considering his incredible win record in the Dextro Energy Triathlon Series - there are more questions both posed and asked on fourms and in media round the world. Could Jonathan be better? When Alistair was asked about Jonathan’s improving form... Athletes, Athletes in Profile, Events, World Championship Series, Features, Regions, Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania 2011-12-14T23:36:46+00:00 http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_helen_jenkins_executes_perfect_plan_in_london/ http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_helen_jenkins_executes_perfect_plan_in_london/#When:03:49:06Z Helen Jenkins main aim for 2011 was to secure her spot on the Great Britain team for the London 2012 Olympic Games. To do that, it required a podium finish in the London series race this year. Jenkins didn’t just place, she won comfortably to break her series winless streak, that had included four bronze medals and two silver. But it turned out she wasn’t quite finished there, as the 27-year-old went on to win her second ITU World Championship. Jenkins, who won her first title in 2008 as Helen Tucker, joins the elite club that includes Emma Moffatt, Emma Carney, Michellie Jones and Karen Smyers as female athletes who have won two ITU World Championships. ALL ABOUT HELEN Age: 27 ITU World Championships: 2 (2008, 2011) Dextro Energy Triathlon Series wins:1 (3 Silver, 4 Bronze) Where she calls home: Bridgend, Wales You can follow Helen on Twitter, @heljinx Yet at the start of the season, it would have been a brave tipster to predict that result. Despite having claimed four bronze medals in series events across 2009 and 2010 (including one each of those years in London), Jenkins hadn’t won a series race or World Cup since her 2008 world title in Vancouver. While she did get back to the top with a sprint win in Clermont to open her 2011 season, she left the Sydney opening round battered and bruised after a nasty bike crash, and with a 33rd place finish. That result was her lowest ever placing in an ITU race. But from there, Jenkins’ season soared. In Madrid and Kitzbuehel she took it right up to the unstoppable Paula Findlay, claiming two consecutive silver medals. Next was London, and her confidence should have been flying except that she came down with a cold and struggled through her warm-up, later writing on her website that she came out of the water almost in tears because she could hardly lift her arms. That was definitely a surprise to anyone who then actually watched the race. Jenkins led from start to finish and while reflecting on her season in Beijing, said she still couldn’t quite believe it. “I’m still amazed the way I did it, it was really interesting afterwards to actually watch it back and see what kind of happened,” she said. “I was at the front pretty much from the start and I just didn’t look back until a couple of hundred metres when I knew Gwen Jorgensen was running me down.” After that, Jenkins then went on to finish fourth in the individual sprint titles in Lausanne and moved into the No.1 spot in the rankings. From there, all... Athletes, Athletes in Profile, Events, World Championship Series, Features, Regions, Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania 2011-12-09T03:49:06+00:00 http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_emma_moffatts_extra_special_day_in_Hamburg/ http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_emma_moffatts_extra_special_day_in_Hamburg/#When:07:51:08Z Australia’s Emma Moffatt came into the 2011 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series as the two-time reigning champion; the only woman to have won an ITU World Championship since the series format started in 2009. Her 2011 season then looked like it was off to a flying start when she claimed silver in the opening Mooloolaba World Cup. But the first half of Moffatt’s series didn’t live up to her usual standard. Instead of the podium places she had collected in almost every series race she had competed in 2009 and 2010, she finished 13th in Sydney, 13th in Madrid and 4th in Kitzbühel. So close, but just off the pace. ALL ABOUT EMMA Age: 27 ITU World Championships: 2 (2009, 2010) Dextro Energy Triathlon Series wins: 5 Where she calls home: Gold Coast, Australia You can follow Moffy on Twitter @_Moffy But that frustrating start had a silver lining for Moffatt, who said that it gave her a new perspective. “It’s not so fun when you don’t get to celebrate after your races…but I think all athletes have to deal with that, I think the ones that get through that are better for it and the ones that can achieve more things after that,” she said in Beijing. “For me, it’s proved for me how much triathlon is a mental game as well as physical.” And that perspective also made it even sweeter when Moffatt did claim her first win for the season, leading home the historic all Australian, all Emma podium in Hamburg. Before that race, Moffatt was yet to make a podium, Emma Snowsill, the three ITU World Champion and the Beijing Olympic Gold medallist, had finished 51st in Sydney and 21st in Madrid. Both results stemmed from uncharacteristic poor swims. The third Emma, Emma Jackson, had been one to watch since her 2010 Under23 World Championship win but hadn’t yet made an impact at the series level. That was all about to change. All three Australians were in the big pack of about 30 that stayed together throughout the bike leg, Moffatt was one of the first out of T2 and while they started about 15 seconds behind, Jackson and Snowsill ran quickly through the pack. In the final two kilometres, the trio broke away from Andrea Hewitt to make triathlon history. Moffatt then surged to the front with a few hundred metres to go, as Jackson just edged out Snowsill in the sprint for second. As well as the first time three athletes called Emma had stood on an ITU podium, it was also the first time one country had swept a Dextro Energy Triathlon Series race. A PERFECT... Athletes, Features, Regions, Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania 2011-12-02T07:51:08+00:00 http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_kahlefeldt_finally_conquers_hamburg/ http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_kahlefeldt_finally_conquers_hamburg/#When:10:49:08Z Brad Kahlefeldt has been competing in Hamburg long enough to know that wins are hard to come by. After claiming his first career World Cup medal in the German city back in 2003, Kahlefeldt then followed up that bronze with another in 2006. The next year the stakes were higher, at the 2007 ITU World Championships, and he came away with another bronze - or three third place finishes in five attempts. In 2009, the first year of the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series, he went one better for silver. Brad Kahlefeldt in Hamburg 2011 – Gold (WCS) 2010 – 6th (WCS) 2009 – Silver (WCS) 2008 – DNF (World Cup) 2007 – Bronze (World Champs) 2006 – Bronze (World Cup) 2005 – 4th (World Cup) 2004 – DNF (World Cup) 2003 – Bronze (World Cup) But this year, Kahelfeldt was within striking distance with just a few hundred metres to go and the seven-time World Cup winner went for it. He turned on a final finishing chute masterclass, pulling away from Great Britain’s William Clarke and France’s David Hauss in one of the closest finishes all year. Kahlefeldt has had his share of near misses - including that famous photo finish with Bevan Docherty to decide who won the very first Dextro Energy Triathlon Series race in Tongyeong in 2009 -  and he said afterwards he wasn’t going to let it slip. “In the run I felt great, and in that sprint finish and against Will and all the boys…I’ve been in a lot of sprint finishes in my career and I didn’t want to lose that one,” he said after crossing the finish line. Reflecting on his race in November, Kahlefeldt said that it was satisfying to finally claim the win he had been chasing for so long. “Hamburg is a race I have been trying to win. This year was my ninth year I think, so it was nice to finally win with so many close finishes in the past,” Kahlefeldt said. “It is without a doubt one of my favourite races on the circuit. The crowd is the best on the circuit with an amazing 200,000 screaming Germans. The German public are well educated on athletes from all over the world. The organisation is very professional and they have perfected it over the years. This year it was also an important race for us Australians as it was seen as one of the more important races for Olympic selection along with London WCS, so I was delighted with the win.” Kahlefeldt’s win also put his season back on track. The Beijing Olympian had started off the season with a flourish, with a World Cup win in Mooloolaba, but then he didn’t... Athletes, Features, Regions, Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania 2011-11-29T10:49:08+00:00 http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_paula_findlay_opens_season_with_hat_trick/ http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/best_of_2011_paula_findlay_opens_season_with_hat_trick/#When:10:50:17Z In addition to the ITU Photo of the Year competition, which takes you back to relive the 2011 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series through the best pictures, we’re also running a WCS Winners series. This aims to recall some of the best series moments this year and what they meant to the people that created them. This week, as we are taking a look at Kitzbühel, it’s Paula Findlay, her excellent start to the season and tough finish. Earlier in 2011, it seemed positively preposterous to think that Paula Findlay would finish the season off the podium in the final World Championship standings.  After a golden trifecta to open the 2011 season, the question soon became: “can anyone stop Findlay?” Sure enough, it was injury that halted what once seemed like an unstoppable march to the World Championship title. In the season opener in Sydney, the focus was on the Australian Emmas, Emma Moffatt and Emma Snowsill.  But when all was said and done in the women’s race, it was Findlay who rose to the occasion and out-sprinted Barbara Riveros Diaz to claim the opening round of 2011. When the series shifted to Madrid eight weeks later, many expected the anomalies from Sydney to normalise and that Moffatt and Snowsill would take their usual spots on the podium.  But instead Findlay delivered what was her most complete and dominant performance to date. In Madrid, she exited the water in fifth place - just four seconds back of the leader - then rode the tough bike course in the lead group, even taking a few bike primes.  Findlay then surged to front of the field on the run. Helen Jenkins was the last to stay with her but couldn’t keep pace with the Canadian who pulled away for good a few hundred metres from the finish line. “Madrid was my best race of the year, hands down,” Findlay said as she reflected on her season in Beijing.  “I had an awesome swim, felt great on the bike and had a really great run so that was the highlight of the season by far. It left me with a really good memory of that place and now it’s my favourite race, my favourite course.” After back-to-back victories, Findlay headed to Kitzbuehel as the new darling of triathlon.  With her girl-next-door humility, now coupled with a proven ability to consistently win on the big stage, all eyes were firmly fixated on her. All About Paula Age: 22 Dextro Energy Triathlon Series wins: 5 Where she calls home: Edmonton, Canada Interesting fact: Findlay won Sydney... Athletes, Athletes in Profile, Features, Regions, Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania 2011-11-23T10:50:17+00:00