FINAL FINISH LINE IN SIGHT FOR BRONZED AUSSIE DENSHAM

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Triathlon Australia, October 19: Erin Densham can’t wait to get to the finish line quick enough in tomorrow’s ITU Triathlon World Championship grand final in Auckland.

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The 27-year-old Olympic bronze medallist and ITU Series leader has had the best and what now seems like the longest year of her career.

And she came to the realization that tomorrow around 2.30pm local time here in the ever-changing windy, rainy and chilly north island that she will finally be able to put her feet up.

Densham yesterday squashed her earlier plan to defend her Xterra World Title in Hawaii in two weeks time to return home – although Australia’s nomadic little champion really doesn’t have a home she actually calls home after travelling the world for the last 12 months.

“I have made my mind up that come tomorrow that’s it…I’m hanging everything up and having a rest,” said the softly spoken Campbelltown-born pocket rocket.

“I’ve had enough for the year and won’t do the Xterra race and hopefully I can end the best year of my career on a high.

“I want it over and done with so quickly maybe I’ll race faster.

“Sunday morning I will fly back to Sydney, visit my mum, catch up with friends and then go to Melbourne to see everyone at the VIS who has helped me and thank my sponsors and just hang out for a while.”

When pushed to tell of her feelings coming into the World Championship decider just 30 points up on Sweden’s Olympic silver medallist Lisa Norden, she was quick to admit that regardless of the result “it’s been the best year of my life and I’ll certainly walk away happy.”

Densham will be joined on the start line by fellow Australians Ashleigh Gentle (QAS/AIS), Felicity Sheedy-Ryan (WAIS) and Felicity Abram (QAS/AIS), who are all determined to finish their ITU World Championships on a high.

If Densham can hold off the fast finishing Norden in what many keen judges believe is the toughest course on the circuit with three steep hills on the bike, she will become Australia’s 14th ITU World Champion.

She will join the likes of Michellie Jones, Emma Carney, Jackie Gallagher, Joanne King, Loretta Harrop, Nicole Hackett, Emma Snowsill and Emma Moffatt in the girls and Greg Welch, Miles Stewart, Chris McCormack and Peter Robertson in the men – without doubt the who’s who of Australian Triathlon.

The talk amongst the teams, the coaches and the athletes is just how much the brutal 40km bike will take out of the athletes legs for the 10km run home.

“It is going to be an extremely tough course on the bike and through in the weather conditions and it will be tougher – but I’m looking forward to it…it should be good,” said Densham, who is also struggling with a cough – the result of a long year on the road.

“Everyone will have a different impact on the race and all I can do is get the best out of myself. What will be will be. I don’t think you can predict anything. We’ll have to wait and see how it unfolds on the day.”

Norden admitted that the bike course will have a big impact on the run – there is no escaping that fact.

“I’m actually excited about the course; it’s fair and no matter what I know I’ve got two hours of hard work ahead of me,” said Norden.

“I am going in with a winning mentality and winning the World Championship will mean a lot to me and the end of what has been a fantastic season.

New Zealand’s homegrown favourite and defending champion Andrea Hewitt said she would love nothing better than to finish the season on a high at home and in front of her home town crowd.

“I have had a good build up to this race and it means a lot to me to be racing at home,” Hewitt said.

“The bike course is a tough one but it suits me as well.”

Tomorrow’s action gets underway (Auckland time) at:

9:15am - Under 23 women: Natalie Van Coevorden (NSWIS), Charlotte McShane (NSWIS), Ashlee Bailie (NSWIS)
12.16pm - The Elite women: Erin Densham (VIS/AIS), Ashleigh Gentle (QAS/AIS), Felicity Sheedy-Ryan (WAIS) and Felicity Abram (QAS/AIS)
3:15pm - Under 23 Men: Josh Amberger (QLD), Aaron Royle (NSWIS), Ryan Fisher (QAS) and Ryan Bailie (NSWIS)

SUNDAY 21ST OCTOBER
11.00am - Junior Women: Tamsyn Moana-Veale (NSWIS), Ellie Salthouse (QLD), Emily Bevan (QLD)
1.06pm - Elite Men: Brendan Sexton (VIS/AIS)
4.00pm - Junior Men: Marcel Walkington (VIS), Kenji Nener (WA), Joel Tobin-White (VIC)

MONDAY 22ND OCTOBER
6.55am - Age Group – Sprint World Champs
8.30am - Age Group – Standard distance World Champs
3.15pm - Paratriathlon World Champs: Bill Chaffey (NSW), Dale Grant (VIC), Michael Milton (ACT), Jonathan Goerlach (NSW)/Fraser Dowling (NSW) pilot.

Australian Triathlon Team, 2012 ITU World Championships, Auckland, October 20-21:

Issued on behalf of Triathlon Australia.