MOFFATT, ALEXANDER SHOW CLASS TO CLAIM GEELONG TITLE

Triathlon Australia, February 10, 2014: TRIATHLON AUSTRALIA In hot and windy conditions Beijing Olympic bronze medalist Emma Moffatt proved she was a class above the rest of the women's, and some of the men’s, field in yesterday’s IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong, taking the win by more than 13 minutes.

Moffatt, whose focus now turns to the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, led the race from wire to wire dominating the competition in the women’s race and finishing top ten overall.

“That was tough, the course is tough and the weather conditions out there made it really hard. Right now I don’t feel really good, but hopefully in a few days I’ll be able to reflect positively,” Moffatt said.

Competitors had to contend with dry, windy 38-degree temperatures with Moffatt winning in  four hours 30 minutes and 57 seconds.

The dual Olympian exited the water after the 1.9km swim with a four minute lead, a lead she extended to just under ten minutes after 90km bike leg, before running on strongly over the 21.1km run to take her first win over the 70.3 distance.

Moffatt will now focus her attentions on the ITU circuit with her next race the ITU Mooloolaba World Cup on the weekend of March 14 and 15.

It will then be on to the ITU World Championship Series with appearances in Auckland, Capetown, Yokohama, Chicago and Hamburg before making her Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow (July 24) at the Strathclyde Country Park.

Moffatt will then set her sights on the ITU World Championship grand final in Edmonton (August 26-31) before the 70.3 World Championship a week later.in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec.

“It is so good to have that Commonwealth Games nomination sewn up which allows me to map out my season leading up to the Commonwealth Games which is a major focus for me,” said Moffatt, who will attempt to become the first Australian triathlete to contest three Olympics in Rio in 2016.

The men’s race turned out to be a battle between three time IRONMAN World champion Craig Alexander and fellow Aussie pro Tim Reed.

“We had Commonwealth Games gold medalists, dual Olympians, world champions in that field and they all pushed me today. I love racing here in Geelong, the waterfront here is beautiful, and I’m really happy to notch up another win,“ Alexander said.

“Those conditions out there today were brutal. I’ve never had a head wind that strong during a run, when we had it at our backs it felt like we were running 3 minutes per kilometere, but into it felt like we were running at 5 minutes per kilometere. Everyone out there today is earning their money.”

The men’s race played out as expected with Clayton Fettell leading out of the water with Courtney Atkinson and James Seear hot on his heels.

Young Tasmanian James Hodge took the lead early on the bike and held onto a slim advantage over Craig Alexander, Peter Robertson, Casey Munro and Tim Reed until the 60km mark.

It was at the 60km mark of the bike leg that Alexander and Reed took control of the race building a 1:25 buffer over Hodge with just under a minute back to Robertson.

Out onto the run Alexander showed his class dropping Reed on the second lap to take the title by just over three minutes.

Both Robertson and Hodge fell victim to the fast finishing Melbourne Commonwealth Games gold medallist Brad Kahlefeldt who recorded a blistering 1:18:29 run leg to fill out the podium.

Following the elite men and women the age group competitors fought their own battles, in tough conditions, to reach the finish line in Geelong.

Results

 

 

Women

 

1.                   Emma Moffatt                AUST          26:48          2:32:28         1:28:27         4:30:57

2.                   Rebecca Hoschke           AUST          36:36          2:36:13         1:26:29         4:43:10

3.                   Lisa Marangon                AUST          30:51          2:37:53         1:37:58         4:50:14

4.                   Jessica Fleming               AUST          32:46          2:38:30         1:39:33         4:54:15

5.                   Tineke Stewart               AUST          35:46          2:42:36         1:34:45         4:56:33

 

 

Men

1.         Craig Alexander              AUST          25:14          2:16:54         1:20:40         4:05:59

2.         Tim Reed                         AUST          25:19          2:17:01         1:24:11         4:09:33

3.         Brad Kahlefledt              AUST          25:07                                 1:18:29         4:10:41

4.         Peter Robertson             AUST          25:11          2:20:08         1:25:01         4:13:53

5.         Casey Munro                  AUST          25:10          2:24:42         1:22:24         4:15:20

 

Television coverage: A one hour special will air on 7Mate, Sunday, 23 February at 2.30pm.

Photo Credit: Delly Carr

 

Lisa Pringle Media Manager, Asia-Pacific

 

Additional reporting Ian Hanson

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