AARON ROYLE’S FIGHTING FIFTH BEST OF AUSSIES IN HAMBURG
Triathlon Australia, July 19, 2015: FORMER Under 23 World Champion, Aaron Royle was the best of the Australians in today’s WTS Hamburg event, with an encouraging fifth place in an explosively fast run leg over the short course distance.
Royle, who has had battled a foot injury most of the year, will now lead the Aussies into the Rio Test Event, in a fortnight, where they will chase early Olympic Team nomination.
Ryan Bailie put in a strong run leg to finish next best Australian in 15th place, with Ryan Fisher 23rd, Cameron Good 48th, Brendon Sexton 51st, and Jacob Birtwhistle 59th
While in the women’s race it was a delighted Under 23 World Championship silver medallist, Gillian Backhouse who produced the best performance of the day for the Australians in 12th with Ashleigh Gentle 14th, Charlotte McShane 18th, Emma Jackson 19th and Erin Densham 45th. (FULL WOMEN’S WRAP BELOW).
The men’s race saw Frenchman Vincent Luis achieve what few have been able to and outsprinted the Spaniard Javier Gomez to take his first win in the series and first ever fro France.
Fellow Spaniard Mario Mola recorded the fastest 5km run split in WTS history (13:55) coming from the second group to run himself onto the podium.
In the men’s race it was Royle who was well placed out of the swim in 10th place just 9 seconds off the leader Richard Varga (SVK).
A lead group of nine quickly formed and worked efficiently together to keep ahead of the chase group during the entire 20km bike leg.
Royle, world number one Gomez, Luis and USA’s Tommy Zafares contributed to the work-load up front and extended their lead after each lap.
Heading back to transition for the final 5km they had amassed a 38sec lead.
Gomez and Luis, however showed their class quickly moving away from the rest to battle it out for the gold and silver.
After surging on each other over the final 2.5km it came down to the last 400m when Luis stepped it up a gear and Gomez unable to respond.
While Royle didn’t have the foot speed of these guys today but it was an encouraging result after a foot injury that set him back 4-6 weeks in his training.
He’s currently based in Vitoria, Spain at his European summer training camp under Jamie Turner and will only continue to improve now back into a full running program.
“I've done very little top end fast running in training and I felt pretty one paced and alright throughout the run, I just didn’t have that extra gear at the end. I think I’m in better shape for an Olympic distance right now,” Royle said.
“I’ve had four good weeks of training and that’s paid off - finally got a result that I can be happy with.
“My swim and bike was really good today. The run was pleasing, but still probably a tiny bit off
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been really happy with an ITU race. I think that’s a good sign, so hopefully I can just keep on improving.”
The rest of the Australian men did not have great swims today and left themselves a hard task from the outset.
Bailie drove hard in the chase group but being such a big bunch they were not as effective and couldn’t make any inroads on the leaders.
“I got caught at the first buoy (in the swim) and I reckon I was under water for 15secs - almost vertical!” Bailie said.
“But the bike was on the whole way and I felt pretty flat to be honest.
“I had a strong second half of the run, which is a good sign heading into Rio and the Test Event.
“It’s a pure strength based course, not much speed. We haven’t really been doing a lot of speed work so I was pretty happy with where that is, so I’ll sharpen up and come out all guns blazing for Rio.”
Triathlon Australia's Performance Director Bernard Savage described the performance by Royal as exciting and very encouraging with the Rio Test event just two weeks away.
"Aaron was fantastic today in a race that was explosive but provided a good chance for everyone to sharpen up on their speed and some race experience,” Savage said.
“It’s been a while since Aaron has had this sort of result, it’s pleasing for him and his confidence leading into the test event in two weeks. He swam well, worked well in the front group and ran strongly.”
Savage was equally pleased the performance of Backhouse.
“Gillian was excellent today, she swam well and rode strongly. She has been doing some outstanding work on the track and ran her best today,” Savage said.
The attention will now turn to Sunday’s Mixed Relay World Championship.
“I’ll have a look at how everyone has pulled up after today’s racing and make a decision on the final make up of the team later tonight,” Savage said.
Australia finished fourth here last year and certainly has their eye on a medal performance tomorrow.
Results
1.Vincent Luis (FRA)51:54
2.Javier Gomez (ESP)51:58
3.Mario Mola (ESP)52:20
4.Dorian Coninx (FRA)52:30
5. Aaron Royle (AUS)52:37
6.Henri Schoeman (RSA)52:40
7.Anthony Pujades (FRA)52:45
8.Richard Varga (SVK)52:47
9.Joao Pereira (POR)52:50
10.Justus Nieschlag (GER)52:52
15thRyan Bailie (AUS)53:07
23rdRyan Fisher (AUS)53:19
48th Cameron Good (AUS)55:13
51st Brendon Sexton (AUS)55:31
59thJacob Birtwhistle (AUS)56:48
BACKHOUSE ON THE MOVE IN HAMBURG – NOW FOR RIO
Hamburg did not prove a happy hunting ground for Australia’s Elite women at World Triathlon Series sprint race today although Queenslander Gillian Backhouse had plenty to smile about.
On a day that saw the USA’s Gwen Jorgensen storm to an unprecedented 11th consecutive victory it was Backhouse, who produced the best performance of the day for the Australians.
The U23 World Champion silver medalist positioned herself in the front group from the outset and led the charge back into transition at the final turnover.
Under the guidance of QAS head coach Stephen Moss, Backhouse continues to improve one the bike and run but the leg speed of the front girls was too much today. Backhouse crossed the line in 12th place just 1minute and 14second behind the unbeaten Jorgensen.
Backhouse was thrilIed with her performance today, knowing her limitations she raced her own race.
“I am over the moon and really surprised!” Backhouse said.
“I knew I was racing well but to come first Aussie - is wow. Ashleigh Gentle in particular - the last time she raced a WTS she was on the podium, so I know there is definitely some great competition there.
“It’s really good to have today’s race under the belt with Rio coming up in two weeks time.”
Gold Coaster Gentle was the next best placed Aussie in 14th after missing the lead group out of the swim and working hard in the chase group on the bike and with Kirsten Sweetland (CAN), the silver medalist from Yokohama fought back well on the backend of the run.
“I felt pretty flat in the swim, but it was also pretty rough out there,” Gentle said.
“The first 2.5km on the run I felt shocking! Everyone was passing me. It wasn't until the second lap when I started to feel a little more normal and tried to really pick it up and finish strong. But it’s not really good enough when you started so badly.”
Charlotte McShane, the former Under 23 World Champion and training partner of Jorgensen was 18th, just in front of London Olympian Emma Jackson still making her way back to top form after being sidelined for much of the 2015 season.
Previously Australia has enjoyed great success on the most popular and biggest race in the series. Jackson, twice a silver medalist here was not to be today.
Over the sprint distance format there is simply no room for error, a not so great swim leg from the Olympic bronze medalist Erin Densham saw her finish in 45th place.
A stomach bug got the better of Natalie Van Coevorden today, withdrawing during the bike leg.
“No energy at all, tried to give it a crack but the body said no,” said Coevorden.
For the first time Jorgensen was pushed all the way to the line by Great Britain’s Vicky Holland, only snaring victory on the blue carpet.
Non Stanford rounded out a successful day for the Brits grabbing the final podium place.
Jorgensen holds an unassailable lead for the World Champion title going into the final rounds and will take a lot of confidence going into the Rio test event in two weeks time to secure her first Olympic birth.
“A lot was going through my head at the end, Vicky really pushed me. I could feel her right there on my shoulder, so I knew it was going to be a fight until the end,” said Jorgensen.
Results:
1.Gwen Jorgensen (USA)57:08
2.Vicky Holland (GBR)57:13
3.Non Stanford (GBR)57:24
4.Sarah True (USA)57:25
5.Rachel Klamer (NED)57:38
6.Katie Zaferes (USA)57:38
7.Laura Lindemann (GER)57:48
8.Andrea Hewitt (NZL)57:52
9.Annamarie Mazzetti (ITA)58:00
10.Rebecca Robisch (GER)58:11
12th Gillian Backhouse (AUS)58:22
14th Ashleigh Gentle (AUS)58:31
18th Charlotte McShane (AUS)58:41
19thEmma Jackson (AUS)58:43
45thErin Densham (AUS)1:00:15
Issued on behalf of Triathlon Australia by
Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia
Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia Managing Director
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