Posted: July 19, 2004

Triathlon: Savege 6th, Montgomery 7th in Corner Brook ITU World Cup

2004-07-18 -- Corner Brook, NFLD

Hot temperatures in Corner Brook Newfoundland proved ideal for Belgium’s Kathleen Smet and New Zealand’s Nathan Richmond, winners of the Corner Brook ITU Triathlon World Cup. Event Organizers in Corner Brook put on another incredible World Cup event; Jill Savege and Carol Montgomery were the top Canadian women – 6th and 7th respectively. Clark Ellice was the top Canadian man in 11th position.

In the women’s event Jill Savege was amoung the leaders throughout the swim, as expected - having won the Corner Brook swim relay on Friday. Edmonton’s Carolyn Murray encountered some challenges prior to the swim as she swam in a borrowed wetsuit in the 18 degree water. She mistakenly brought her mother’s wetsuit, to Corner Brook following the Edmonton World Cup last weekend; her mother is an accomplished age group triathlete.

Onto the incredibly hilly bike course Savege fell back from leader Annabel Luxford (AUS), and lead group Kathleen Smet (BEL), Pip Taylor (AUS), Heard (GBR), and Jessica Harrison (GBR). Savege eventually joined chase pack Andrea Whitcombe (GBR), Tara Ross (CAN), Carol Montgomery (CAN) and Gillian Moody (CAN).

Onto the run Kathleen Smet (BEL) and Pip Taylor (AUS) were able to reel in Annabel Luxford who had a near two minute lead on them following the bike. Savege and Montgomery ran close together part of the race but behind British athletes Whitcombe and Heard.

Savege is currently in the midst of a difficult training regime in preparation for the Olympic Games while Montgomery is recovering from dental surgery earlier this week.

By the start of the men’s event the approximately 15,000 spectators – close to the entire population of Corner Brook were on hand to watch the event.

Levi Maxwell (AUS), Marko Albert (EST), Nathan Richmond (NZL) and Joe Umphenour (USA) led into the first transition following the swim.

Corner Brook’s tough hills took their toll on many of the men but American’s Joe Umphenour and Mark Fretta were in good form at the front and were joined by Michael Smedley (USA) and Marko Albert (EST), Levi Maxwell (AUS) and Victor Plata (USA) on the final lap of the bike.

Sean Bechtel (CAN), Gilberto Gonzalez (VEN), Christoph O'Donnell (USA) and Mathieu Dube (CAN) were all part of a chase pack minutes behind the leaders.

David Gillam, a Corner Brook native, making his World Cup debut was forced to pull out of the race during the bike.

Onto the bike Nathan Richmond (NZL) stayed strong near the front ahead of Joe Umphenour and Victor Plata (USA) ran close behind. Former Olympic Solidarity athlete Clark Ellice put in a fantastic performance on the difficult course finishing 11th ahead of east coast native, Canadian teammate Nick Hastie in 15th position.

Elite Women’s Results


Kathleen Smet  (BEL) 2:08:11 
Pip Taylor (AUS) 2:08:41 
Annabel Luxford (AUS) 2:09:04 
Andrea Whitcombe (GBR) 2:10:34 
Anneliese Heard (GBR) 2:11:23 
Jill Savege (CAN) 2:12:16 
Carol Montgomery (CAN) 2:13:00 
Jessica Harrison (GBR) 2:13:42 
Gillian Moody (CAN) 2:14:33 
Miranda Carfrae (AUS) 2:16:29 
Tara Ross (CAN) 2:17:58 
Ayesha Rollinson (CAN) 2:22:04 
Carolyn Murray (CAN) 2:25:00 
Isabelle Gagnon (Can) 2:25:59
 

Elite Men’s Results

Nathan Richmond (NZL) – 1:56:33 
Joe Umphenour (USA) – 1:56:40 
Victor Plata (USA) – 1:57:02 
David Dellow (AUS) – 1:57:11 
Mark Fretta (USA) – 1:57:40 
Levi Maxwell (AUS) – 1:57:48 
Seth Wealing (USA) – 1:58:22 
Marko Albert (EST) – 1:59:21 
Richard Allen (GBR) – 1:59:51 
Marc Jenkins (GBR) – 2:00:15 
Clark Ellice (CAN) – 2:00:22 
Michael Smedley (USA) – 2:02:19 
Christoph O’Donnell (USA) – 2:02:33 
Gilberto Gonzalez (VEN) – 2:03:10 
Nick Hastie (CAN) – 2:05:12 
Frederick VanLierde (BEL) – 2:05:24 
Fransisco Serrano (MEX) – 2:05:35