Photo Credit: Frank Weschel/triathlon.org
Anja Dittmer of Germany and Spain’s Javier Gomez have just
won the 2006 BG Triathlon World Cup in Cancun Mexico.
Dittmer was ecstatic to make it to the podium for the
first time of the season while Gomez could not believe he
has now solidified the 2006 world cup title and the lion’s
share of the US$250,000 bonus pool.
In the women’s event, Dittmer’s time of 2:01:52 was only
11 seconds faster then her German teammate Joelle
Franzmann who was able to finish in second place.
Rounding out the podium a further 14 seconds back was
Andrea Whitcombe from Great Britain.
“This is my first world Cup win for two years. The last
one was actually here in Cancun so I am really happy that
I was able to win today,” said Dittmer who, with three
silver medals this year, has not had a world cup victory
since 2004. “It is really hard to win a world cup since
Vanessa [Fernandes] has been here, but now I am really
happy that I could win today.”
Eighty-two women from twenty-eight countries entered the
water this morning under dark skies to start the fifteenth
installment of the newly renamed 2006 BG Triathlon World
Cup series. Choppy waters and a strong current made for
slower then usual swim times over the opening 1,500 metre
swim. At the end of the two-lap swim it was a small lead
group of four athletes including current World Junior
Champion Kirsten Sweetland from Canada, fourth ranked
Laura Bennett and her teammate Sarah Haskins from the
United States and Machiko Nakanishi from Japan.
Less then 10 seconds behind was a large string of women
including the likes of Dittmer, Franzmann, Whitcombe,
Ainhoa Murua (ESP), Ricarda Lisk (GER), Leanda Cave (GBR),
Julie Swail (USA) and Flora Duffy (BER). Out on the flat
and fast 40 kilometre bike course a lead group of 18 women
formed at the front as the skies opened up to batter the
athletes with torrential rain.
“This morning I saw lightening and I was really worried,”
commented the 2004 world cup champion Dittmer. “But on
the race there was just rain. It was really wet and wild
on the bike.”
Over the 8-lap bike course this lead group continued to
put time into the large chase pack despite menacing
conditions. The chase group, containing some of the
tour’s strongest runners including fifth ranked Lauren
Groves of Canada and recent Team World Champion member
Nadia Cortassa of Italy, had fallen behind by over 60
seconds heading into transition two.
Out onto the four-lap, 10 kilometre run course a group of
6 women, including the three eventual podium winners,
moved quickly to the front and worked well together,
feeding off each other for the first five kilometres of
the run. It was at the end of the second lap that the two
Germans made their move, breaking away from the group.
“I tried to run away from the group and then on the third
loop Anja saw this and came to the front so we could run
together,” commented Franzmann. “I know that Anja is a
strong sprinter so I didn’t try to win as she is so
strong. I am happy with second place.”
Into the last kilometre it was the Dittmer who managed to
pull away and cruised to the finish to take the top podium
spot. Franzmann was able to secure her second place in
the overall ranking with her silver medal, soon to take
home her share of the year-end US$250,000 bonus pool.
“I have never had this success before and have never had
such a good season as this year, said Franzmann on her
three second place finishes and a win. “I am very proud
and hope to improve for next year ahead of the Olympics.”
Whitcombe battled with fourth place Murua over the last
300 metres managing to overcome the quick Spaniard to
claim the bronze medal.
Photo Credit: Frank Weschel/triathlon.org
In the men’s event, Gomez’s time of 1:48:32 was 10 seconds
quicker then his next closest rival Filip Ospaly of the
Czech Republic and third place Volodymyr Polikarpenko of
Ukraine. Polikarpenko finished a further 10 seconds
behind Ospaly.
“It is an amazing feeling. For me, this is the most
important world cup victory,” stated the 23 year old
Spanish student. “With this race I have the top world cup
ranking. I can’t believe that I am the number one in the
world.”
Gomez’s third win of the season gave him the guaranteed
overall title and a year end bonus cheque of US$40,000 as
next ranked competitor Hunter Kemper of the U.S. did not
manage to finish within the top ten.
“Last week I was training in Miami in the same conditions
with high humidity. But it was good preparation and here I
could give 100% and I could win,” said Gomez. “This race
was hard and I would like to thank all of the people who
supported us here today. With this weather it was very
important for us to feel the support of the crowd.”
Despite the heavy rain and winds during the women’s races
earlier in the day, the clouds let up for the start of the
men’s event as ninety two men entered the Caribbean Sea
for the start of the 2-lap, 1,500 metre swim. Despite a
non-wetsuit swim, it was a large group of men to exit the
swim and head out on the 8-lap, 40 kilometre bike course.
After only two laps the many smaller packs merged into one
large group at the front of sixty athletes. In there were
all the top contenders including Gomez, Ospaly,
Polikarpenko, Kemper, Frederic Belaubre (FRA), Jan Frodeno
(GER), who would later pull out due to a flat tyre, Ivan
Raña (ESP), Simon Whitfield (CAN) and young Jarrod
Shoemaker (USA).
This would mean that the podium would be decided on a flat
and breezy 10-kilometre run course. Early into the 4-lap
run course it was Gomez, Ospaly, Polikarpenko, Raña and
Tony Moulai of France moving to the front and taking a 10
second lead over the rest of the field.
These four would run together for the next two laps, but
at the five kilometre mark it was the young Gomez who
would turn the pressure up and run away from the other
four. Ospaly and Polikarpenko were the only two to
respond, putting a significant gap between themselves and
the remaining two. Ospaly ran away from Polikarpenko over
the last kilometre to claim his first world cup podium in
over a year.
“In the beginning of the season this year, I suffered from
two flat tyres in South Africa and the European
Championships. This was bad for my mental state,
“explained Ospaly on his lack of podiums in 2006. “I took
some time out but wasn’t able to regain my fitness in time
for the World Championships. But then in Beijing it was
good and with some more good training results I have had a
good result today.”
Raña and Moulai would eventually be caught by past Under23
world champion Shoemaker, allowing Shoemaker to take
fourth position and valuable Olympic qualifying points.
2006 Cancun BG Triathlon World Cup results – Elite Women
1. DITTMER, Anja (GER) 2:01:52
2. FRANZMANN, Joelle (GER) 2:02:03
3. WHITCOMBE, Andrea (GBR) 2:02:17
4. MURUA, Ainhoa (ESP) 2:02:22
5. SWAIL, Julie (USA) 2:02:24
6. DUFFY, Flora (BER) 2:02:28
7. PEON, Carol (FRA) 2:02:41
8. LISK, Ricarda (GER) 2:02:47
9. HASKINS, Sarah (USA) 2:02:52
10. NAKANISHI, Machiko (JPN) 2:03:12
11. DITTMER, Anja (GER) 2:01:52
12. FRANZMANN, Joelle (GER) 2:02:03
13. WHITCOMBE, Andrea (GBR) 2:02:17
14. MURUA, Ainhoa (ESP) 2:02:22
15. SWAIL, Julie (USA) 2:02:24
16. DUFFY, Flora (BER) 2:02:28
17. PEON, Carol (FRA) 2:02:41
18. LISK, Ricarda (GER) 2:02:47
19. HASKINS, Sarah (USA) 2:02:52
20. NAKANISHI, Machiko (JPN) 2:03:12
2006 Cancun BG Triathlon World Cup results – Elite Men
1. GOMEZ, Javier (ESP) 1:47:32
2. OSPALY, Filip (CZE 1:47:42
3. POLIKARPENKO, Volodymyr (UKR) 1:47:52
4. SHOEMAKER, Jarrod (USA) 1:48:11
5. FLEURETON, Cedric (FRA) 1:48:18
6. WHITFIELD, Simon (CAN) 1:48:22
7. PAIS, Bruno (POR) 1:48:23
8. DA SILVA, Antonio (BRA) 1:48:25
9. RANA, Ivan (ESP) 1:48:29
10. SAPUNOV, Daniil (KAZ) 1:48:33
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