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EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada (June 24, 2007) -- Just one week after a bike crash at the Des Moines World Cup left her with a broken elbow, American Sarah Groff was not going to be deterred in her quest to qualify for the 2008 Olympics. She traveled north to Alberta, Canada to compete in the final race of the North American leg of the 2007 BG Triathlon World Cup series.
Groff and teammate Sara McLarty were first out of the water after the 1500-meter swim and led the women out onto the 40-kilometer bike course. They stayed in the lead group that included five other women including reigning Junior World Champion Kirsten Sweetland of Canada and Australian Annabel Luxford, the 2005 overall World Cup series champion.
The American duo couldn't keep up with the run pace and hopes for a medal for any other woman in the field soon vanished. Despite a broken elbow, Groff came through with a strong run and finished in 5th place, a new career-best. McLarty, a former all- American swimmer from the University of Florida, finished just behind Groff in 6th place, the best performance in her World Cup career. All six American women finished in the top 20.
In a spectacular sprint for gold, Sweetland came down the final stretch with friend and training partner Emma Moffatt of Australia. In the final turn for the finish line, Sweetland was forced wide, enabling Moffatt to take the inside lane and gain the slight edge she needed to out-sprint the Canadian for her first career World Cup victory. Her only two World Cup medals have come here in Edmonton so the only disappointment was knowing this was the last time the city will play host. Luxford took the bronze, her second World Cup medal in two weeks and the 15th of her career. Moffatt jumps to number eight in the world while Sweetland moves up to number three and Luxford maintains her spot as the world number two.
2007 Edmonton BG Triathlon World Cup - Final Women's Results:
1st - Emma Moffatt (AUS) 1:57:51.4
2nd - Kirsten Sweetland (CAN) 1:57:53.0
3rd - Annabel Luxford (AUS) 1:58:09.6
5th - Sarah Groff (Cooperstown, NY) 1:59:48.9
6th - Sara McLarty (Colorado Springs, CO) 2:00:11.8
7th - Julie Swail (Irvine, CA) 2:00:23.7
15th - Joanna Zeiger (Boulder, CO) 2:02:57.8
18th - Margaret Shapiro (Annandale, VA) 2:03:21.0
19th - Jasmine Oeinck (Littleton, CO) 2:03:40.6
In the men's field, Matt Reed was the top American finishing in seventh place with a time of 1:45:54. Along with picking up valuable Olympic qualifying points, Reed vaults to number 12 in the world, making him highest ranked American male.
Veteran Joe Umphenour came across the line in 12th place, his best World Cup result so far in 2007. Former Navy Lt. j.g. Timothy O'Donnell finished in 14th spot for a career-best in his World Cup career.
World number two Bevan Docherty finished second last week in Des Moines, Iowa and was on a mission when he arrived in Edmonton. The Olympic silver medalist came out of the water in 14th place, just 17 seconds behind the leader.
After the 40-kilometer bike, he fell back to the chase pack, behind the lead group that included fellow Kiwi Kris Gemmell. But Docherty set a torrid run pace and blistered the 10- kilometer course for the fastest run time of the day. After closing the gap and overtaking the lead pack, Docherty cruised to the finish line to claim his fourth career World Cup title and his first of 2007. He remains at number two in the world, now just four points behind Javier Gomez of Spain.
Russian prodigy Alexander Brukhankov took the silver for his second medal of the year and now climbs to number four in the world rankings. Sven Riederer of Switzerland won the bronze in a thrilling sprint finish over Gemmell.
2007 Edmonton BG Triathlon World Cup - Final Men's Results:
1st - Bevan Docherty (NZL) 1:45:54
2nd - Alexander Brukhankov (RUS) 1:46:14
3rd - Sven Riederer (SUI) 1:46:42
7th - Matt Reed (Boulder, CO) 1:45:54
12th - Joe Umphenour (Bellevue, WA) 1:48:00
14th - Timothy O'Donnell (Colorado Springs, CO) 1:48:43
17th - Jarrod Shoemaker (Sudbury, MA) 1:49:14
25th - Brian Fleischmann (Jacksonville, FL) 1:50:32
DNF - Mark Fretta (Portland, OR)
Ten years ago, Edmonton tested its waters to see if it had what it takes to host a triathlon event. Four years later, it hosted the 2001 ITU World Championships which set the stage for six more years of triathlon world cup action. Now the local organizing committee and its army of approximately 400 volunteers have hosted the Edmonton BG Triathlon World Cup for the very last time on Sunday. Over its ten years the committee has also hosted multiple IOC solidarity camps for athletes and coaches, continental cups, as well as various continental and national championships.
For full results, schedule, race reports, athlete quotes and high-resolution images, visit the ITU's Online Media Centre.
Up next:
After a busy few months that included six World Cup events in eight weeks, a small break in the schedule will allow the athletes time to rest before the focus shifts to Europe. On July 22, the 2007 BG Triathlon World Cup will next roll into the skiers' paradise of Kitzbuhel, Austria for the first time where reigning Olympic gold medalist Kate Allen is sure to electrify the home crowds.
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