Africa Triathlon

New Zealands Samantha Warriner has won the 2007 Tiszaujvaros BG Triathlon World Cup in Hungary today, the fifth win of her great career.  In the last major tune-up before the 19th world championships in Hamburg in three weeks, she came into the race as the top ranked woman in the field and the veteran did not disappoint.  Warriner was part of an 18-woman lead group in the bike that at one point had more than a minute lead.  But the chase pack that included strong runners like Debbie Tanner and Nadia Cortassa worked well together and cut the lead to just 15 seconds as the women came off the bike.

Almost the entire field of 50 women headed out onto the flat 10-kilometer run course together with Warriner immediately pushing the pace and established the lead.  As the run wore on, she continued to distance herself from the field with a 28-second lead with just one lap to go.  Draped in the New Zealand flag, Warriner coasted to the finish line to take the Tiszaujvaros crown.

I got off the bike and I thought, Right Im going to take it to them and I went out and led from the front.  I like running at the front and kept increasing my lead.  The last lap I was hurting but I didnt care, I wanted the win, said Warriner.

In a season dominated by Portuguese star Vanessa Fernandes, Warriner becomes the only other woman to win multiple world cup title this year after having conquered Vancouver earlier this year.  She wont catch Fernandes in the rankings but Warriner jumps to number two in the world, heading into the world championships in Hamburg in three weeks.  She also becomes the first woman from New Zealand to win in the 11-history of the Tiszaujvaros event. 

Its amazing.  I wanted a good result today because I had a good one in Salford two weeks ago and Im known to be a bit inconsistent so I wanted to show that Im back and can back up my results, said Warriner.  This is my fifth win and every win is better because you have to work so much harder to get it.

With a Warriner victory looking more and more certain by the middle of the run, the real race began to take shape between Debbie Tanner and Emma Moffatt.  The two young stars ran side-by-side for almost the entire ten kilometers.  In the final stretch, Edmonton winner Moffatt pulled ahead and sprinted across the line for the silver while Tanner settled for bronze.

A great performance by Team BG member Yuliya Yelistratova of Ukraine who finished in fourth place, the best ever result for Team BG at a world cup.  Cortassa of Italy was fifth for her best world cup placing of the season.

2007 Tiszaujvaros BG Triathlon World Cup Final Womens Results:
1.Samantha Warriner (NZL) 2:00:11
2.Emma Moffatt (AUS) 2:00:31
3.Debbie Tanner (NZL) 2:00:35
4.Yuliya Yelistratova (UKR) 2:00:55
5.Nadia Cortassa (ITA) 2:01:04
6.Wieke Hoogzaad (NED) 2:01:26
7.Marion Lorblanchet (FRA) 2:01:43
8.Kathrin Mueller (GER) 2:01:51
9.Carolyn Murray (CAN) 2:01:55
10.Ewa Dederko (POL) 2:01:57

Click here for full womens results

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World number one Javier Gomez has done it again.  In the last world cup before the Hamburg world championships, the Spaniard has added to his already impressive 2007 season by winning todays Tiszaujvaros BG Triathlon World Cup in Hungary.  New Zealands Kris Gemmell was Gomezs closest competitor, finishing nine seconds back to take silver, his best world cup performance since winning bronze in Ishigaki back in April.  Two-time European champion Frederic Belaubre of France raced in just his second world cup of the year but finished on the podium again, showing hes back in top form.

As usual, Gomez began to heat up at about the 4-kilometer mark of the run, setting a torrid pace and pulling away from Gemmell and Belaubre.  The men couldnt keep up with the Spaniard who took a 17-second lead as he set out on the bell lap.  Gomez cruised in the final kilometers and broke the tape for the sixth world cup win of his burgeoning career.  In a remarkable season that includes his first European championship, he wins three world cup titles for the second straight year and cements himself as the man to beat in Hamburg at the world championships.  His world cup podium streak now stretches to a dozen and dates back to March 2006.  With his sixth world cup win, Gomez now tied Aussies Greg Bennett and Craig Walton for 7th among all-time world cup winners.

Veteran Volodymyr Polikarpenko becomes the second Ukrainian of the day to finish one step off the podium in fourth place while Brazilian Reinaldo Colucci crossed the line in fifth, his third top five finish this year.

2007 Tiszaujvaros BG Triathlon World Cup Final Mens Results:
1. Javier Gomez (ESP) 1:47:44
2. Kris Gemmell (NZL) 1:47:52
3. Frederic Belaubre (FRA) 1:48:03
4. Volodymyr Polikarpenko (UKR) 1:48:13
5. Reinaldo Colucci (BRA) 1:48:22
6. Dmitry Polyansky (RUS) 1:48:30
7. Claude Eksteen (GER) 1:48:33
8. Jose Tovar (ESP) 1:48:42
9. Christian Prochnow (GER) 1:48:46
10. Brendan Sexton (AUS) 1:48:52

Click here for full men’s results

Click here for race video.

Click here for updated world rankings

Click here for race gallery.