Britannia Rules Triathlon
Monday, 1st August 2005
British women tri-umphed at the Countryside Properties Salford Triathlon ITU World Cup after cooping Gold, Bronze, fourth, fifth, seventh and ninth places.
Wilmslow-born Liz Blatchford stormed to victory in front of her home crowd, improving on last year's Bronze medal in a time of 2.03.44. New Zealander Sam Warriner took Silver, and 23-year old Helen Tucker of Great Britain clinched Bronze at her debut World Cup event.
2002 Commonwealth Silver Medallist Leanda Cave took fourth place with fellow Brit Helen Lawrence closely behind in fifth position.
After a strong swim, Blatchford was in the lead pack of the bike before going out in front for the run and holding her lead to the finish line. She comments: "I am just ecstatic to have won at Salford. It's a fantastic event and the home crowd certainly helped me along. I had a really good event, everything went to plan and I am really pleased that I managed to hang on in there and get the gold."
With the top ten athletes automatically qualifying for the World Championships in Gamagori in September, youngster Helen Tucker is set to race with the elite athletes after finishing third in her first World Cup triathlon. She adds: "I am really pleased everything went so well. I felt
really good when I was running - and after being so close to the front all through the race I was determined to get a good finish."
Blatchford, Cave, Tucker, Shiela Taorina of the U.S and Di Marco of Switzerland all had strong swims and led the field after the bike. Silver medallist and full time school teacher, Suzanne Warriner, of New Zealand made good ground after being in the chase pack of the bike and sixth
place going into the run. She comments: "I am ecstatic to finish on the podium of a World Cup event among such quality athletes, it is beyond my wildest dreams. I'll be back to school in New Zealand on August 10th though, as 'm not a full time athlete."
Last year's winner, Michelle Dillon, came in seventh and Andrea Whitcombe came in ninth so this year's event was a massive boost for British Triathlon.
Article Source: By Press Realease, 31 July 2005