British Ironman champion Chrissie Wellington has successful surgery after bike crash

Britain’s three-time Ironman world champion Chrissie Wellington is recovering well following surgery on her hands, wrist and arms after suffering a bike accident in training.

The 32-year-old from Norfolk, who claimed her third consecutive world title in Kona, Hawaii last October in a course record time, fell off her bike on Saturday, breaking fingers and bones in her hand, wrist and arm.

“I underwent an operation on Monday to insert some wires in my wrist,” said Wellington

“The operation was a success and I am back home today.

“I should be out of plaster within six weeks.”

Wellington recently suggested she may pursue the option of trying to qualify for Britain’s cycling team at the London 2012 Olympics because the Ironman, which comprises a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike leg followed by a full marathon, is not part of the Games.

Julie Dibens secured Britain’s fourth major triathlon world title this year when she claimed her third consecutive XTERRA world crown on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

The off-road version of the multi-discipline sport sees competitors swim 1.5km in the ocean followed by 30km on a mountain bike and finish with an 11km trail run.

Though Dibens, who was part of Britain’s Olympic triathlon squad in Athens, professes her main focus is on road racing, she nonetheless once more proved she is unrivalled in the discipline, even if for the first time in three years she found herself trailing, albeit briefly.

Coming out of the water Dibens, who hails from Salisbury but is now based full-time in Boulder, Colorado, was just over half a minute behind swim specialist Christine Jeffery. It was not to last.

Within five minutes Dibens had hauled Jeffery in and passed her for a lead she was never to relinquish. Half way through the bike leg she had extended her lead to four minutes and was up among the leading 15 male competitors.

By final transition the gap had increased to over five minutes and her finishing time of 2 hrs 26 mins 42 secs was seven and a half minutes quicker than second placed Lesley Paterson from Scotland.

Dibens becomes the first pro-athlete to win the title three years in a row.

“I felt good all day except for that last stretch of the run on the lava,” said Dibens.

“I was able to ride in control and run smart. I’m delighted to be up here on the podium again and to win this race three times in a row is really special.”

Dibens reserved praise for her fellow competitors, claiming that on a less forgiving course Paterson could have “kicked her ass”.

“To me, Melanie [McQuaid, the third placed Canadian] and Jamie Whitmore are still the queen’s of XTERRA,” said Dibens.

Lesley Paterson finished in the top three in all three championship XTERRAs she entered this season and in producing the fastest run split of the day, 49 mins 50 secs, gave further credence to the sense that she is a coming force in the sport.

“I was real consistent on the bike today and was able to stay with Shonny [Vanlandingham, who finished fifth] until the plunge when she took off,” said Paterson.

“I worked so hard on the bike this year and it really paid off, and I’m really excited about my finish today.”

Dibens victory came over the same weekend as Jodie Swallow claimed the ITU long course World Championship title in Perth, the fourth British woman to do so in successive years.

Earlier this season Alistair Brownlee won every race he entered in the Olympic distance triathlon World Championship Series, including Hyde Park in London and the Grand Final on Australia’s Gold Coast, while Chrissie Wellington is yet to be beaten over the Ironman distance and broke the course record in winning her third consecutive world title in Kona this month.

With Hollie Anvil the reigning under-23 world champion at the Olympic distance and Sophie Coleman the world junior title holder in duathlon, where the swimming stage is replaced with a second running leg, triathlon is fast becoming a huge British success story.

In the overall standings in Maui, Eneko Llanos of Spain finished in a time of 2 hrs 37 mins 22 secs, almost a minute ahead of ahead of Nicolas Lebrun of France.

Llanos thus claimed his third XTERRA World Championship and his first since winning back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004.

Jodie Swallow preserves Britain’s record to win ITU long course World Championships

Jodie Swallow claimed the International Triathlon Union (ITU) long course World Championships title in Perth in a devastating swim, cycle and run that saw her become the fourth British woman to do so in successive years.

Swallow led from the off, coming out of the water first off the back of a 41 min 47 sec 3km swim, and eventually finished more than 11 minutes ahead of Australia’s Rebakah Keat.

Covering the 80km cycle leg in a little over two hours and completing the 20km run in 78 min 18 sec she crossed the line in 4 hrs 07 mins 38 secs.

France’s Delphine Pelletier of France won the bronze medal.

Swallow, who had been successful in Olympic-distance races in 2008 with third places at Chicago and London and New York, has made a superb distance step-up to the longer event.

The Loughborough based athlete upheld a fine tradition in the event won in 2006 by Bella Bayliss, Leanda Cave in 2007 and Chrissie Wellington last year.

“Everything came together really well for me out there so I couldn’t be happier,” said Swallow.

“I went to the Olympics [in Athens] and that was a tough experience but you learn and you move on, so to come back and win a World Championship is very pleasing.”

Keat, one of the pre-race favourites, admitted Swallow was simply uncatchable in the race.

“I tried to mount a challenge but Jodie was on another planet, so full credit to her, she was outstanding,” she said.

American Tim O’Donnell won the men’s title in 3 hrs 48 mins 15 secs, holding off the challenge of French silver medallist Sylvain Sudrie while Denmark’s Martin Jensen took bronze.

Paul Ambrose was Britain’s best placed male competitor coming home in a creditable fifth place.

Triathlon: Helen Jenkins claims bronze in ITU World Championship Series grand final

Great Britain’s Helen Jenkins took bronze in the senior women’s grand final to finish fifth in the overall championship standings of the ITU Triathlon World Championships on Australia’s Gold Coast.

Jenkins saw off the challenge of American Sarah Haskins to claim third place in today’s final, which was won by overall championship winner Emma Moffatt of Australia.

Moffatt finished 27 seconds ahead of Jenkins and six ahead of Swedish silver medallist Lisa Norden.

Jenkins, who came into today’s event ranked sixth, was justifiably pleased with her effort but said it wasn’t without difficulty early on.

“I had a great start in the swim and I went around the buoy in about fourth or something and I started thinking we were heading the wrong way,” she said.

“I’d sighted the course before and I knew we had to head towards some buildings, and it was quite hard to see.

“So I started following everyone else because I thought maybe they changed the course and I didn’t realise and then I thought, no, and started swimming the other way to get on the back of the other girls.”

After a poor bike-run transition, Jenkins was determined to close the gap between herself and the leaders, which at one stage was out to 50 seconds.

“I knew if I ran well I was in contention for a medal,” she said. “I messed up my transition, my bike fell on top of me and I couldn’t get my foot in – it was a really, really poor transition.

“But as I ran on I had so much support down the course and everyone was yelling ‘you’re catching them, you’re catching them’…it was really good.”

Manchester’s Gold Coast-based Liz Blatchford, finished tenth [2:00:29], Kerry Lang was 21st [2:02:21] and Loughborough’s Jodie Swallow finished 27th [2:03:34].

After Alistair Brownlee claimed the world title on Saturday with a fifth race victory in the eight race series of the men’s event, Jenkins efforts contributed to a superb Great Britain effort that already boasted Hollie Avil’s Friday gold and Birmingham-based Jodie Stimpson’s silver in the U23 Women’s event.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Brownlee, Alistair’s younger brother, won silver for Great Britain in the junior men’s competition, with Spain’s Mario Mola winning gold.

The Spaniard completed the course in a time of 54:35. Brownlee crossed the line fifteen seconds in arrears in 54:50 while Hungary’s Kristof Kiraly was third in 54:55.

After a swim and bike leg that produced no real breakaways, Brownlee took the initiative in the run, opening up a handy five second lead over a tightly-packed field heading into the final lap.

With 1500 metres left to run the Spaniard Mola broke away to join the front-runner.

And with the pair now out alone Mola produced a telling surge 1000 metres from the finish line to which Brownlee was unable to respond.

The hot temperature and pace of the run took its toll on Brownlee who was distressed and in the hands of the medical staff for some time after the race and unable to fulfil media commitments.

Mola paid tribute to the silver medallist. “I knew when I caught Jonny one kilometre from the finish line I had him,” Mola said.

“He is a magnificent runner and I know that I didn’t want to look back because he would catch me again, so I just pushed all I could and I’m very happy,” he said.

ITU World Championship Grand Final results:

1 Emma Moffatt (Aus) (Swim: 21mins 47secs, Bike: 1hr 01min 55secs, Run: 34mins 46secs) 1hr 59min 14secs
2 Lisa Norden (Swe) (21:49, 1:01:57, 34:50) 1:59:19
3 Helen Jenkins (Gbr) (21:45, 1:02:00, 35:04) 1:59:41
4 Sarah Haskins (USA) (21:30, 1:02:14, 35:16) 1:59:52
5 Annabel Luxford (Aus) (21:48, 1:01:55, 35:36) 2:00:07
6 Daniela Ryf (Swi) (22:05, 1:02:27, 35:05) 2:00:21
7 Magali Di marco Messmer (Swi) (22:05, 1:02:28, 35:07) 2:00:25
8 Andrea Hewitt (Nzl) (22:04, 01:02:28, 35:07) 2:00:26
9 Jessica Harrison (Fra) (21:48, 1:01:58, 35:53) 2:00:26
10 Liz Blatchford (Gbr) (21:47, 1:02:45, 35:07) 2:00:29

Alistair Brownlee wins ITU triathlon grand final and 2009 overall title

Alistair Brownlee proved he is the supreme triathlete in the world by winning the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series Grand Final on Australia’s Gold Coast, in a time of 1:44.51 to be crowned 2009 world champion, aged 21.

It was one of five wins Brownlee garnered in the eight-event ITU World Championships Series this season. His previous successes came in Madrid, Washington, Kitzbuehel and last month in Hyde Park, London, where he underlined his 2012 medal potential on the intended Olympic venue. Roll on the Olympic Games.

Brownlee trains in his home area of Leeds, Yorkshire, with his younger brother Jonathan, 19, who has the opportunity tomorrow of completing a family world championships “double” if he can take the junior men’s title.

A second Brownlee win would mean a “treble” for Great Britain after Hollie Avil yesterday won the World U23 women’s title ahead of compatriot Jodie Stimpson in silver.

The elder Brownlee placed himself well coming out of the swim and stayed in the chasing pack on the bike ride. Brownlee and defending world champion Javier Gomez, plus Olympic champion Jan Frodeno, caught the leading cyclists within two laps of the run.

Brownlee and Gomez dropped Frodeno, the eventual bronze medallist, to go into the lead before Brownlee surged ahead of Gomez on the last lap to take the title.

Brownlee commented: “It’s amazing. I couldn’t have asked for anything more and even up to today I’ve had some good races but I had no idea how it was going to go. I’m absolutely delighted with myself.”

He said the win, the eighth Great Britain victory in the elite men’s event since the first world championships in 1989, should provide a welcome boost for the sport in the UK.

“It’s a brilliant time for us and just shows how well this sport is going,” he said.

Teacher who learnt front crawl in 18 months picked for British triathlon team

A teacher, Melanie Ryding, who only learned to swim front crawl 18 months ago, has been selected to represent Great Britain - in the World Triathlon Championships.

Mrs Ryding, 37, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, was inspired to lose weight when she realised she could no longer fit into her size 16 jeans.

Although she hated sports at school, 5ft 10ins Mrs Ryding took up running and lost four stone in four months.

She went on to lose over a quarter of her body weight and started looking for something ''more interesting'' to challenge her.

Mrs Ryding joined a triathlon club and started learning front crawl from scratch at a nearby swimming pool, before moving on to practice in the freezing cold waters of local lakes.

She laughed in disbelief when her coach suggested she try out for the world championships - but has now secured a place in the 35-39 age group.

Now she is training hard to compete against thousands of other triathletes in the Gold Coast World Triathlon Championships in Australia in September.

Mrs Ryding said she was ''flabbergasted'' when she qualified for the event.

She said: ''When I qualified it felt amazing. I've come from Mrs Jo Normal, completely unhealthy, to where I am now.

''I was a beanpole teenager but unfortunately after puberty I didn't stay that way.

''Eventually I just wasn't prepared to be a size 16 anymore.

''I hated PE and PE hated me. I was the forlorn-looking one stuck in the hockey goal because I wasn't interested in doing anything else.

''So if you'd have said to me then that I would be doing something like this now I would have thought that was completely ludicrous.''

In preparation for the event in September, Mrs Ryding trains for 14 hours a week, often getting up before dawn to fit in 5am cycling and running sessions before work.

Her coach Steve Casson, from Wellingborough and District Athletics Club and Northants Triathlon Club, has been masterminding her schedule throughout.

Melanie said her greatest inspiration was the late athlete Jane Tomlinson CBE who raised £1.5million for charity through running and cycling challenges despite suffering from terminal cancer.

Mrs Tomlinson completed the London Marathon three times, the London Triathlon twice, the New York Marathon once, and cycled across Europe, America and Africa, all within six years. She died aged 43 in 2007.

Mrs Ryding said: ''When I read she had managed to do an Iron Man triathlon while she was on chemotherapy I thought 'Good grief, if she can do that then I'm sure I can put a triathlon together'.

''There are times when it can be exhausting, especially considering I have a full-time job too, but I am good at self discipline and me and my coach work well together.

''I get some funny looks from my neighbours when they see me cycling up and down and a little while later running up and down the same stretch of road.''

Mrs Ryding also said her husband Mark, 45, a process operator for Weetabix, had been a huge motivator.

She said: ''Mark is really proud of me, he's my number one superstar. Without him I couldn't be where I am now.

''I'm lucky that he is so supportive - there are a lot of 'triathlon widows' in my group but Mark has been behind me all the way."

Alistair Brownlee destined to dominate the triathlon, declares rival Tim Don

Prodigious British triathlete Alistair Brownlee is destined for greatness in the sport, admitted senior rival and compatriot Tim Don, the 2006 world champion, on Sunday.

Brownlee tore the field apart in the sixth round of the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championships Series, his fourth win of the eight-stage competition.

The 21-year-old tyro from Leeds is already being touted as a potential Olympic gold medallist in London, and if this was the dress rehearsal for the Olympic event to be held in Hyde Park, it was perfection.

Brownlee took full advantage of home support, live terrestrial television coverage, and a bicycle crash involving his greatest rival Javier Gomez, of Spain, laying down a significant psychological marker.

He broke away 5km into the final 10km run leg to finish in 1hr 41 mins 50secs, eight seconds ahead of Steffen Justus of Germany, with Kris Gemmell of New Zealand, in third.

Veteran Don, who finished ninth, said: "The display was fantastic, and he's been a class apart all season. I don't want to put too much pressure on him, but he's got a great attitude and he will deal with anything. The potential is there - who knows how far he can go?"

Brownlee remains remarkably level-headed. "London 2012 is in the back of my mind, and I hope I'll be in the same form then," he said.

Triumph in the grand final – a top five finish is all he requires – and Brownlee will become the first triathlete to become world champion at junior, under-23s and elite levels.

Brownlee will sit out the Japan leg, where Gomez must win to challenge Brownlee's leading position going into the grand final.

Alistair Brownlee reclaims No 1 triathlon ranking

British triathlete Alistair Brownlee’s incredible season reached new heights in Kitzbuhel, Austria after a devastating run saw him claim a third straight victory in the ITU World Championship Series and in the process returned him to the top of the world rankings at the expense of reigning champion Javier Gomez.

Gomez relegated Brownlee to a rare second-placed finish in the recent European Championships but the Briton exacted swift revenge on his main challenger for the world title this season despite admitting to feeling “absolutely awful” during the opening swim leg and losing a shoe coming out of first transition on the bike.

Brownlee leads the field at the halfway point of the eight race series, despite missing the opening event, after this stunning victory continued his 100 per cent record after wins in Madrid and Washington.

"I can't believe I won," said Brownlee. "I felt absolutely awful in the swim and out on the bike but once I got on the run I felt great.

“It was a bit like training back in Yorkshire with the rain and cold conditions, and maybe that helped me. I'm not really thinking too much about leading the series right now, I'm just looking forward to the next race and having the opportunity to compete in London in a month's time."

The field was called back at the opening of the race after a false start, with a number of athletes expending wasted energy in swimming for around a minute until they were made aware.

Brownlee came out of the water with the leaders and, after recovering his footwear at the edge of first transition, kept in touch of a leading breakaway pack of three during the 40km bike in torrid, wet conditions.

Entering the 10km run, his strongest discipline, Brownlee wasted little time in closing the gap and took over the leadership within minutes, a position he never looked likely to relinquish, coming home eight seconds ahead of Gomez.

Fellow Briton Will Clarke also produced an excellent performance to improve on his 10th place finish in Washington to claim seventh while Brownlee’s younger brother Jonathan, 19, who won the European Junior Championships last weekend, came 13th after trailing off from the front runners only in the final few kilometres in what was only his second World Championship race at senior level.

David McNamee, 21, from Scotland, making his World Championship debut, rounded off an exceptional day’s racing for the British squad with a creditable 17th.

2009 Kitzbühel Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship

Elite Men - Official Results

Gold - Alistair Brownlee (GBR) 1:43:13
Silver - Javier Gomez (ESP) 1:43:21 +0:08
Bronze - Laurent Vidal (FRA) 1:43:24 +0:11

7th - William Clarke (GBR) 1:44:05 +0:52

2009 Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship Rankings
After Race Four of Eight

1. Alistair Brownlee (GBR) 2400pts
2. Javier Gomez (ESP) 2368pts
3. Laurent Vidal (FRA) 1963pts
4. Maik Petzold (GER) 1951pts
5. Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) 1813pts

Helen Jenkins and Al Brownlee eager for triathlon gold rush in London 2012

When triathlon debuted at the 2000 Sydney Olympics there were cynical mutterings about the coincidence that the newly added sport happened to be one at which the Australians excelled.

But the gold rush they had banked on didn't arrive and top medals have since gone to Canadians, New Zealanders, Swiss, Austrians and Germans. It wasn't until Beijing eight years later that an Australian topped the podium, Emma Snowsill, and their men are yet to even win a medal.

Ironically (and satisfyingly), it may be Britain that becomes the first host nation to claim gold in the triathlon, in 2012. Not only do we have the reigning women's world champion in Helen Jenkins but also the star male performer of this year's inaugural World Championship Series, Al Brownlee.

Converting form and talent into a gold medal in triathlon is incredibly difficult. Watching in Beijing, it struck me how brutal the sport is – not just physically (there are plenty of tough sports at the Games), but in the fact that there is one distance and one event to fight for.

Indoor swimmers get to choose from a wide programme of distances that suit their particular stroke or physiology. Athletes can focus on say, the 5,000 or 10,000 metres. In triathlon there is only one event and the best of that whole sport are in the same race.

Also, with three disciplines to perfect, there is plenty of scope for well-laid plans to go array. Anything can happen (and generally does) in the washing machine of bodies in an open-water swim.

The bike leg (punctures aside) requires the skills and tactics required by the best road cyclists. Plus the racers are simultaneously working to position themselves for the oncoming run – a competitive pace is needed of 10km in around 29 minutes.

This is staggeringly quick when you think the legendary Emil Zatopek's best was 28 min 54 sec and he hadn't just hopped off a bike.

Spaniard Javier Gomez went into the Beijing Olympics world No 1 having utterly dominated the sport for three years and ended up fourth. In the same race Al Brownlee aged just 20 came 12th. It was a turning point for both men. Gomez's Olympic chance seemed to have passed and yet Brownlees was just beginning, "After Beijing I knew I could live with the best in the world," he said. "This year is about racing them."

I doubt he'll be alongside Roger Federer and Tiger Woods to endorse a well-known brand of razor. With his baby-face, he's the Ole Gunnar Solskjær of triathlon.

Like a fine wine, endurance athletes get better with age (up to a point) so despite Brownlee's credentials as a former junior and reigning under-23 world champion the transition to compete with the big boys was supposed to take time.

But it only took until his first World Championship series race of the season in Madrid at the end of May for him to produce arguably the standout performance of the last decade.

Not because he beat the best in the world but the way he did it. Continuously attacking during the 40km bike ride, trying to break away and take the sting out of his opponents' legs and then in the first 2.5km of the 10km run, putting 20 seconds on everybody, including Gomez. He wasn't even featured in the official programme as one to watch.

Quietly spoken in his Yorkshire accent the 21 year-old can't put his finger on the new speed. "I'm not entirely sure where it's come from, another winter's training maybe I've done nothing massively different."

He might not know where the improvement came from but the lack of fear surely comes from his fell running background. He's the seven-time Yorkshire fell running champion which must make a 10km flat run seem like a warm-up. As he said: "Fell running teaches you not to be scared of the distance and just go for it."

But one swallow does not a Summer make. Can Brownlee back up that win? "In the past I got results by sneaking away. That's probably not going to happen now." He speaks quietly but knows they'll be watching him like a hawk, "if I try to make a break on the bike nobody's going to let me go."

At the next World Championship event in Washington DC in June he also won, leading from start to finish. However, his competitors did not make it easy for him and it wasn't until 2km to go when he broke clear.

But for him the experience was much better. "Washington was a million times harder than Madrid, I didn't feel brilliant and had to fight all the way, which somehow made it more worthwhile."

British Triathlon want him to keep that attitude, allowing him the freedom to attack when he wants rather than a strict race plan.

At the European Championships last weekend he came second to Gomez, who after missing out at the Olympics is determined not to lose his No 1 ranking.

It also suggested that Brownlee may need more time to recover between events compared to the older guys. "The long races take a lot out of me, maybe because I'm still young but I can hardly walk the next day," he said.

It is a sign of how far he's come this season that silver behind Gomez is a disappointment. He heads into Saturday's World Series race at Kitzbühel in Austria top of the rankings.

After a quick stop off in Germany it's on to the 2012 Olympic course in Hyde Park for round five on Aug 15 and no better time to put that host-nation curse to bed.

Jonathan Brownlee wins triathlon Euro gold

British triathlete Alistair Brownlee narrowly failed to add the European Championship title to his burgeoning list of achievements in the sport when he was beaten in to second place of a competitive race by Javier Gomez of Spain in Holten, Netherlands - though the Yorkshire athlete's brother, Jonathan, did emulate his older sibling by taking gold in the junior event.

Alistair, who leads the ITU World Championship series after back-to-back victories in Madrid and Washington this season, won the junior event in 2007 and his younger brother chose the same stage on which to set down a marker as to his own potential with a dominating swim, cycle and run.

"The race went very well today," said the younger Brownlee, who also won gold at the Australia Youth Olympic Festival earlier this year.

"I knew before I started that the course would suit me especially with the hills on both the bike and run. I swam well coming out second. Not much happened on the bike but I had to concentrate very hard to stay at the front.

"I then just set off very hard on the run and that was it. The atmosphere was great in such a small but enthusiastic town.”

Vicky Graves secured bronze in the women's junior event with an impressive sub-hour time and there was further British success over the weekend with eight gold medals in the age group events, with double Olympic gold medalist James Cracknell finishing in the top ten of his category in his competitive debut for the national team.

Gomez, the 2008 world champion, currently leads the ITU ranking after his fifth place finish in the Hy-Vee Elite Cup, with Brownlee second.

Washington win for Brownlee

Alistair Brownlee recorded his second straight win in the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series.

The 21-year-old followed up his success in Madrid to move ahead of Russia's Dmitry Polyansky at the top of the series rankings.

"It was great to have another good result at a world championship race," the Yorkshireman said on www.britishtriathlon.org after yesterday's win.

"It was a hard race, a windy bike and I really had to push on the run to get rid of the other guys.

"I kept looking behind me on the run and they were still there, and finally on the last lap they weren't."

Alistair Brownlee leads ITU World Championship Series after Washington win

Great Britain’s Alistair Brownlee followed up his season opening victory in Madrid to claim a second straight Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series win in Washington to put him top of the rankings three races in to the eight race series.

Brownlee’s victory sees him displace Russia’s Dmitry Polyansky who won yesterday’s European Under 23 Championships in Italy. Australia’s Brad Kahlefeldt holds onto second ahead of compatriot Courtney Atkinson in third.

Fellow Briton Will Clarke put on another strong showing to claim a top ten finish in a competitive field.

Brownlee was within the thick of the action from the very start as he helped to form a strong swim pack with 2008 World Champion Javier Gomez, Germany’s Maik Petzold and the strong American pair of Andy Potts and Hunter Kemper.

They managed to instigate a break away which carried onto the cycle, as Germany’s Olympic champion, Jan Frodeno, was frustratingly left just out of the action.

The lead pack of five were pegged at 40 seconds for much of the 40km cycle, however, in the final couple of laps around the capital the chasers slackened the pace and allowed the leaders to pull out to an unassailable two minute advantage by second transition.

Brownlee tried to utilise the same tactics that took him to victory in Madrid as he surged hard to open up an early lead on the run. However both Gomez and Petzold dug deep to reign him back in as the Americans were dropped.

The three Europeans proceeded to tussle with each other until the final 2.5km lap when Brownlee made his decisive move, pulling away from Gomez late on to

“It was great to have another good result at a world championship race,” said Brownlee.

“The venue here in Washington DC is fantastic; it’s rare to get the chance to race in a setting like this, it was pretty amazing. It was a hard race, a windy bike and I really had to push on the run to get rid of the other guys.

“I kept looking behind me on the run and they were still there, and finally on the last lap they weren’t.”

2009 Washington DC Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship:

Gold - Alistair Brownlee (GBR) 1:48:58
Silver - Javier Gomez (ESP) 1:49:11 +0:13
Bronze - Maik Petzold (GER) 1:49:24 +0:26
4th - Andy Potts (USA) 1:49:51 +0:53
5th - Hunter Kemper (USA) 1:50:24 +1:26
6th - Jan Frodeno (GER) 1:50:32 +1:34
7th - Laurent Vidal (FRA) 1:50:36 +1:38
8th - Jarrod Shoemaker (USA) 1:50:41 +1:43
9th - Steffen Justus (GER) 1:50:52 +1:54
10th - Will Clarke (GBR) 1:50:59 +2:01

2009 Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship Rankings (after race three of eight):

1. Alistair Brownlee (GBR) 1600pts
2. Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) 1536pts
3. Courtney Atkinson (AUS) 1437pts
4. Javier Gomez (ESP) 1425pts
5. Jarrod Shoemaker (USA) 1372pts

Jenson Button to contest London Triathlon

Jenson Button is to take time out from going for this season's Formula One world title to compete in the London Triathlon.

Button, who has made a stunning start to the year with four wins from the opening five grands prix with Brawn GP, is hoping for a top 10 per cent finish from the 11,000 competitors.

The event on August 1, during F1's summer break, comprises a 1500 metre swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run.

Raising money for the 'Make A Wish' Foundation of which he is a patron, Button said: "As you probably know I've been taking part in triathlons over the past couple of years as a way of keeping fit for my racing.

"As we are so busy this year, I won't be able to do as many triathlons as I would like, but thought that I would give the London Triathlon a go.

"It's the biggest triathlon in the world so I thought it would be a fantastic opportunity to raise money for a charity that is very close to my heart."

Britain's Helen Jenkins to compete in inaugural triathlon World Championship series

Bridgend's Helen Jenkins, the reigning world champion, will be part of a top-class line-up competing in this summer's London leg of a new triathlon World Championship series aimed at boosting the global profile of the sport.

Jenkins, who triumphed in Vancouver last year, intends to use the opportunity to prepare for London 2012 since the swimming and running sections will follow more of less the same course as the Olympic triathlon in London's Hyde Park.

"I'm very excited about the prospect of racing in London," she said. "It will be good to have a home crowd to support us and we will get an early look at Hyde Park."

The race, which takes place on Aug 15 and will be televised live on BBC, is one of eight triathlons in the inaugural Dextro Energy Triathlon series that will see the world's top triathletes battling for points over the season before an overall champion is crowned.

The first seven, including London, will offer a prize fund of £100,000, with £165,000 on offer at the final race on Australia's Gold Coast in September.

The day after the London race, members of the public will be able to try their hand at swimming in the Serpentine and cycling and running in Hyde Park in a half-distance triathlon, though numbers will be restricted to 2,100 for logistical reasons.

Speaking at yesterday's London launch, Zara Hyde Peters, the chief executive of British Triathlon, said: "Over the last 12 months British Triathlon has made it a major objective to bring this event to London as soon as were made aware of the new series.

"Triathlon is not a facilities-based sport so after 2012 the Serpentine will become a duck pond in a park again and we will not be left with a facility.

"So our legacy will be the virtual legacy of the interest that we can create in this sport over the next four years."

Bevan Docherty claims photo-finish win in ITU World Championship Series opener in Korea

Britain's Tim Don was unable to repeat his 2008 victory over the same course at the 2009 International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championship Series opener in Tongyeong, Korea, despite a strong bike leg that briefly saw him challenge, with Bevan Docherty out-sprinting Brad Kahlefeldt to claim a dramatic photo-finish victory.

The two athletes crossed the finish line in a time of 1hr 50m 25s with Kiwi Docherty claiming victory over the Australian by a hairs breadth when Docherty slipped in the frenetic conclusion to the race.

Kahlefeldt’s appealed against the decision built the suspense but was ultimately futile. Dmitry Polyansky of Russia completed the podium when he ran in five seconds behind the pair with Don the highest placed Brit in 9th.

The local crowd were whipped up in to frenzy when Korea’s Chang Yon Lee blazed a trail in the water, though three-time European champion Frederic Belaubre and Australia’s Courtney Atkinson, who was later given a 15 second time penalty in transition for a false start, never allowed him to create a decisive lead.

A large front pack of 50 athletes formed immediately after first transition until Mark Fretta from the USA and Belaubre managed to escape up the road, carving out an ever increasing lead as they pushed on.

The duo managed to open up a one minute advantage over the main pack coming into second transition following 30km of hard graft. On the final cycle lap a Russian pairing of Dmitry Polyansky and Alexander Brukhankov also managed to open a gap of 30 seconds taking them clear of the chasers which included Canada’s double Olympic medallist Simon Whitfield Don.

Once on the run the Russians quickly caught Belaubre as Kahlefeldt, Beijing Olympic Games bronze medallist Docherty, and his compatriot Kris Gemmell set about reducing the gap to the leaders.

Polyansky managed to break Brukhankov but was caught by the chasers lead by renowned runner Jarrod Shoemaker from the USA as the athletes hit half distance on the 10km run.

Despite being caught, Polyansky refused to be dropped as a surging Kahlefeldt first shelled Shoemaker, and later Gemmell from the lead pack. The Russian eventually succumbed to the brutal pace in the final 500m as the Aussie and Kiwi broke clear to fight it out in the home straight.

Kahlefeldt stole the early yards but Docherty responded and sprinted past. The Australian kicked again and overhauled the Kiwi but then slipped some ten metres from the line, losing momentum and allowing Docherty’s last ditch effort to gain the extra inch that he needed to win.

Kahlefeldt appealed against the verdict to award Docherty the race victory but the decision was upheld after a review of the photo finish.

“It’s all a blur, when it comes down to those sort of situations,” admitted Docherty. “It’s just mind over body. I couldn’t really feel my legs but they wanted to go forward.

“Brad got a bit of a lead on me and I came back and inched in front and we both just went for the line. It was a case of just cross your fingers and go for it!”

“Deep down I know I have a pretty good sprint. That was my game plan going into the Olympic Games but unfortunately it didn’t quite go my way. This time it paid off but that Olympic gold medal is going to haunt me and until I achieve that I’m not going to stop.”

Tongyeong Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship

Gold - Bevan Docherty (NZL) 1:50:25
Silver - Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) 1:50:25
Bronze - Dmitry Polyansky (RUS) 1:50:30 +0:05
4th - Kris Gemmell (NZL) 1:50:40 +0:15
5th - Steffen Justus (GER) 1:50:43 +0:18
6th - Jarrod Shoemaker (USA) 1:50:47 +0:22
7th - Alexander Brukhankov (RUS) 1:50:47 +0:22
8th - Laurent Vidal (FRA) 2:04:25 1:50:47 +0:22
9th - Tim Don (GBR) 1:51:01 +0:36
10th - Courtney Atkinson (AUS) 1:51:06 +0:41

Other GBR: 12th – Oliver Freeman 1:51:13 + 0:48

Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship rankings

After race one of eight

1. Bevan Docherty (NZL) 800pts
2. Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) 740pts
3. Dmitry Polyansky (RUS) 685pts
4. Kris Gemmell (NZL) 633pts
5. Steffen Justus (GER) 586pts

Emma Snowsill wins ITU World Championship series opener in Tongyeong

Reigning world champion Helen Jenkins was unable to find last season’s form in the opening event of the ITU World Championship series in Tongyeong, Korea, as Beijing Olympic champion Emma Snowsill took top place on the podium once again.

Liz Blatchford was first home, in 13th, of the British contingent who finished together midway down the field, despite a terrific swim from Jodie Swallow, who lead the pack behind American super-swimmer Sara McLarty and eventual silver medallist Emma Moffatt for much of the 1.5km distance.

Jenkins tried to force the issue when the group bunched on the bikes but her attempts to lead a breakaway came to nothing and the Welsh athlete was never in contention after the second transition.

Snowsill, in contrast, seemed to grown stronger through the race, despite only just being recovered from a cracked rib suffered while surfing.

The Australian placed strongly throughout the swim and bike before overtaking compatriot Moffatt late on the 10km run to win by ten seconds.

Last weekend’s Ishigaki ITU Triathlon World Cup winner, Juri Ide from Japan, finished third as she out-sprinted Canada’s Kathy Tremblay and Kirsten Sweetland for the final podium position.

McLarty has never been beaten in the water at any ITU event and continued that proud record in posting a rapid time of 19m 13s.

Moffatt, who had gamely stuck to the American’s heels in the swim, tried and failed to force a breakaway after the first transition but was quickly wheeled in by the pack, led by Switzerland’s Daniela Ryf.

Jenkins and France’s Jessica Harrison then tried to increase the pace but with similar effect, keeping the bike stage in regulation until the penultimate lap when Samantha Warriner was brought down as she was knocked whilst taking a drink.

The Kiwi quickly remounted and powered her way back up to the leaders whilst compatriot Debbie Tanner closed the chase pack’s deficit to 45 seconds.

At the head of the race a determined Moffatt stormed through second transition as she looked to put distance between her and the rest of the field. Snowsill had a poor transition and found herself towards the back, but had worked her way up to head the chasers after just one kilometre of running.

Snowsill then set about reeling in her training partner and caught Moffatt after 5km. The Australian pair then duelled throughout the final lap until the Olympic gold medallist stole a few metres in the final kilometre and eventually pulled away to a ten second victory.

Despite the win Snowsill was in no doubt that an early season injury had set her back.

“I got to have a little bit of fun after the Olympic Games and I decided to teach myself how to surf and unfortunately I cracked a rib when I fell off and my board hit me at the start of the year,” she said.

“It’s been a long time since I raced and there’s something about racing that you just can’t get in training. I was really pushed today and Emma is a training partner of mine. It was really tough but it allowed me to see where I am at in terms of fitness.”

Snowsill is now looking forward to the rest of the series and the opportunities the new World Championship Series affords the sport in which she excels.

“This was the first one in the series and so the attention is going to build as we progress through to the next races. There’s more prize money, more sponsors, live TV and that’s not happening in a lot of sports, so it is fortunate to be happening to us.

“You will next see me in Washington for the third leg of the series, but first I’ll get another block of training in and let myself recover from this.”

Tongyeong Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship

Gold - Emma Snowsill (AUS) 2:02:42

Silver - Emma Moffatt (AUS) 2:02:52 +0:10

Bronze - Juri Ide (JPN) 2:03:30 +0:48

4th - Kathy Tremblay (CAN) 2:03:32 +0:50

5th - Kirsten Sweetland (CAN) 2:03:39 +0:57

6th - Kiyomi Niwata (JPN) 2:03:56 +1:14

7th - Magali Di Marco Messmer (SUI) 2:04:07 +1:25

8th - Samantha Warriner (NZL) 2:04:25 +1:43

9th - Vendula Frintova (CZE) 2:04:26 +1:44

10th - Lauren Groves (CAN) 2:04:27 +1:45

13th - Liz Blatchford (GBR) 2:04:48 +2:06

14th - Jodie Swallow (GBR) 2:05:01 +2:19

15th - Helen Jenkins (GBR) 2:05:14 +2:32

Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship Rankings

After Race One of Eight

1. Emma Snowsill (AUS) 800pts

2. Emma Moffatt (AUS) 740pts

3. Juri Ide (JPN) 685pts

4. Kathy Tremblay (CAN) 633pts

5. Kirsten Sweetland (CAN) 586pts

Helen Jenkins leads British triathlon charge as ITU World Championship starts in Korea

Reigning world champion Helen Jenkins will lead a strong British contingent in the opening round of the revamped ITU World Championships, in Tongyeong, Korea, a competiton that will showcase the London 2012 triathlon venue as one of the seven host cities.

Jenkins – who won the title as Helen Tucker before her marriage to fellow British triathlete and trainer Marc Jenkins – secured the honour in Vancouver last summer and will face stiff competition from a field containing Beijing gold medallist Emma Snowsill in Korea.

An injection of prize money and new format to the championships has added a level of anticipation to the series which stops at Madrid, Washington D.C, Kitzbühel in Austria and Hamburg before arriving in London on Aug 15, followed by a further leg in Yokohama before the grand final on Australia’s Gold Coast in September.

With a prize purse of $150,000 on offer there is more than the opportunity to place an early season marker down.

“For us, the athletes, this is phenomenal. It is a pretty amazing thing,” said Australian Snowsill.

“The benefit of live TV is that it creates a season. People will know when to watch and when to tune into triathlon. It is moving in the direction that everyone wants to see it”.

Jenkins, who finished a disappointing 21st in Beijing, will not have to contend with Portugal’s Vanessa Fernandes, second to Snowsill in China, after she broke her collarbone training, though the women’s field remains one of the strongest ever assembled.

Athens Olympic Champion Kate Allen from Austria, Beijing bronze medallist, Australia’s Emma Moffatt, Japan’s Juri Ide, who won last weekend’s Ishigaki ITU Triathlon World Cup, the sport’s second tier event, and season opening Mooloolaba ITU Triathlon World Cup winner, Kirsten Sweetland of Canada will all compete.

Liz Blatchford, Kerry Lang and Jodie Swallow make up the remainder of Great Britain’s female team.

The men’s race will see the double Olympic medallists, Simon Whitfield from Canada and Bevan Docherty from New Zealand, battling against the Australian pairing of Oceania champion Brad Kahlefeldt and double 2009 world cup winner, Courtney Atkinson.

Britain will be represented by Olly Freeman and Tim Don, who enjoyed victory in Tongyeong in 2008.

The two lap 1500m swim course, five lap 40km cycle and four lap 10km run will be negotiated by the women on Saturday, with the men racing 24 hours later.

The London leg of the competition will see elite runners compete on the 2010 course for the first time and Jenkins is hopeful of a strong British showing in front of home support in Hyde Park.

“As athletes we can really show off our sport and raise its profile at such a prestigious location,” said Jenkins.

“I am looking forward to competing as part of a strong British team.”