Nov. 19, 2006 -- As balloons rose over Lake Burley Griffin, the 2006 ITU Long-distance Triathlon World Championships began on Nov. 19 with over 630 athletes powering into, what for some, would be a long day in the sun. Four kilometers later, on a two-lap swim course that took them past Parliament House to the Kings Ave. Bridge, the early leaders emerged with Kieran Doe (NZL) leading fellow New Zealanders Stephan Sheldrake and Nathan Richmond out of the water around the 50-minute mark. First Australian out was Nick Hornman.
The women's race leader, Linda Gallo (USA), swam 55 minutes and emerged in a pack of men about three minutes ahead of Johanna Daumas (FRA) and Manuela Ianesi (ITA). Australians Amelia Cox and Belinda Halloran were sixth and seventh into T1 and on to the 120km bike. Aussie Lachlan Lewis was last out of the water waving to the cheers of the crowd.
The bike was the stage for several changes in position as the four-lap course took in Parliament Hill, the lake and wound its way toward Coppins Crossing. Doe, who had led Torbjorn Sindballe (DEN) out of the water by over one minute, found Sindballe was only two seconds behind him as he finished the first lap. Sheldrake and Richmond were involved in their own duel with a large pack including Craig Alexander (AUS) over three minutes behind the leaders.
Among the women, after the first lap Gallo still had over two minutes on Daumas, with Melissa Ashton (AUS), Bella Comerford (GBR) and Amelia Cox (AUS) rounding out the top five. Lap two found the men still locked in their positions, while Daumas took over the lead from Gallo, moving out to a two-minute lead. Sara Gross (GBR) moved in to the top five and Edith Niederfriniger (ITA) entered the top 10.
Major movement in lap three saw Sindballe move into the lead by over 50 seconds to Doe and over eight minutes to the rest of the field. The women were still chasing Daumas, who now had Melissa Ashton just less than two minutes behind and Comerford three minutes off the pace.
Coming into T2, Sinballe had almost six minutes over Doe and 11 to Richmond. Alexander moved into sixth just over 12 minutes behind the leader. Marino Vanhoenacker (BEL) transitioned in 11th place -- looking to make up over 16 minutes to the leader. Daumas extended her lead to three and a half minutes over Ashton, Comerford and Martina Dogana (ITA) and Niederfriniger was now fifth over seven minutes back.
With 30km to go on the flat three-lap run, it meant that there was still time left for major movements in the field. Sindballe lost two minutes to Alexander on the first lap and a further four to him on the second lap. It was shaping up to be a close finish with the possibility of an Australian world champion. Melissa Ashton dropped out at the 10km mark, with Comerford taking over second. As the laps wore on in the heat, Daumas surrendered her lead to Comerford and then second place to Niederfriniger. Vanhoenacker moved through the field each lap, steadily climbing the leader board as Sindballe held on to the lead.
The roar of the crowd alerted those at the finish that the new world champion was about to cross the line as Sindballe entered the finish chute in a time of 5:59:13. As his finisher's medal was placed over his head, a Danish flag flew from the crowd to crown his achievement. Craig Alexander (6:00:35) held onto his second place, despite cramping in the last kilometers that forced him to stop every kilometer to stretch. Third was Marino Vanhoenacker from Belgium (6:02:22), a further three minutes behind the winner. Julien Loy, 6:02:46, (FRA) and Nathan Richmond, 6:04:54, (NZL) rounded out the top five.
Bella Comerford (GBR) was crowned the LD Triathlon World Champion as she finished in a time of 6:55:32 -- ahead of Edith Niederfriniger, 6:57:17, (ITA) and the early leader Johanna Daumas, 7:00:50, (FRA). The effort of the race clearly showed in Comerford's face as she grasped the finish tape in jubilation. Erika Csomor, 7:05:13 (HUN), the sole Hungarian entrant, was fourth with Martina Dogana (ITA) coming in fifth in a time of 7:05:37.
2006 ITU Canberra Long Distance Triathlon World Championships4km swim, 120km bike, 30km runNov. 19, 2006Canberra, AustraliaElite women1. COMERFORD, Bella (GBR) 6:55:32
2. NIEDERFRINIGER, Edith (ITA) 6:57:17
3. DAUMAS, Johanna (FRA) 7:00:50
4. CSOMOR, Erika (HUN) 7:05:13
5. DOGNANA, Martina (ITA) 7:05:37
6. GROSS, Sara (USA) 7:06:47
7. JESBERGER, Heidi (GER) 7:08:33
8. AZANZA, Cristina (ESP) 7:14:56
9. BAYLEY, Abigail (GBR) 7:21:00
10. COX, Amelia (AUS) 7:22:56
Elite men1. SINDBALLE, Torbjorn (DEN) 5:59:13
2. ALEXANDER, Craig (AUS) 6:00:35
3. VANHOENACKER, Marino (BEL) 6:02:00
4. LOY, Julien (FRA) 6:02:46
5. RICHMOND, Nathan (NZL) 6:04:54
6. VERNAY, Patrick (ITU) 6:07:26
7. FAURE, Herve (FRA) 6:07:26
8. COLTING, Jonas (SWE) 6:07:56
9. COLUCCI, Reinaldo (BRA) 6:10:49
10. KOEFOED, Jens (DEN) 6:10:57