Strong Showing By ‘Top Ten’ Kiwis In Hamburg

The latest round of the ITU Dextro Energy Triathlon World Championship Series produced a first time winner in Jarrod Shoemaker (USA) and top ten results for leading Kiwis Bevan Docherty (5th) and Kris Gemmell (7th).

Conditions were much brighter for the men’s race with the rain of the day before making way for largely blue skies and warmer temperatures as Gemmell, Docherty, Martin van Barneveld and James Elvery flew the Kiwi flag in race five of the World Championship Series.

Gemmell was the best of the Kiwis in the swim, finishing 35 seconds behind race leader Richard Varga (Slovakia). James Elvery was next 49 seconds behind with Docherty at 59 seconds and Martin van Barneveld at 65 seconds.

A small breakaway group threatened early on the bike but a lack of coordination saw it fizzle and the majority of the field came together in one large group, a group that included all four of the Kiwis. Local favourite Daniel Unger was almost two minutes down in a small chase group though, having stopped to change a flat rear tyre.

Another attack was made just before the halfway mark with four triathletes making a bid for glory with Mark Fretta (USA), Paul Tichelaar (CAN), Christian Prochnow (GER) and Dominik Berger (AUT) moving clear of the field.

Gemmell led the chase group into transition, alongside Olympic champion Jan Frodeno (GER), Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS), Simon Whitfield (CAN) and Docherty, the gap to the leaders 81 seconds as they donned their running shoes.

Prochnow had the advantage of the 250,000 strong partisan locals that once again lined the streets of Hamburg, in some places ten deep as they urged their countryman on to a possible upset victory.

But the big guns were coming, with Gemmell and Docherty in a chase group of ten that took 25 seconds out of the lead on the first of four laps, in the process putting in sub 3 minute kilometres to get their chase underway.

Jarrod Shoemaker (USA) and Kahlefeldt edged clear, with Shoemaker in particular putting it all on the line as he moved into the lead just beyond the halfway mark, all the while distancing himself from the field.

It was the last the field would see of the American as he finally lived up to his strong running heritage to post a first ever win at World Championship or World Cup level. Kahlefeldt held off a fast finishing group for second with Alexander Brukankov (RUS) third.

Docherty and Gemmell ran strongly to come home in 5th and 7th respectively, both earning good points towards their overall world rankings. For Docherty in particular a top five finish is good reward as he shakes a month wrecked by illness to move into the top fifteen in the overall rankings with London, Yokohama and the season ending Gold Coast races still to come.

The Taupo triathlete moves to 13th on the overall rankings, importantly still with just three of a possible four counting scores while Gemmell stays in 8th place, again knowing he can move higher with strong performances in London and Yokohama.

After a month of more coughing than training, Docherty is pleased with today’s result.

“It just feels awesome to get a finish to be honest! The last month has been frustrating to say the least what with being sick for 3 weeks and losing a huge amount of fitness. Today was all about getting some form back, getting the confidence levels back up again.

“But despite that it isn’t a win and I’m not on the podium, I hate that – not being on the podium, especially behind guys I know I can beat. But this was a good race; I felt a little stronger the longer we went but only had one gear today and couldn’t quite stay in the race for third to the line.”

Likewise Gemmell was accepting of a top ten today given his recent workload.

“This is about what I expected with training for the last month all about volume and base. Plus today shows again that if you are half a percent out, you are going to miss the podium.

“Like Bevan I felt better as we went on, I was pretty much on the limit early, there was just no change in gear today. But that is okay, in talking to my coach Chris Pilone who was here watching, that is just down to training. This isn’t the time for me, it will be later in the season with some more speed in the legs.”

Of the other New Zealanders van Barneveld ran a strong final kilometre to make up some ground in finishing 38th while James Elvery withdrew as he struggled with the pace in his debut World Championship appearance.

ITU Dextro Energy Triathlon World Championship Series
Hamburg, Germany
Elite Men

1 Jarrod Shoemaker, (USA) +00 01:44:06

2 Brad Kahlefeldt, (AUS) +08 01:44:14

3 Alexander Brukhankov, (RUS) +10 01:44:16

4 Steffen Justus, (GER) +15 01:44:21

5 Bevan Docherty, (NZL) +19 01:44:25

6 Maik Petzold, (GER) +23 01:44:29

7 Kris Gemmell, (NZL) +23 01:44:29

8 Dmitry Polyansky, (RUS) +35 01:44:41

9 Simon Whitfield, (CAN) +43 01:44:49

10 Jan Frodeno, (GER) +49 01:44:55

Plus NZers

38 Martin van Barneveld, (NZL) +03:47 01:47:53

DNF James Elvery (NZL)

ENDS