NEWS

Pre-Race Press Conference Highlights from Auckland World Triathlon Grand Final

By Merryn Sherwood | 19 Oct, 2012
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Highlights of the 2012 WTS Auckland Press Conference

The tough course, the weather conditions and the world championship titles were the topics the top triathletes tackled as they met the press in New Zealand on Friday. The four athletes most likely to vie for the ITU World Championship titles, Jonathan Brownlee, Javier Gomez, Lisa Norden and Erin Densham, as well as New Zealand’s multiple-Olympic medallist Bevan Docherty and last year’s Grand Final winner Andrea Hewitt, spoke to the press in Auckland today ahead of the 2012 Barfoot&Thomson ITU World Triathlon Grand Final weekend.

Jonathan Brownlee (GBR)
On the conditions:
“It’s pretty cold here, it’s very similar to England the weather here, which feels a bit strange as I’ve travelled two days to get here and it’s the same weather as home, it changes every 10 seconds. But I’m pleased to be here.”

On the course:
“Well I think it’s a great course, I like hard courses like this and we’ve always asked for hard courses and I think one of the great things about the world series is that you can experience different courses. You can have a flat course in San Diego and then to come to Auckland and have hard hilly course, great. I think it suits me, it suits triathletes who are good swim, bikers and runners.”

Erin Densham (AUS)
On her preparations for Saturday’s race:
“I’ve decided that this is going to be my last race for the year, I was going to stretch it out and do Xterra world champs next weekend but I’ve had enough for the year and I’m hoping to end on a high note…because I want it over and done with quickly that I will race faster maybe just so it can end quicker, but I’m looking forward to it. So let’s see if I can end on a high.”

Lisa Norden (SWE)
On the possibility of another sprint finish:
“I think I’ve had enough of sprint finishes for this year to be honest, it’s been probably a couple too many already.”

On how the race will play out:
“I definitely think this bike course is going to make a big impact on the run, it’s not going to be a fast and furious run like you are bunched up together, but you will get that spread out field where everyone is fighting for their survival to the finish line. I’m very excited about the course and having that kind of hard race to finish off with, it’s very fair bike course for everyone.”

On how much she has thought about the points required to overtake Densham to win the world title:
“The only thing I can control out there is myself, I have no impact on any other athletes. Obviously I trained very hard and I know there is a gold and a world championship title on the line, so I am going to do my best to you know, have a cracker of a day out there. I think any athlete goes into every race wanting to win it and if I go in with that kind of mentality I’m also going to come out with a very good outcome at the end of the day, and that’s an outcome that would mean a lot to me…finishing off with a great race here would put an end to a fantastic season.”

Javier Gomez (ESP)
On the foot injury he dealt with after the London 2012 Olympic Games:
“It’s 100 percent healed and I’ve been training quite good since Yokohama, the last few weeks in Christchurch were quite ok, maybe not my best fitness ever but I hope I will have a good one.”

Bevan Docherty (NZL)
On whether this is his final ITU race:
“For the record, I’m really not too sure what I’m doing, I know I’m focusing on long course but there is still that desire to race in these events…but certainly London was my last Olympic campaign and I’m just excited about the future, but got to get this one out of the way first and what a fantastic course and a great place to have the race at the end of the season.”

Andrea Hewitt (NZL)
On whether she can challenge Norden and Densham for the title:
“I hope so, I’m feeling pretty good, I feel like I’ve been building up the last two months since after the Olympics I had a couple of weeks off and yeah, I feel better and better each day. And this is a race in New Zealand in my home country so it means a lot to me to do well here, just like last year, I came here and it was the end of the season but I picked it up and won it on this course. This type of course suits me as well so hopefully it will be a good one.”

The 2012 Barfoot&Thomson ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Auckland gets underway tomorrow with three ITU World Championship deciders back to back. The Under23 women’s world title race starts the action at 9.15am, followed by the elite women’s Grand Final at 12.15. The men’s Under23 world championship rounds out the competition on Saturday at 3.15pm. The action then continues on Sunday with the junior men’s and women’s and elite men’s events, followed by age-group and paratriathlon on Monday. You can watch all the elite action live on www.triathlonlive.tv, and follow live text updates on @triathlonlive and @ituonline.

Related Event: 2012 Barfoot and Thompson World Triathlon Grand Final Auckland
20 - Oct, 2012 • event pageall results
Results: Elite Men
1. Javier Gomez Noya ESP 02:00:29
2. Jonathan Brownlee GBR 02:00:31
3. Sven Riederer SUI 02:01:18
4. Steffen Justus GER 02:01:40
5. Gregor Buchholz GER 02:01:46
6. Kyle Jones CAN 02:01:48
7. Dmitry Polyanskiy RUS 02:01:50
8. Ivan Raña Fuentes ESP 02:01:56
9. Richard Murray RSA 02:02:00
10. David McNamee GBR 02:02:06
Results: Elite Women
1. Anne Haug GER 02:10:48
2. Gwen Jorgensen USA 02:11:00
3. Barbara Riveros CHI 02:11:01
4. Lisa Norden SWE 02:11:03
5. Jodie Stimpson GBR 02:11:03
6. Rachel Klamer NED 02:11:09
7. Andrea Hansen NZL 02:11:10
8. Kate Mcilroy NZL 02:11:12
9. Sarah True USA 02:11:20
10. Juri Ide JPN 02:11:21
Results: U23 Men
1. Aaron Royle AUS 01:57:17
2. Fernando Alarza ESP 01:57:20
3. Thomas Bishop GBR 01:57:21
4. Pierre Le Corre FRA 01:57:29
5. Ryan Fisher AUS 01:57:51
6. Matthew Sharp GBR 01:58:49
7. Jason Wilson BAR 01:59:15
8. Greg Billington USA 01:59:32
9. Igor Polyanskiy RUS 01:59:40
10. Ryan Bailie AUS 01:59:50
Results: U23 Women
1. Non Stanford GBR 02:13:06
2. Sarissa De Vries NED 02:13:15
3. Joanna Brown CAN 02:14:12
4. Claudia Rivas MEX 02:14:26
5. Natalie Van Coevorden AUS 02:14:28
6. Sara Vilic AUT 02:15:06
7. Ashlee Bailie AUS 02:15:09
8. Lucy Buckingham GBR 02:15:11
9. Simone Ackermann RSA 02:15:24
10. Maaike Caelers NED 02:15:41
Results: Junior Men
1. Wian Sullwald RSA 01:01:44
2. Simon Viain FRA 01:01:58
3. Constantine Doherty IRL 01:01:59
4. Kristian Blummenfelt NOR 01:02:31
5. Gordon Benson GBR 01:02:45
6. Marcel Walkington AUS 01:02:58
7. Ryousuke Maeda JPN 01:02:59
8. Jorik Van Egdom NED 01:02:59
9. Eduardo Moreno Castañeda MEX 01:03:04
10. Dorian Coninx FRA 01:03:06
Results: Junior Women
1. Fumika Matsumoto JPN 01:08:33
2. Leonie Periault FRA 01:08:36
3. Tamara Gorman USA 01:08:39
4. Sarah Wilm GER 01:08:44
5. Maddie Dillon NZL 01:08:50
6. Amelie Kretz CAN 01:09:02
7. Sumire Ohara JPN 01:09:02
8. Elise Salt NZL 01:09:04
9. Georgia Taylor-Brown GBR 01:09:35
10. Luisa Condeço POR 01:09:40