2007 Review: BG World Cup Series

NEWS

By World Triathlon Admin | 17 Dec, 2007

Round 1: Mooloolaba, Australia – March 25, 2007
The 2007 BG Triathlon World Cup Series kicked off down under in Mooloolaba, Australia. The local support had a profound advantage for the home team as the Aussies swept the men’s and women’s events. Emma Snowsill derailed Vanessa Fernandes’ bid for a record 13th consecutive World Cup title to take gold in the season opener. In an exciting men’s race that came down the wire, Brad Kahlefeldt out-sprinted Javier Gomez for his fifth career World Cup victory.

2007 Mooloolaba BG Triathlon World Cup, Australia - March 25, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Snowsill, Emma (AUS) 01:59:20
2 Densham, Erin (AUS) 01:59:51
3 Fernandes, Vanessa (POR) 02:00:01

Elite Men:
1 Kahlefeldt, Brad (AUS) 01:49:22
2 Gomez, Javier (ESP) 01:49:26
3 Gemmell, Kris (NZL) 01:49:36

Click here for full field Mooloolaba results
Click here to view the Mooloolaba photo gallery
Click here to watch the Mooloolaba TriCast

Round 2: Ishigaki, Japan – April 15, 2007
Next up the series shifted to Japan to the long-time ITU venue of Ishigaki. Courtney Atkinson continued his mastery of the course with a commanding win over Olympic silver medalist Bevan Docherty. It was Atkinson’s fourth Ishigaki win since 2000. Round two of 2007 between Snowsill and Fernandes was a phenomenal run battle that also included 2006 Ishigaki winner Debbie Tanner of New Zealand. This time it was Fernandes returning to her winning ways, collecting career World Cup win number 14.

2007 Ishigaki BG Triathlon World Cup, Japan - April 15, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Fernandes, Vanessa (POR) 02:04:16
2 Snowsill, Emma (AUS) 02:04:34
3 Tanner, Debbie (NZL) 02:04:51

Elite Men:
1 Atkinson, Courtney (AUS) 01:53:27
2 Docherty, Bevan (NZL) 01:54:13
3 Gemmell, Kris (NZL) 01:54:26

Click here for full field Ishigaki results
Click here to view the Ishigaki photo gallery
Click here to watch the Ishigaki TriCast

Round 3: Lisbon, Portugal – May 6, 2007
For the first time Lisbon hosted a World Cup and thousands of fans came out to cheer their hometown heroine Fernandes, who did not disappoint. The Portuguese superstar dominated the race and coasted to the finish line for her second straight win of 2007 while overtaking Snowsill for the number one ranking. In the men’s event, Javier Gomez ran away from the field off the bike to win his fourth career World Cup title. Lisbon will host the European Championships in 2008.

2007 Lisbon BG Triathlon World Cup, Portugal - May 6, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Fernandes, Vanessa (POR) 02:04:45
2 Dillon, Michelle (GBR) 02:06:05
3 Pilz, Christiane (GER) 02:06:30

Elite Men:
1 Gomez, Javier (ESP) 01:52:41
2 Ospaly, Filip (CZE) 01:52:53
3 Kahlefeldt, Brad (AUS) 01:52:58

Click here for full field Lisbon results
Click here to view the Lisbon photo gallery
Click here to watch the Lisbon TriCast

Round 4: Richards Bay, South Africa – May 13, 2007
It was a race of firsts as the BG Triathlon World Cup series moved to Richards Bay, South Africa. The 2006 Junior World Champion Kirsten Sweetland shocked the racing world with her first title in just her fifth elite World Cup start. The exciting men’s race was a tremendous finish that ended with Africa’s first ever World Cup title. Reigning African champion Hendrik De Villiers thrilled the home crowds edging out Ukrainian veteran Volodymyr Polikarpenko by three seconds for the win. It was also the emergence of Russian teenager Alexander Brukhankov who earned his first World Cup podium.

2007 Richards Bay BG Triathlon World Cup, South Africa - May 13, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Sweetland, Kirsten (CAN) 02:03:32
2 Di marco Messmer, Magali (SUI) 02:03:47
3 Pilz, Christiane (GER) 02:03:49

Elite Men:
1 De Villiers, Hendrik (RSA) 01:52:53
2 Polikarpenko, Volodymyr (UKR) 01:52:56
3 Brukhankov, Alexander (RUS) 01:53:01

Click here for full field Richards Bay results
Click here to view the Richards Bay photo gallery
Click here to watch the Richards Bay TriCast

Round 5: Madrid, Spain – June 3, 2007
Back to Europe for the popular stop in Madrid, this has turned into the personal playground of Fernandes. The world number one made it five consecutive wins with another masterful performance on the tough Spanish course. Fernandes also became the first triathlete to win the same World Cup for five straight years. The men’s race was a fantastic running duel between Gomez and Ospaly. Despite numerous attempts to break away, the gutsy Czech stayed with Gomez and in the end out-sprinted the Spaniard for his third career title.

2007 Madrid BG Triathlon World Cup, Spain - June 3, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Fernandes, Vanessa (POR) 02:07:33
2 Hewitt, Andrea (NZL) 02:08:25
3 Dillon, Michelle (GBR) 02:08:30

Elite Men:
1 Ospaly, Filip (CZE) 01:55:47
2 Gomez, Javier (ESP) 01:55:52
3 Rana, Ivan (ESP) 01:56:08

Click here for full field Madrid results
Click here to view the Madrid photo gallery
Click here to watch the Madrid TriCast

Round 6: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – June 10, 2007
The World Cup series traveled across the Atlantic to the stunning Olympic city of Vancouver, Canada. Local hero Simon Whitfield wowed the local fans with an exciting sprint win over American Andy Potts. For Whitfield, the 2000 Olympic Champion, it was his first World Cup win since 2004. In the women’s race, Samantha Warriner overcame the wet and chilly conditions to come from behind to claim her fourth career World Cup crown. The race was also the test-event for the 2008 World Championships on June 7-8.

2007 Vancouver BG Triathlon World Cup, Canada - June 10, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Warriner, Samantha (NZL) 02:03:25
2 Haskins, Sarah (USA) 02:04:01
3 Densham, Erin (AUS) 02:04:11

Elite Men:
1 Whitfield, Simon (CAN) 01:49:16
2 Potts, Andy (USA) 01:49:18
3 Reed, Matthew (USA) 01:50:11

Click here for full field Vancouver results
Click here to view the Vancouver photo gallery
Click here to watch the Vancouver TriCast

Round 7: Des Moines, Iowa, United States – June 17, 2007
For the first time since St. Anthony’s, Florida in 2004, an ITU World Cup was held in the United States. The seventh stop of the BG Triathlon World Cup Series headed to America’s heartland, Des Moines, Iowa for a lucrative $700,000 prize purse, thanks to Iowa grocer giant Hy-Vee. American Laura Bennett again gave the home crowds reason to cheer as she won a highly competitive women’s race, pulling away from Aussie Annabel Luxford in the final 400 meters for her first World Cup title since 2003. Dane Rasmus Henning won the men’s race by a 30-second margin over Bevan Docherty. Both pocketed US$200,000 and a Hummer H3.

2007 Des Moines BG Triathlon World Cup, USA - June 17, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Bennett, Laura (USA) 02:04:32
2 Luxford, Annabel (AUS) 02:04:47
3 Ohata, Mariana (BRA) 02:05:30

Elite Men:
1 Henning, Rasmus (DEN) 01:50:04
2 Docherty, Bevan (NZL) 01:50:34
3 Gomez, Javier (ESP) 01:50:46

Click here for full field Des Moines results
Click here to view the Des Moines photo gallery
Click here to watch the Des Moines TriCast

Round 8: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada – June 24, 2007
The North American swing continued as the series headed back north to Canada for the sixth and final World Cup in Edmonton, Alberta. A women’s nail-biter came down to a final sprint between newcomers Sweetland and Emma Moffatt of Australia. But unfortunately the home crowds wouldn’t get their way as Moffatt broke through with her first career World Cup win. In the men’s field, Bevan Docherty didn’t have to settle for silver as the Kiwi came through for gold and the fourth win of his career.

2007 Edmonton BG Triathlon World Cup, Canada – June 24, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Moffatt, Emma (AUS) 01:57:52
2 Sweetland, Kirsten (CAN) 01:57:53
3 Luxford, Annabel (AUS) 01:58:10

Elite Men:
1 Docherty, Bevan (NZL) 01:45:54
2 Brukhankov, Alexander (RUS) 01:46:14
3 Riederer, Sven (SUI) 01:46:42

Click here for full field Edmonton results
Click here to view the Edmonton photo gallery
Click here to watch the Edmonton TriCast

Round 9: Kitzbuehel, Austria – July 22, 2007
After a short break, the BG Triathlon World Cup Series resumed in the skier’s paradise of Kitzbuehel, the first World Cup in ITU history held in Austria. Kitzbuehel came alive to witness Andrea Hewitt of New Zealand become the third woman to break through for her first career World Cup victory. Buoyed by the support of the home crowds, Eva Dollinger earned her first trip to the World Cup podium. The men’s race featured one of the most competitive and compelling runs of the year. In the end, Whitfield broke away in the final 200 meters to claim his second win of the year and the first on European soil. Frenchman Frederic Belaubre came back from injury and out-sprinted Kahlefeldt for the silver.

2007 Kitzbuehel BG Triathlon World Cup, Austria – July 22, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Hewitt, Andrea (NZL) 01:54:31
2 Dollinger, Eva (AUT) 01:54:34
3 Samuels, Nicky (NZL) 01:54:45

Elite Men:
1 Whitfield, Simon (CAN) 01:42:56
2 Belaubre, Frederic (FRA) 01:42:57
3 Kahlefeldt, Brad (AUS) 01:43:01

Click here for full field Kitzbuehel results
Click here to view the Kitzbuehel photo gallery
Click here to watch the Kitzbuehel TriCast

Round 10: Salford, England, Great Britain – July 29, 2007
Not far from the legendary home of Manchester United, the tenth stop of the BG Triathlon World Cup series was contested in Salford. Vanessa Fernandes used another devastating run to clinch another World Cup title. Samantha Warriner held off a surging Kate Allen, the 2004 Olympic Champion for the silver. World number one Javier Gomez hammered out a punishing run pace that dropped the likes of Tim Don, Whitfield, and Kahlefeldt. Gomez cruised to the finish line for his fifth career World Cup win.

2007 Salford BG Triathlon World Cup, Great Britain – July 29, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Fernandes, Vanessa (POR) 02:02:59
2 Warriner, Samantha (NZL) 02:03:17
3 Allen, Kate (AUT) 02:03:23

Elite Men:
1 Gomez, Javier (ESP) 01:51:47
2 Kahlefeldt, Brad (AUS) 01:51:59
3 Whitfield, Simon (CAN) 01:52:04

Click here for full field Salford results
Click here to view the Salford photo gallery
Click here to watch the Salford TriCast

Round 11: Tiszaujvaros, Hungary – August 12, 2007
For the 11th consecutive year, the northern Hungarian town of Tiszaujvaros hosted a World Cup. This year the race was last major tune-up for the athletes before the World Championships in Hamburg. A red-hot Warriner continued to sizzle, running away with her second win of the summer, a comfortable 20-second margin of victory over Moffatt. Tanner made it a successful day for New Zealand, making it two Kiwi women on the podium for the second time in three races. Gomez asserted his dominance once again with another convincing win and establishing himself as the one to watch in Hamburg. Gemmell and Belaubre joined him on the podium.

2007 Tiszaujvaros BG Triathlon World Cup, Hungary – August 12, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Warriner, Samantha (NZL) 02:00:11
2 Moffatt, Emma (AUS) 02:00:31
3 Tanner, Debbie (NZL) 02:00:35

Elite Men:
1 Gomez, Javier (ESP) 01:47:44
2 Gemmell, Kris (NZL) 01:47:52
3 Belaubre, Frederic (FRA) 01:48:03

Click here for full field Tiszaujvaros results
Click here to view the Tiszaujvaros photo gallery
Click here to watch the Tiszaujvaros TriCast

Round 12: Beijing, China – September 15-16, 2007
Just two weeks after the Daniel Unger and Vanessa Fernandes were crowned the new Triathlon World Champions, the world’s best headed to Beijing for the coveted Olympic test event, marking the final time the athletes will contest the course before next summer’s big dance. The unstoppable Fernandes cemented herself as the pre-Olympic favourite with a commanding win on the demanding course. It was her third straight Beijing title. The women’s podium was an exact replica of the World Championships with Snowsill and Bennett rounding out the medalists. On the men’s side, Gomez left little doubt he’s the man to beat in 2008 as the world number one hammered the Olympic course with a scorching run to take his fourth World Cup title of the year. Atkinson out-sprinted Docherty for the silver. Many athletes were seeking a spot on their own Olympic team as several National Federations designated this World Cup as a key qualifier in their selection process.

2007 Beijing BG Triathlon World Cup, China – September 15-16, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Fernandes, Vanessa (POR) 02:00:36
2 Snowsill, Emma (AUS) 02:01:51
3 Bennett, Laura (USA) 02:02:06

Elite Men:
1 Gomez, Javier (ESP) 01:48:41
2 Atkinson, Courtney (AUS) 01:49:04
3 Docherty, Bevan (NZL) 01:49:08

Click here for full field Beijing results
Click here to view the Beijing photo gallery
Click here to watch the Beijing TriCast

Round 13: Rhodes, Greece – October 7, 2007
The BG Triathlon World Cup Series headed to Greece for the first time since the Athens Olympic test event. History was made as Fernandes won her 19th career World Cup, tying the great Emma Carney for most wins of any triathlete. Even more impressive for Fernandes is that her 19 wins have come in just 30 World Cups. Andrea Whitcombe and Czech Vendula Frintova both made their first appearances on the podium this year. On the men’s side, Gemmell held off teenager Alistair Brownlee, the 2006 Junior World Champion, for his first title of the year. For the precocious Brownlee, it was his first ever World Cup podium, in just his second start.

2007 Rhodes BG Triathlon World Cup, Greece – October 7, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Fernandes, Vanessa (POR) 02:02:06
2 Whitcombe, Andrea (GBR) 02:03:05
3 Frintova, Vendula (CZE) 02:03:21

Elite Men:
1 Gemmell, Kris (NZL) 01:51:53
2 Brownlee, Alistair (GBR) 01:51:57
3 Atkinson, Courtney (AUS) 01:52:20

Click here for full field Rhodes results
Click here to view the Rhodes photo gallery
Click here to watch the Rhodes TriCast

Round 14: Cancun, Mexico – November 3, 2007
As the season began to wind down, the series shifted to Mexico to long-time ITU host, Cancun. The Americans dominated the women’s event with Pan Am Games gold medalist Julie Ertel earning her first World Cup title. Her teammate Sarah Haskins took the bronze while Frenchwoman Carole Peon celebrated her birthday with her first trip to the World Cup podium. On the men’s side it was the Canadian men who ruled as Olympic champion Simon Whitfield sprinted away with his third title of the year. Compatriot Paul Tichelaar grabbed his first World Cup medal while Volodymyr Polikarpenko took the bronze, preventing a Canadian sweep of the podium.

2007 Cancun BG Triathlon World Cup, Mexico – November 3, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Ertel, Julie (USA) 02:03:22
2 Peon, Carole (FRA) 02:03:34
3 Haskins, Sarah (USA) 02:03:37

Elite Men:
1 Whitfield, Simon (CAN) 01:52:05
2 Tichelaar, Paul (CAN) 01:52:06
3 Polikarpenko, Volodymyr (UKR) 01:52:08

Click here for full field Cancun results
Click here to view the Cancun photo gallery
Click here to watch the Cancun TriCast

Round 15: Eilat, Israel – December 1, 2007
The 2007 BG Triathlon World Cup season finale was a historic event. It marked the first time an ITU World Cup was held in Israel. It also marked the turning point for two careers. Swiss Olympian Nicola Spirig won the first World Cup of her career while Juri Ide also made her first trip to the podium. For the men, Hirokatsu Tayama made triathlon history, becoming the first Japanese athlete to ever win a World Cup. Polikarpenko and Brukhankov rounded out the podium. Eilat was just the second race of the year where both the men’s and women’s victors were first-time World Cup winners.

2007 Eilat BG Triathlon World Cup, Israel – December 1, 2007
Elite Women:
1 Spirig, Nicola (SUI) 02:02:42
2 Ide, Juri (JPN) 02:03:10
3 Luxford, Annabel (AUS) 02:03:21

Elite Men:
1 Tayama, Hirokatsu (JPN) 01:49:46
2 Polikarpenko, Volodymyr (UKR) 01:50:32
3 Brukhankov, Alexander (RUS) 01:50:36

Click here for full field Eilat results
Click here to view the Eilat photo gallery
Click here to watch the Eilat TriCast

With ten wins between them, perhaps it was no surprise that Gomez and Fernandes were crowned the overall World Cup series champions for 2007, both finishing the year ranked number one in the world. Stay tuned for another wild and exciting World Cup season in 2008 as the world’s best push towards the pinnacle of the sport, the Olympic Games.

Click here for the 2008 BG Triathlon World Cup schedule

Click here for the 2008 World Championships schedule