Shane Reed, Emma Moffat win Oceania Championships
New Zealander Shane Reed won an emotionally charged victory in honor of a beloved grandfather who just died, and Australian Emma Moffat trumped a talent-laden field to win the Aussie-Kiwi Oceania showdown in Wellington Sunday.
Snuffy Reed’s second-best on the day 32:35 closing run jetted him away from 2004 ITU World Champion and Olympic silver medalist and guaranteed 2008 Olympian Bevan Docherty to win the 2008 Oceania championships by 13 seconds.
"My grandfather passed away this week and the funeral was on Friday,” said Reed, the much smaller version of his 6-foot 5-inch brother Matt Reed, who competes for the United States. “I’m sure he was up there watching over me today. I was very much racing for him today.”
Moffat won a smashing victory by 1 minute 35 seconds over countrywoman and runner-up Annabel Luxford, leaving four other current and former Olympians well in her wake. Moffat, who finished second in the 2007 ITU World Cup points chase with a win at Edmonton, a second at Tiszaujvaros and a third at the World Championships in Hamburg, finished the bike in tight formation with Luxford, the 2005 ITU points champion, then blew her away by a minute and a half with a race-best 36:01 run.
Referring to the blustery gusts and heat on the day, Moffat told ITU media: “That was bloody windy and tough the whole race,” said Moffat. “My transition out of the bike and on to the run was great. From then I just ran solid.”
The men
Fifteen men exited the swim in a closely matched pack—from Clayton Fettell’s 17:51 to Bevan Docherty’s 18:24 and every serious contender in between. On the windy bike that circled the Oriental bay course, Kiwis Kris Gemmell, Bevan Docherty and Reed led. On the run, Docherty surged first and only Snuffy Reed answered. Reed, who lost a similar duel to the line at the 2002 Oceania Championships to Kris Gemmell, broke his more-decorated adversary with a kilometer to go, finishing first with a 32:35 run and a tearful salute to his grandfather.
The women
Moffat left the water third in 19:50, just five seconds back of fellow Aussie Annabel Luxford and two seconds back of Kiwi Andrea Hewitt. The three of them made a break and pulled into T2 90 seconds to the good. On the run, Moffat took command early on her way to a race best 36:01 run. Luxford, nursing a shin injury, hung grimly to second. Hewitt faded and eventually yielded third to countrywoman Nicky Samuels, who ran 37:18 to take the final podium slot.
The major subplot: The race for Olympic slots
The Oceania championships, almost exclusively a shootout between Australian and New Zealand triathletes, are a key contest establishing ITU points which establish Olympic slots for these two triathlon superpowers.
Strictly speaking, whoever wins the Oceania Championship gains a guaranteed Olympic slot for their country. But with each country fielding so many top ITU World Cup contenders, whose high ITU points standing already earn the maximum three Olympic slots, it’s not often that the Oceania results are crucial. This year, there are many factors which leave the Australian men short of enough points to insure a third Olympic slot. Aside from sure Olympians Brad Kahlefeldt and Courtney Atkinson, up-and-comers like Matt Hopper, Dan Wilson, David Dellow and an injury-plagued 2004 Olympian Simon Thompson remain well out on the bubble. Long time Aussie stars Craig Walton and Peter Robertson and USA’s Life Time Fitness champion and 2004 top Australian Olympian Greg Bennett skipped Oceania to focus on Mooloolaba. Reed’s win, however, did sew up a third Olympic spot for the Kiwi men.
Likewise, Reed’s and Moffat’s wins at Wellington may have theoretically helped their country’s chances for three Olympic slots, but neither nabbed a guaranteed slot. “I had not tapered for this,” said Moffat. “I raced last week as well, but the real aim is (the ITU World Cup in) Mooloolaba (a key Triathlon Australia selection race) in three weeks.”
Likewise, Shane Reed said his focus, too, was on Mooloolaba. “I’m delighted that I have booked New Zealand a third spot in Beijing, but I just hope I haven’t peaked too early,” said Reed. “I guess I’ll just have to go down to Mooloolaba and win again in three weeks.”
In fact, by virtue of their top finishes at the 2007 ITU World Cup in Beijing last September, New Zealand men Bevan Docherty and Kris Gemmell with Reed, James Seear and Terenzo Bozzone leading the chase.
New Zealand women Samantha Warriner and Debbie Tanner have their Olympic slots guaranteed, leaving Nicky Samuels, Andrea Hewitt and Evelyn Williamson leading the chase.
Australia makes its Olympic picks a coach’s decision, with Kahlefeldt and Atkinson and Emma Snowsill virtual locks. Based on performances at Mooloolaba and another key race, Australia must choose between old guard heroes like Craig Walton, three-time World Champ Peter Robertson, former World Number 1 Greg Bennett, a slumping Simon Thompson and a not-quite-ready-for-prime-time new guard for the precious final Olympic men’s slot.
The prodigiously Australian women face an even more fiery battle for the two open slots at stake in Mooloolaba and after. Moffat is leading the chase, joined by Erin Densham, Annabel Luxford and Felicity Abram – all of whom have wins and multiple World Cup podiums to their credit.
2008 OCA Triathlon Oceania Championships
Wellington, New Zealand
March 9, 2008
S 1.5k/ B 40k/ R 10k
Results
Elite women
1. Emma Moffat (Aus) 2:06:36
2. Annabel Luxford (Aus) 2:08:11
3. Nicky Samuels (Nzl) 2:10:30
4. Andrea Hewitt (Nzl) 2:10:47
5. Samantha Warriner (Nzl)
Elite men
1. Shane Reed (Nzl)
2. Bevan Docherty (Nzl) 1:55:42
3. James Seear (Nzl) 1:56:13
4. Matt Hopper (Aus) 1:56:28
5. Kris Gemmell (Nzl) 1:56:48
