Whitfield Steals the Show in Japan
Simon Whitfield ran away with the win at Ishigaki BG Triathlon World Cup Sunday. The 10-second win gave the Canadian his 11th career World Cup victory, tying him with his fellow Olympic gold medal comrade Hamish Carter for overall wins.
Russia’s Ivan Vasiliev led the field of 44 men through the two-lap, 1.5-kilometer swim in 16:39, with a small group, including Japanese crowd favorite Hirokatsu Tayama, in tow. Before the start of the seven-lap bike, the lead swimmers were joined by the second group, including Whitfield, 2007’s $200,000 man Rasmus Henning and American Olympic team member Jarrod Shoemaker – fresh off his 14:32 at last week’s Carlsbad 5000 running road race.
By the end of the 40km bike, the lead group held a one-minute advantage over the chase group that included pre-race favorites 2005 world champion Peter Robertson and 2006 world champion Tim Don. Both of the former world champs needed podium finishes to secure berths on their countries' Olympic teams.
Whitfield and Henning surged away from the rest of the men’s field and found themselves alone at the front with 5km remaining. The Canadian pushed past the Dane on one of the course's final downhill sections and showed he still boasts the finishing kick that carried him to the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Swim leader Vasiliev held off the day’s fastest runners, Robertson and Don, for the final podium spot.
2008 Ishigaki BG Triathlon World Cup
1.5km S/40km B/10km R
Men's Results
1. Simon Whitfield (CAN) – 1:51:12 *31:42 run
2. Rasmus Henning (DEN) – 1:51:22 *31:53
3. Ivan Vasiliev (RUS) – 1:51:33 *32:02
4. Peter Robertson (AUS) – 1:51:39 *30:57
5. Tim Don (GBR) – 1:51:43 *31:08
6. Reto Hug (SUI) – 1:51:46 *32:20
7. Alexander Brukhankov (RUS) – 1:51:54 *32:21
8. Simon Thompson (AUS) – 1:52:00 *31:22
9. Hirokatsu Tayama (JPN) – 1:52:04 *32:38
10. Dmitriy Gaag (KAZ) – 1:52:12 *31:33
For complete results, please go to: www.triathlon.org
