Warriner 2nd in Lorient World Cup
Sunday 28 September 2008, 5:46AM
By ITU
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On a sunny and crisp morning in northwestern France, Lisa Norden of Sweden cruised to victory in the first BG Triathlon World Cup race since the Olympic Games.
Norden's finishing time of 2 hours 2 minutes 5 seconds was enough to handedly take home the first world cup victory of her career and also the first for Sweden.
In second place was New Zealand's Samantha Warriner, 34 seconds back, who, with silver, makes a bold jump in the world rankings and is a threat for the 2008 world cup title with one event to go.
To the cheers of the home crowd, in third with her first world cup medal, only another 4 seconds back, was 2008 Olympian Jessica Harrison of France.
"Wow, I'm really happy, my first win," exclaimed Beijing Olympian Norden at the finish. "I had a great race at the Swedish Duathlon Champs where I ran a 34 minute 10km and so I was full of confidence today."
The win caps a break out season for the 24 year old Norden already with a bronze and silver from the Mooloolaba and New Plymouth world cups earlier this year. The former under23 world champion was never far off the lead during the swim and bike portions of the event. Immediately out onto the run she would open a 15 second gap and would not look back until the final 200 metres taking time to soak in the cheering crowd before crossing the line followed by Warriner.
It was the battle for third that took most of the attention as Luxembourg's Elizabeth May looked to have the bronze sewn up until a late charge by Harrison enabled the local athlete to surge past May in the final kilometre and claim bronze.
""I'm not sure where I found the energy on the last lap of the run, but the crowd got behind me and I came through," said Harrison. "I'm very excited, it's my first podium, and I'm on home soil."
With her silver medal performance, Warriner moves up to second in the BG Triathlon World Cup series rankings and within striking distance of the overall series title as current number one Felicity Abram of Australia faltered with an eleventh place finish.
"I'm really pleased with that result, it makes things very interesting for the final World Cup in Mexico as I've closed the points gap on Felicity [Abram]," said Warriner. " I will definitely be there."
Lorient BG Triathlon World Cup
1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run
Elite Women - Official Results
Gold - Lisa Norden (SWE) 2:02:05
Silver - Samantha Warriner (NZL) 2:02:39 Click here for interview
Bronze - Jessica Harrison (FRA) 2:02:44
4th - Sarah Groff (USA) 2:02:52
5th - Elizabeth May (LUX) 2:02:53
6th - Anja Dittmer (GER) 2:02:59
7th - Magali dimarco Messmer (SUI) 2:03:03
8th - Nicola Spirig (SUI) 2:03:10
9th - Andrea Hewitt (NZL) 2:03:15
10th - Andrea Whitcombe (GBR) 2:03:50