Germans deliver again in Hamburg

Photo Gallery>>German Olympic team member Ricarda Lisk proved to be in fine form in her final tune-up before Beijing, winning her first career world cup title at today's Hamburg BG Triathlon World Cup. Australian Felicity Abram came across the line for silver to claim her third world cup medal of 2008. Debbie Tanner, also heading to Beijing to represent New Zealand, rounded out the podium. Surprisingly, Vanessa Fernandes pulled out early in the run and failed to finish, putting her status as Olympic gold medal favourite in question.

"It's amazing," said Lisk. "I never thought I could have a podium like this, especially this year because it's the Olympic year. But to be on the podium, in first place here in Hamburg is amazing."

Warm water temperature resulted in a non-wetsuit swim in Hamburg, site of last year's world championships. Most of the big names and all three medalists exited the water in the lead group together. Out onto the technical 40-kilometer bike course, the lead pack was made up of 11 women including Fernandes, Lisk, and Tanner, along with Anja Dittmer, Swiss Magali Di marco and Frenchwoman Jessica Harrison, all of whom are Beijing bound. Also in the lead group was Lisa Mensink who needed a top ten result for the Dutch National Olympic Committee to send her to Beijing, despite already earning her country an Olympic spot through ITU's qualification.

What began as a 50-second lead ballooned to more than 2:30 when the women came off the bike. The chase pack included Mensink's teammate Wieke Hoogzaad, also needing a top ten for her ticket to Beijing, Spanish veteran Ana Burgos and Bermudan Flora Duffy. But the chase group just couldn't get themselves organized and headed out onto the 10-kilometer run course almost three minutes down.

As the leaders began the run leg, all eyes were on Fernandes and expecting her to pull away from the field with her usual scorching pace. She ran at the front with Lisk but struggled and soon dropped back to sixth place after three kilometers. Just before the halfway mark, Fernandes retired from the race.

Lisk opened up an 8-second lead on Abram and as she took the bell lap, she was up by 23 seconds. Lisk crossed the line with a time of 1 hour, 57 minutes, and 42 seconds to comfortably win her first world cup title, completing a weekend German sweep. It marked the first time in ITU's world cup history that Germany swept both the men's and women's races. Abram and Tanner took silver and bronze respectively while Ainhoa Murua of Spain and Harrison finished in the top-5 as they continue their preparations for Beijing. Mensink held on for 10th place to fulfill the requirement of her National Olympic Committee to make the Dutch Olympic team.

2008 Hamburg BG Triathlon World Cup

1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run

Elite Women - Official Results

Gold