Fisher, Ueda take 2013 Ishigaki
Australian Ryan Fisher topped Ireland’s Bryan Keane and fellow Australian Dan Wilson to win the Ishigaki Triathlon World Cup Sunday. Japan's Ai Ueda led a Japanese sweep of the women's podium.
Ryan Fisher combined a 3rd-best 16:45 swim, a race-fastest 1:02:44 bike split and a 4th-best 32:41 run to finish the Ishigaki World Cup in 1:52:46 and this was Fisher’s first World Cup victory and comes after promising results including a 3rd at the 2011 Auckland ITU World Cup, 4th place at the 2012 Tiszaujvaros World Cup, a 5th at the 2012 ITU Under 23 World Triathlon Grand Final in Auckland, and a 6th at the 2013 Devonport OTU Sprint Triathlon Oceania Championships.
"I’m absolutely stoked. I came here in 2011, it was my first ever World Cup, so to come back here two years later and win is pretty cool," said Fisher. "Winning any race is good but to come here and win at a World Cup like this, and it’s my first one, so it’s a huge confidence booster and first real race of the season."
Overcoming wet conditions, Japanese women swept the podium before a home crowd at the ITU Ishigaki World Cup Sunday in Japan.
In her 8th try at this race, Ai Ueda finished 1st in 2:05:47, with rising talent Yuka Sato 2nd in 2:06:23 and Juri Ide 3rd in 2:06:52.
“This is my eighth time challenging the triathlon here and being able to win this time, I think I might have been able to give a lot of people courage and inspiration,” Ueda told ITU media representatives.
The win was Ueda’s first World Cup title since 2010.
Sato led the first lap of the 1500 meter swim, followed closely by Italy’s Gaia Peron and Australia’s young Olympian, Emma Jackson. Peron took the lead on the second lap and she and Sato led a small break into T1.
Rain slick roads killed their break as the pair had to slow, allowing Ide and a chase group to bridge the gap. Ultimately, Sato, Ide, Ueda and Yuko Takahashi pushed the pace. Midway through the bike leg, Ide crashed, got up and pushed hard to rejoin the leaders within a lap.
Starting the run, Takahashi led out, followed closely by Sato and Mariko Adachi. By the first of four 2.5-kilometer laps, Ueda surged to a 17-seconds lead. By the finish, Ueda won her first race in Ishigaki with a 47-seconds margin over Sato, whose runner-up finish was the highest ever World Cup placing in her young career. Ide took 3rd, 29 seconds back of Sato.
“Because I was able to go for it right from the swimming, I feel like I was able to have a good result,” Sato told ITU media. “Obviously with the large bridge and it's ups and downs, it’s a very tough course. But because I was able to put myself into the running at the end, I think I was able.”
Ishigaki ITU Triathlon World Cup
Ishigaki, Japan
April 14, 2013
S 1.5k / B 40k / R 10k
Elite men
1. Ryan Fisher (AUS) 1:52:46
2. Bryan Keane (IRL) 1:53:50
3. Dan Wilson (AUS) 1:54:02
4. Gregory Roualt (FRA) 1:54:31
5. Ivan Ivanov (UKR) 1:54:46
6. Ryosuke Yamamoto (JPN) 1:54:57
7. Nick Kastelein (AUS) 1:55:25
8. Yuichi Hosoda (JPN) 1:55:50
9. Hirokatsu Tayama (JPN) 1:56:16
10. Min Ho Heo (KOR) 1:56:21
Elite Women
1. Ai Ueda (JPN) 2:05:47
2. Yuka Sato (JPN) 2:06:23
3. Juri Ide (JPN) 2:06:52
4. Yuko Takahashi (JPN) 2:07:22
5. Charlotte Bonin (ITA) 2:08:00
6. Kiyomi Niwata (JPN) 2:08:16
7. Mariko Adachi (JPN) 2:08:28
8. Anel Stewart (RSA) 2:09:38
9. Emma Jackson (AUS) 2:10:11
10. Gaia Peron (ITA) 2:11:18
