Moffatt crushes Hy-Vee field
Emmas rule again!
Emma Moffatt of Australia whipped her more renowned training partner, countrywoman and fellow Emma, Snowsill, by a massive 1 minute 33 second margin to take the $200,000 top prize of the women’s race at the at third Hy-Vee Triathlon Elite Cup race today in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Starting the run elbow to elbow with New Zealand's Andrea Hewitt, Moffatt took charge halfway through her race-best 35:35 10k run, with Hewitt, the winner of the Madrid World Championship series race last month, dropping back to a 6th place finish.
“It was good to make the break and get a lead and I was a bit concerned when Andrea [Hewitt] came with me for the first lap,” Moffatt told ITU media. “I was just trying to focus on running and not on the money.”
Underscoring Moffatt's dominance, she outran runner-up Snowsill's second-best run by 38 seconds. At this point in the 2009 season, the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist has exchanged places in the ITU pecking order with the slightly elder Olympic gold medalist.
In taking the women’s two top places at triathlon’s first-ever event with a $1 million total purse, Emmas Incorporated duplicated their 1-2 finish at last weekend’s Round 3 of the Dextro Energy Triathlon World Championship Series in Washington DC.
"Wow, it's amazing, it hasn't sunk in at all yet,” Moffatt told ITU media at the finish. “It's great to put together two great races in six days and to come away with the wins. I'm ecstatic."
The win was also another feather in the cap for Craig Walton, who coaches both fiancee Snowsill and Moffatt.
Snowsill, the 2008 Olympic champion, took home $50,000 for her second place consolation. While the finish was not the accustomed place on the podium for the 3-time ITU World Champion, it was a good result given the hip injury Snowsill has been fighting all year.
Snowsill reeled in seven competitors on the run, making up a 1-minute deficit off the bike with the second fastest run split of the day.
“Two podiums in two weekends is really pleasing, especially from where I've been placed after the bike,” Snowsill told ITU media. “It's easier to have your teammate beat you. I think we'll be having a big party back in Oz when we get home!"
Coming on strong with her best finish in a while was Canadian Lauren Groves, who trailed the legendary Snowsill by just 12 seconds at the line and took home $25,000 for her third place finish. Swiss 2000 Olympic bronze medalist Magali di Marco Messmer finished 4th – 17 seconds back of Groves, with Great Britain’s Liz Blatchford, on the long road back from injuries which plagued her for the past few years, 5th another 16 seconds back.
Sarah Haskins was first American, placing 9th, with Becky Lavelle taking second American in 12th.
Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon Elite Cup
West Des Moines, Iowa
June 27, 2009
S 1.5k/ B 40k/ R 10k
Results
Elite Women
1. Emma Moffatt (AUS) 1:59:46 — $200,000
2. Emma Snowsill (AUS) 2:01:19 — $50,000
3. Lauren Groves (CAN) 2:01:31 — $25,000
4. Magali di Marco Messmer (SUI) 2:01:48 – $20,000
5. Liz Blatchford (GBR) 2:02:04 – $15,000
6. Andrea Hewitt (NZL) 2:02:26 — $12,500
7. Lisa Norden (SWE) – 2:02:37 — $10,000
8. Daniela Ryf (SUI) – 2:02:59 — $9,000
9. Sarah Haskins (USA) – 2:03:26 — $8,500
10. Helen Jenkins (GBR) – 2:03:45 — $8,000
11. B. Riveros Diaz (CHI) 2:03:59 — $7,500
12. Becky Lavelle (USA) 2:04:14 – $7,000
13. M Adachi (JPN 2:04:18 — $6,500
14. Laura Bennett (USA) 2:04:35 – $6,000
15. Marty Beth Ellis (USA) 2:05:06 – $5,500
A complete gallery of images of the Hy-Vee women's event can be seen on Clarke Rodgers' website sportzfoto.com
