Bozzone leads Kiwis home in triathlon

New Zealand put on a strong display in the elite men's race at the BG Triathlon World Championships in Germany this morning.

Terrenzo Bozzone led the Kiwis home in a breakthrough result for the former World Junior champion in a fiercely contested race around the streets of Hamburg that was won by German Daniel Unger.

An estimated 250,000 spectators lined the course in the best conditions of the three days of competition as temperatures hit the mid-twenties and the rain stayed away. And they witnessed a German winning for the first time as Unger strode away from the best in the world, including Bevan Docherty, Kris Gemmell and Bozzone.

Unlike the women's race a day earlier, the leading Kiwi men all stayed in touch out of the water and exited a fiercely contested 40km bike leg in the thick of a large lead group.

Kris Gemmell was the first to show out in a searing hot run pace, leading the race through the opening 6km with his now trademark back to front hat bobbing away at the head of the field.

But Gemmell fell away when Javier Gomez picked up an already quick tempo at the 6km mark and eventually withdrew with one eye on the Olympic qualifying race in Beijing in a fortnight.

It was the most inexperienced of the Kiwis who reacted best to the increase in speed. Bozzone, 22, was delighted with his form and a seventh placing.

"I really wanted to set up a good start to give myself every chance today and was happy with the swim," he said.

"The bike was really tough on a tactical course with everyone together and sprinting out of corners, it was so important to be in the right place all of the time to stay in touch but also out of trouble.

"With such a large group of quality athletes together off the bike it really came down to the run and today, I don't know, it just felt okay and for some reason today was my day," Bozzone said.

"On the second lap I lost some time and felt I was going to blow up for a while there but managed to get through that patch and finish strongly." Bozzone was especially delighted given his troubles over the past couple of years.

"Since last year I've been struggling to find form and had to overcome the operation on my knee.

"This is what it is all about though; it is just so much fun to be at the front and getting such a good result," he said.

"Without doubt this is a great breakthrough for my career."

Bevan Docherty put in his usual consistent performance but did so without threatening the leaders on the final 5km of the run, but he too was happy with his form, if not his eventual ninth place finish.

"I felt really good, strong on the bike and on the run, just not a great deal of leg speed and felt just a little bit flat when the pace picked up halfway through the run," Docherty said.

"But I'm confident for two weeks time in Beijing. Today was a good hit out in that regard."

While obviously disappointed to pull out of a World Championship race, Gemmell was not disappointed with his form or his chances in Beijing. Like Bozzone, Gemmell's first thoughts were on a big day in a fortnight.

"I raced to my coach's instructions today and ran the first 6km really hard and dropped a number of leading athletes in the process.

"I know this will sound weird after dropping out of the race but my form is great," Gemmell said.

"I was happy with how I went and I'm looking forward to qualifying for the Olympics."

Of the other Kiwis, Shane Reed and Clark Ellice did not feature in the lead group on the run, eventually finishing in 48th and 60th places respectively.

Attention now turns to the Beijing World Cup race on September 15, the first selection race for the New Zealand Olympic team. With Bozzone showing such great form, the race for the three spots on the team will be more intense than ever.

2007 Hamburg BG World Triathlon Championship

Elite Men Results – 1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run

1 Daniel Unger (GER) 01:43:18

2 Javier Gomez (ESP) 01:43:22

3 Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) 01:43:36

4 Simon Whitfield (CAN) 01:43:40

5 William Clarke (GBR) 01:43:45

6 Jan Frodeno (GER) 01:43:57

7 Terenzo Bozzone (NZL) 01:44:04

8 Stuart Hayes (GBR) 01:44:07

9 Bevan Docherty (NZL) 01:44:22

10 Tim Don (GBR) 01:44:27

plus

48 S. Reed (New Plymouth/NZL)

60 C. ELLICE (New Plymouth/NZL)

DNF: K Gemmell (Palmerston Nth/NZL)

- NZPA