Multisport: Tanner breaks through to world triathlon stage

A delighted Debbie Tanner punches the air as she wins yesterday.

Auckland triathlete Debbie Tanner raised the bar to win a World Cup race in Japan yesterday.

Tanner, 23, out-kicked compatriot Sam Warriner and Britain's Michelle Dillon to win her first World Cup title in Ishigaki.

Tanner, who was fourth in the Commonwealth Games and a World Cup series race in Australia last month, won in a time of 1h 58m 34s after outsprinting Dillon when Warriner dropped off 1km from home.

She had an indifferent swim and was caught in the second pack on the 40km bike, but they swallowed up the chase pack which caught American Sarah McCarty.

Tanner led out of transition and broke clear with Warriner and Dillon.

They had a 50m lead after the first lap on the run.

"It's a fantastic performance for Debbie," Triathlon New Zealand high performance director Stephen Farrell said.

"She was just outsprinted for a medal in Melbourne but this time she was on the right side of the sprint. It is a real breakthrough on the world stage for Debbie, as well as another top performance from Sam."

* Commonwealth Games triathlon gold medallist Brad Kahlefeldt yesterday dominated the Australian nationals for his fifth win in a row, beating Peter Robertson.

Athens Olympian and mother of two Rina Hill won her first Australian title.

- NZPA