Triathlon: Docherty surges to victory

Bevan Docherty won the opening race of the triathlon world championship series by six seconds. Photo / Rotorua Daily Post

SYDNEY - Bevan Docherty of New Zealand won the opening ITU World Championship series triathlon event today, pulling away from a close pack halfway through the run leg.

Docherty, the 2004 Olympic silver medallist and bronze winner at Beijing in 2008, overtook the race leaders, France's Tony Moulai and American Matt Chrabot, to win comfortably in a time of 1 hour 51 minutes 27 seconds.

Russian Alexander Brukhankov was second, six seconds behind, and David Hauss of France third, one second behind the Russian. Moulai and Chrabot faded at the end to finish sixth and ninth, respectively.

The women's elite race was scheduled for later today.

It was the second year in a row that Docherty has kicked off the world championship season with a win.

"I always enjoy the sprint finishes, but it was nice to have a little room to be able to celebrate the win a bit," Docherty said.

The 33-year-old New Zealander, now based in the United States, said the course, a similar one used to the first Olympic triathlon in Sydney in 2000, was "much harder than I expected."

"But I felt good heading into the final lap and was able to make a break. Winning in front of the Sydney Opera House is amazing," Docherty added.

Simon Whitfield of Canada, who won gold in the 2000 Sydney Olympics triathlon, was fifth Sunday.

A total of 57 men took to the waters of Farm Cove in Sydney Harbour. The competitors faced a 1.5-kilometre swim, 40-kilometre cycle and 10-kilometre run.

The second race of the World Championship series will be held in Seoul, South Korea on May 8, with the grand final scheduled for Budapest, Hungary on September 12.

Other races in the series are scheduled for Madrid, Hamburg in Germany, London and Kitzbuehel in Austria.

- AP