Elite Women’s Preview: Noosa Triathlon

Noosa Triathon has some of the richest history in Triathlon here in Australia, with previous female champions including Emma Carney, Erin Baker, Loretta Harrop, Michelle Dillon and Emma Snowsill. Despite the relatively small field of only 15 confirmed starters, the 2014 start line will see a selecti

Noosa Triathon has some of the richest history in Triathlon here in Australia, with previous female champions including Emma Carney, Erin Baker, Loretta Harrop, Michelle Dillon and Emma Snowsill. Despite the relatively small field of only 15 confirmed starters, the 2014 start line will see a selection of the world’s best ITU and long course athletes vying for the win.

Following the withdrawal of defending champion Emma Moffatt, the spotlight now shines on 2013 runner up Ashleigh Gentle this Sunday in Noosa. Although the real battle to be showcased on Sunday will be the ITU versus long course athletes.

From the ITU ranks we will see 2013 runner-up, Ashleigh Gentle, vying for the top spot. Gentle won comfortably over Emma Jackson and Felicity Sheedy-Ryan (also on the start list) last week in Nepean, showing that she is in top form. Gentle has a strong history in Noosa, with her victory in 2012, and close second place finish to Caroline Steffen in 2010. The non-drafting format will see Gentle aboard her time trial bike, which she is not accustomed to riding very much, but with a run leg not many can match the deficit into transition two would have to be quite large to push Gentle off the podium.

Canadian rival Paula Findlay has returned from injury to competitive form recently, with her running almost back to pre-injury form of 2010/11.  This was demonstrated last weekend in Oceanside, CA, at the Life Time Fitness Series Final where she finished second to Alicia Kaye. A few weeks back Findlay also almost beat Nicola Spirig at the Cartagena World Cup in Colombia. Whilst Findlay doesn’t have a lot of experience on a TT bike, the Canadian talent is loving her new Specialized Shiv, and will be a threat to Gentle if she can minimise damage on the bike. It will be Findlay’s first time racing in Noosa.

Felicity Sheedy-Ryan is another athlete on the return from injury, and is coming to Noosa off a fourth place finish at Nepean last weekend. With an ITU background, and having also demonstrated race-winning ability over the 70.3 distance, this race format should play to her strengths. Going one better than Sheedy-Ryan last weekend at Nepean was Gillian Backhouse, finishing 3rd and just 25 seconds behind Emma Jackson. The ladies field will also feature fifth placed Sarah Crowley from Nepean Triathlon last weekend. Sarah’s swim may prove to be a weakness amongst the ITU athletes in this field, although she will likely find company in the strong long course swim/bikers Caroline Steffen and Radka Vodickova.

Nicky Samuels is also a starter, having flown straight in from her third placed finish at the XTERRA World Championships in Hawaii last weekend. Samuels has bike strength unmatched from many in the sport of triathlon, let alone professional cycling, so if her legs are fresh this could make for an interesting race. The question is how much last weekend’s World Championship and the ensuing travel have taken out of her.

The long course ladies racing are segregated into a few distinct groups, and each will have to put down some incredible power over the 40km bike leg to buy enough time from the ITU speedsters. Caroline Steffen has returned from Kona with an incredible, but disappointing fifth place finish, and is looking forward to racing in her backyard. Steffen lives just down the road in Mooloolaba so will have plenty of local support.

Liz Blatchford is also in Noosa, and ready to back up from a disappointing result in Kona, whilst Mel Hauschildt will be racing for the first time since her DNF at the 70.3 world in Mont Tremblant, and DNS in Kona. Hauschildt suffered a pectoral muscle injury during a deep tissue massage leading into the 70.3 worlds.

Radka Vodickova has been spending her time of late training in Lennox Head, Australia, with boyfriend and coach Brad Kahlefeldt and the Aeromax Team crew headed by Grant Giles. Vodickova flew over to the US last weekend to race the final series of the Life Time Fitness Series, finishing 9th. The week prior Vodickova won Ironman 70.3 Port Macquarie, dominating the field during her “training day”. It appeared she never left second gear. A hectic racing and travel schedule doesn’t seem to hamper the Czech athlete, so it will be interesting to see if two long haul flights, coupled with a race, and all in one week cause concern for the always smiling Vodickova.

The elite field will be racing to a non-drafting format, although note the 7-meter draft rule will be in effect, and this is sure to have a large impact on the race outcome. At 7-metres, the damage a stronger cyclist can inflict during the 40km bike leg will be dramatically reduced, and the final race outcome is sure to be decided on the run. This will obviously play into the hands of the “runners” in the field, notably Gentle and Findlay.

We’ll put our money on Gentle based on experience in Noosa and recent form, with Findlay a close second. Aussie Mel Hauschildt will be determined following recent disappointments, thus will be hard to knock off the podium so we’ll place our bets on her to round out the top three.

Professional women’s start list

ELITE FEMALES
Bib First Name Last Name Category

Code

Country
31 Emma Moffatt (Withdrawn) Female Elite

B

AUS
32 Ashleigh Gentle Female Elite

B

AUS
33 Mel Hauschildt Female Elite

B

AUS
34 Nicky Samuels Female Elite

B

NZL
35 Caroline Steffen Female Elite

B

SUI
36 Radka Vodickova Female Elite

B

CZE
37 Liz Blatchford Female Elite

B

AUS
38 Paula Findlay Female Elite

B

CAN
39 Felicity Sheedy-Ryan Female Elite

B

AUS
40 Gillian Backhouse Female Elite

B

AUS
41 Ellie Salthouse Female Elite

B

AUS
42 Annelise Jefferies Female Elite

B

AUS
43 Sarah Crowley Female Elite

B

AUS
44 Kym Coogan Female Elite

B

AUS
45 Sarah Lewis Female Elite

B

GBR
46 Stephanie Demestichas Female Elite

B

AUS