ITU Devonport Triathlon/Accenture Triathlon Series
Devonport, Tasmania, Australia
Saturday, March 8, 2003
1.5k swim, 40k draft legal bike, 10k run

History repeated itself when the 2001 Devonport Champions Chris Hill of Australia and Barb Lindquist of the USA crossed the line at today's Devonport International Triathlon. Both beat high quality fields although the contrast in how their races unfolded could not have been starker.

For Lindquist it was head to with Australia's Loretta Harrop whilst Hill was part of large group of contenders off the bike, nearly 20 in number, who had positioned themselves to chase victory on the run. Throughout the event it was cool overcast and threatening, however the weather held and the race drew to a close in rapidly improving conditions.

Hill's victory came after most of the big names in the event swam and cycled together. No serious attempt was made to attack on a course that does provide the opportunity and as the men headed out on the run many would have fancied their chances. Cam Anderson and Simon Thompson of Australia were first out of the transition chased by a pack that included Australian series leader Courtney Atkinson, along with his Aussie team-mates Chris McCormack Brad Kahlefeldt, Bryce Quirk and Craig Alexander, plus Great Britain's Andrew Johns and Paul Amey, Olivier Marceau of Switzerland, Jan Rehula of the Czech Republic, and Shane Reed of New Zealand.

Lindquist and Harrop were together and clear half way through the swim and they worked together to keep a quality chase pack at bay. World Champion Leanda Cave from Great Britain and compatriot and dual junior world champion Anelliese Heard rode with emerging Australian stars Pip Taylor and Liz Blatchford with Melissa Ashton and Maria Kosztovits also chasing hard. Emma Carney of Australia withdrew during the swim, whist former World Champion Jo King, also of Australia, found the gap on the bike to the front two groups too far to make a serious assault on the leaders. Lindquist and Harrop found themselves over a minute and a half ahead of the chase pack at the end of the bike, leaving the rest of the field to battle for third.

Harrop attacked early on the run and opened up a 30-metre lead, however the American is in such great form and responded accordingly. By the 7-kilometre mark Lindquist had fought back and then put 200 metres on Harrop. Lindquist finished strongly to generous applause from the large crowd assembled at the finish line. Lindquist style of racing and her long-term support of the event is understood and appreciated by the locals.

Harrop held on to second whist Melissa Ashton produced the best finish of the event riding and then running very strongly into third place. Maria Kostovits had a great race finishing 4^th with the world champion Leanda Cave rounding out the top 5.

After three kilometres of running the number of genuine contenders in the men's event had been whittled down considerably. Chris Hill found himself in the company of two of Australia's future stars in World Under 23 champion Brad Kahlefeldt and Bryce Quirk with Paul Amey and Chris McCormack also running fast.

Kahlefeldt and Hill opened up a gap just before the start of the last lap, at which time Hill apply further pressure that ultimately proved decisive. Quirk lost contact and wasn't able to challenge Kahlefedt. In the final analysis Hill prevailed by just 11 seconds from an impressive Kahlefeldt, with Quirk also showing his undoubted class a further 7 seconds back in third place. Paul Amey and Chris McCormck rounded out the first 5 just ahead of Olivier Marceau, Simon Thompson and Andrew Johns. Courtney Atkinson, who is currently leading the Australia Series finished 9^th just ahead of David Dellow.