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Even with the stack of big names on show at the Noosa Triathlon, there were only two names on everyone’s lips at Australia’s premier non-drafting Olympic-distance race: Craig Walton and Courtney Atkinson, who between them have been crowned champion on eight occasions. 

On the Australian triathlon calendar, it doesn’t get much better than a win at the Noosa Triathlon & Multi Sport Festival. With an honour roll that boasts the names of Bevan, McCormack, Walton and Atkinson, it was no wonder another strong field of Australia’s Elites turned out to contest for the Noosa crown. 

In the Men’s Elite Race the names of Walton and Atkinson were the obvious standouts, and many were suggesting that it would come down to a head-to-head duel between the two former winners. 

However, ready to step out of the shadow of Walton and Atkinson was a quality group of ITU regulars including New Zealand’s Kris Gemmell, Queenslanders James Seear and Dan Wilson, and Victorian rising-star Jamie Huggett. Long course specialists Josh Rix and Pete Jacobs were also looking for strong performances in preparation for Ironman Western Australia. Also looking to make a name for themselves was a strong brigade of youngsters, including Joshua Amberger, Ben Hammond, Ryan Fisher and Peter Kerr. 

In the Women’s Elite Race the field was missing two notable names in Emma Moffatt and Emma Snowsill, both of whom are taking a well-deserved break after a successful finish to the ITU season in Budapest, Hungary. 

However, the race was not short on talent, as three current World Champions in Emma Jackson (ITU Under 23), Ashleigh Gentle (ITU Under 19) and Caroline Steffen (ITU Long Distance) all made the start line in Noosa. New Zealand’s Nicky Samuels and Melissa Rollison also posed as serious threats for the Women’s Elite title, with both athletes coming into Noosa on the back of some strong results in 2010. 

Men’s Race

In perfect conditions, 41 of the best Olympic-distance athletes from Australia and various countries around the world toed the line in front of a big local crowd.   

Less than 100-metres after the traditional treading water start in the Noosa Canal, a few athletes made the most of a sandbank on the left-hand-side, running up along it for a few metres to the delight of the crowd and age-group athletes watching on. 

Walton’s intentions for the swim were clear from the start, and it didn’t take long for the Tasmanian and Queensland’s Joshua Amberger to establish themselves at the front. 

The flat conditions in the Canal are traditionally conducive for a  fast first leg, and in 2010 this was no different, as Walton, Amberger and Bryce McMaster exited the water in 17:51, taking a 16-second lead into the first transition over pre-race favourite Courtney Atkinson. Right behind Atkinson was the little-known Peter Kerr from Warrnambool in Victoria’s West, who was followed by a procession of big-name contenders including Gemmell, Jacobs, Seear and Wilson.

Picking up where they left off in the swim, Walton and Amberger lead for the early part of the bike course, but quickly to join them out front was New South Wales’ Paul Matthews, who would record the fastest bike split of the day. 

Matthews, who came out of the water in seventh, applied the pressure on Walton to maintain their lead over Atkinson, who was riding well to stay within 30 seconds of the race leaders. 

Atkinson looked at home on the bike in the non-drafting format, despite predominantly competing in draft-legal races on the ITU circuit during the season. 

By not falling too far behind Walton on the bike, Atkinson set up his race perfectly for an attack on the final leg, as his run speed would prove too damaging for his 35-year-old opponent. 

For Walton to end Atkinson’s reign, the Tasmanian needed a considerable lead coming off the bike. So with less than a minute advantage heading into the final few kilometres of the bike leg, his chances were rapidly fading. 

Despite Walton, Matthews and Amberger coming through T2 in the first three positions, the real threat towards Atkinson making it three-in-a-row was the Kiwi Kris Gemmell, who rode superbly to come off the bike right alongside the man from Mermaid Waters.

Atkinson did not waste any time moving through transition, exploding away from Gemmell, as he headed out on course. 

But Gemmell, who performed extremely well on the ITU circuit this year, including a second place finish at Hy Vee, wasn’t about to give Atkinson his third title so easily, staying within striking distance of the Australian throughout the run. 

The big surprise of the day was the performance of Peter Kerr, who by the halfway point of the run had established himself in the top five and was running well towards a podium finish.

With three kilometres to go, Atkinson was out front by himself with Kris Gemmell trailing a little over 30 seconds behind, and Peter Kerr was running well to maintain third. 

Unfortunately for Walton the run speed of his younger opponents was too hot, and he slowly slipped down the overall standings as the run panned out. 

However, the day belonged to Atkinson, who crossed the line in 1:46:54, which made him only the second man to win the Noosa Triathlon three years in a row. 

“There was probably more anxiety today than in the previous two years because of the competitors I had to race against,” said Atkinson. “It was always going to be a tough race with Craig being back and unknown and I knew Kris [Gemmell] would be firing.”

Gemmell came across the line in second place, 12-seconds back from Atkinson, and the surprise packet Peter Kerr held tough to take third despite some fast finishes from Betten (fourth), Seear (fifth) and Matthews (sixth). 

“I was really happy with my race, I gave it everything I had,” said Gemmell. “In the first 500 metres of the run Courtney went out of the gates ballistic, and I knew there was no way I could keep up with that, I just tried to peg him back.”

Craig Walton admitted after the race, that he just didn’t have enough time in the bank coming off the bike to keep his younger rivals at bay.

“For me to win this race I need to have that awesome swim-bike combination, without that I’m not going to win on the day,” said Walton. “I didn’t feel good from the get go. Nothing felt right out there today, it was all hard work.”

Despite the disappointment of his run leg, Walton was full of praise for Courtney’s efforts to become only person to join him in taking a Noosa hat-trick.

“I don’t want to make excuses, Courtney has won three in a row, and I’m really happy for him and he’s taking over Noosa now.”

For Atkinson this was the perfect way to end his competitive season, and racing well in front of his home crowd against a quality field will give him a lot of confidence as he prepares to qualify for the London Olympics next year.

Women’s Race

Without Snowsill and Moffatt, there was no question this was going to be a wide-open race, and despite missing a few of Australia’s premier Olympic-distance athletes, the pace was hot right from the start.

New Zealand’s Nicky Samuels was the pick of the swimmers, leading the women’s field through T1. However, hot on her heals was Australia’s Emma Jackson and Amy Roberts, closely followed by Maxine Seear and New South Wales’ Lauren Parker.

The good news for the girls out front was Steffen and Gentle had fallen well behind during the swim, exiting the water over a minute behind Samuels. 

But, as was the case on the lava fields in Kona at the Ironman World Championships, it didn’t take Steffen long to establish herself on the bike and reel in her opponents. 

The race soon changed face completely as Steffen took control on the bike, leaving Samuels and Jackson to chase her dust. 

Ashleigh Gentle was also beginning to pick up some time lost on the swim, and many were starting to believe she could pull together another stunning comeback, like she did at the Under 19 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. 

But as Steffen headed through T2 with nearly two minutes lead on Samuels and Jackson, the race was all but over. However, with the run speed that both these two athletes possess, and Gentle quickly moving her way through the field, a thrilling finish was certainly on the cards. 

The Noosa heat was starting to make it’s mark on the race, as a number of the women’s professionals were struggling to cope, resulting in big gaps between each athlete. 

With three-kilometres to go Steffen was looking strong, holding a 45-second lead over Samuels and 1:15 over Jackson, but the threat was coming from Gentle, who averaged 3:43/kilometre for the run. 

Unfortunately for the fast finishing Gentle, she was just too far behind after the bike, as Steffen had enough in the tank to take first across the line and pip the Under 19 World Champion, winning in a time of 2:01:18. Gentle finished a mere four seconds behind, with Samuels rounding out the podium in third. 

“I was just coming here to have fun. I love racing, I can’t sit at home when I know Noosa is on,” said an ecstatic Steffen after the race. “Noosa is one of the biggest races, definitely the biggest race on the Sunshine Coast.”

Steffen was wary of the threat that Gentle posed towards the back end of the run.

“Usually in Ironman you have a five-to-six minute lead so it’s different to have someone much closer to you and I’m not a good sprinter, so I pushed really hard to show the girl coming at me that she had no chance,” said Steffen.

This will be one of the last Olympic-distance races Steffen contends, as next season she looks to focus on long course events, with the aim of winning an iron-distance race and another podium finish in Kona. 

“My personal goal is to win an Ironman,” said Steffen. “Another one is to do a marathon under three hours. So, that’s two big goals. If I can do these, I’m pretty sure if I’m having a good day in Hawaii I can do a good race.”

The challenge now for Gentle is to improve her swim as she steps up to the ITU circuit next year and out of junior racing. Already with a sensational bike-run combination in her arsenal, if Gentle can put together a swim-leg to match, she has the potential to be one Australia’s most successful female triathletes in ITU racing.

Unfortunately for Samuels (third) and Jackson (fourth) they could not put it together on the run, but both will take a lot of confidence from strong performances on the first two legs. Jackson will need to work hard over the next 12-months to get to the level of Moffatt and Snowsill if she is to beat Densham for an Olympic spot in London.