NOOSA HEADS, Australia (AP) Beijing Olympic bronze medalist Emma Moffatt overcame a close encounter with a poisonous sea snake and later outpaced defending champion Ashleigh Gentle in the run leg to win the Noosa Triathlon on Sunday.
Moffatt established her lead over the final five kilometers of the 10-kilometer run leg and won in 1 hour, 58 minutes, 41 seconds. Gentle was second in 1:59:02.
The race got off to a dramatic start when the sea snake reared its head out of the water in a canal connected to the Noosa River just as the competitors were about to dive in for the swim leg.
"I'm scared of all things like that so it felt really close," said Moffatt. "I don't think I was really in danger but it definitely got the heart rate up."
Australian Aaron Royle, the under-23 world champion, broke through for his first major victory in the senior ranks to win the men's event in 1:46.11.