Multisports: Little rest for medal prospects

Bevan Docherty and Kris Gemmell capped a golden stint for New Zealand triathlon, but don't expect the celebrations to run for days.

The pair completed a stunning one-two double in the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Cup race here yesterday with Docherty edging Gemmell by three seconds to claim his first World Cup victory for over a year.

After chasing each other's shadows for the 10km run leg, Docherty, the 2004 world champion, hauled Gemmell in over the closing 100m to claim a nail-biting victory in one hour 54 minutes 29 seconds in the first ITU World Cup race in New Zealand for eight years.

Denmark's Rasmus Henning took bronze in a tight finish, while current world No 1 Hunter Kemper claimed the World Cup series title with his fourth place in the seasons final race.

In the women's race Vanessa Fernandes easily won the women's title in two hours 54mins 01 secs.

Australian Annabel Luxford, 23, finished second but it was enough for her to win the overall World Cup series.

Training partners Docherty and Gemmell will carry New Zealand's medal prospects, along with Olympic champion Hamish Carter, into next year's Commonwealth Games.

After Docherty's silver medal at the Athens Olympics behind Carter -- a race similar to today's gut buster, he took some time off, along with Gemmell, but that break increased his waistline and saw both athletes struggle for form early in the season.

Looking ahead to March, both men won't make the same mistake in spending too much down time on the couch.

"The big goal is for Melbourne 2006. If I can get 100 per cent healthy and the course suits me, then I just have as much chance as anyone in the race", Gemmell said minutes after collapsing over the finish line in an exhausted heap.

"We had a huge build-up and certainly had out time off after Athens. We probably horsed around over summer. That's what a couple of young guys do when that happens and he (Docherty) dragged me up to Auckland and got me celebrating -- a bit too much fishing and wakeboarding, and it took a year to get fit again, but I guess we're peaking at the right time of year and it's good we can put on a show for the New Zealand public (today).

"Who say's we can't go one-two-three in Melbourne?".

With both athletes breaking for a fortnight before resuming the hard training, a Commonwealth Games medal is firmly on their radar.

"No I'm training right through," said Gemmell who has broken his toe and suffered a bout of giardia to effectively ruin his race season before today.

"Myself and Bevan are going to Taupo and have three or four days off and then sit down with my coaches and work our programme for the next four months.

Gemmell showed few signs of fatigue in today's 1.5km and 40km cycle race followed by the run.

The pair were in the leading bunch leaving the water at Ngamotu beach before they consolidated their position on the bike before launching an attack.

Gemmell broke early with 100m remaining, only to see Docherty slowly claw his lead back in a great finish.

"I looked around a couple of times and thought I had it but he just (Docherty) just kept fighting and fighting

"I looked around once and could hear the crowd. You race as hard you can for and hour fifty minutes and you miss out by three seconds so stuff happens."

The New Zealand women's team failed to mount the podium with Samantha Warriner finishing 19th and rising star Andrea Hewitt 21st in just her second triathlon.

- NZPA