Current World Cup leader Tim Don (GBR) won the 2008 Tongyeong BG Triathlon World Cup in Korea with a blazing fast run. Veteran Samantha Warriner (NZL) had to outduel rookie Hollie Avil (GBR) for the crown in the women's race.
50 men were at the start line in Tongyeong and cooler water conditions made the swim wetsuit legal. Most of the men stayed together and exited the waters within 20 seconds of eachother.
The bike course featured windy conditions and two relatively tough hills and organizers had actually been forced to shorten the course to 37.5km because of the wind and a tricky bridge. None of the men though took advantage of the hills for a breakaway and the lead group stayed together until T2.
Once out on the run, Don Don moved to the front and methodically disposed of his competition en route to his 5th World Cup title. Bevan Docherty (NZL) outsprinted Jan Fodeno (GER) for the runner-up spot.
0nly 32 athletes were at the start of the women's race and among them was 2007 Ironman Hawaii Champion Chrissie Wellington. Many observers wondered how she would fare battling the speedy ITU women. Yun-Jung Jang from South Korea led 2 other women out of the water, but a very large pack containing all the favorites wasn't very far behind.
A big group soon formed on the bike and they pretty much stayed together until T2. Wellington trailed the lead women by over 5 minutes after having lost 1:45 during the swim and riding the 37.5k alone.
Coming out of T2, Samantha Warriner started the run with a torrid pace and only Hollie Avil and Vendula Frintova (CZE) could stay with her. By about the halfway point, Warriner shed Frintova, but Avil managed to hang on until the last corner. Warriner though proved too strong and surged away from the very impressive Avil to win by 9 seconds. Frintova held on to 3rd place another 22 seconds behind. Canadian Kirsten Sweetland helped her Olympic dreams with a 5th place finish. Wellington finished in 22nd place.
2008 Tongyeong BG Triathlon World Cup
1.5km swim, 37.5km bike, 10km run
Top 10 Elite men
1. Tim Don (GBR) 1:38:14
2. Bevan Docherty (NZL) 1:38:22
3. Jan Frodeno (GER) 1:38:23
4. Reto Hug (SUI) 1:38:32
5. Rasmus Henning (DEN) 1:38:35
6. Paul Tichelaar (CAN) 1:38:40
7. Marek Jaskolka (POL) 1:38:43
8. Ivan Sysoev (RUS) 1:38:46
9. Sven Riederer (SUI) 1:38:46
10. Julian Malyshev (RUS) 1:38:54
Top 10 Elite women
1. Samantha Warriner (NZL) 1:49:49
2. Hollie Avil (GBR) 1:49:59
3. Vendula Frintova (CZE) 1:50:21
4. Ai Ueda (JPN) 1:50:46
5. Kirsten Sweetland (CAN) 1:51:06
6. Olga Zausaylova (RUS) 1:51:19
7. Irina Abysova (RUS) 1:51:22
8. Nicola Spirig (SUI) 1:51:25
9. Lisa Mensink (NED) 1:51:27
10. Emma Davis (IRL) 1:51:30
