Bart Aernouts eked out a sprint finish win over fellow Belgian Rob Woestenborghs to win the ITU short course men’s Duathlon World Championship on the rugged hills of Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park Sunday.

Aernouts combined a 30:15 first 10k run, a 1:03:50 for the 38.4 kilometer bike and a 7:55 in the 2.5k run to hit the line in 1:50:22, two seconds ahead of Woestenborghs and 30 seconds ahead of 2007 ITU short course Duathlon World Champion Joerie Vansteelant. This prestigious title tops Aerrnouts’ already impressive race record which includes a silver medal at the 2008 ITU long distance Duathlon Worlds and silvers at the 2006 and 2007 Under 23 ITU Duathlon Worlds.

Woestenborghs tasted another ITU short course Duathlon Worlds frustration, although this one must be far less bitter than his 2008 experience. At Rimini, he crossed the line first but was disqualified on charges of dangerous riding lodged by fellow Belgian Jurgen Dereere.

Sean Jefferson was the top American, finishing 8th in 1:53:54.

Etienne Diemunsch of France dominated the Under 23 Mens race with a 1:53:33 finish which gave him a 54-seconds margin over runner-up Matthew Gunby of Great Britain and 2:28 over third place Oscar Vicente of Spain.

Uxio Abuin Ares of Spain won the half-distance Elite Junior Men with a 1:03:52 finish that was 10 seconds better than Michael Gosman of Australia. Jose Luis Cordova of Mexico took third, six seconds back of Gosman.

ITU Duathlon Elite World Championship
Edinburgh, Scotland
September 5, 2010
R 10k / B 38.4k / R 2.5k

Results

Senior Elite

1. Bart Aernouts (BEL) 1:50:22
2. Rob Woestenborghs (BEL) 1:50:24
3. Joerie Vansteelant (BEL) 1:50:30
4. Victor Manuel Del Corral Morales (ESP) 1:51:06
5. Sergio Silva (POR) 1:51:46
6. Damien Derobert (FRA) 1:52:58
7. Adam Bowden (GBR) 1:53:38
8. Sean Jefferson (Palm Beach Gardens FL) 1:53:54
9. Ramos Herrera (MEX) 1:54:13
10. Richard Hobby (GBR) 1:54:16
14. David Thompson (St. Paul MN) 1:55:26
18. Dereck Treadwell (Laurens NY) 1:57:20
23. Matt Russell (Ogdensburg NY) 1:58:18
20. Josh Merrick (Alamosa CO) 2:03:32
39. Matthew Sheeks (Woodinville WA) 2:06:52

* Etienne Diemunsch (Under 23) finished 7th in the combined Senior Elite and Under 23 waves. This Senior Elite finishing list accounts for its wave separate from all the Under 23 finishers.

Under 23 Elite

1. Etienne Diemunsch (FRA) 1:53:33
2. Matthew Gunby (GBR) 1:54:27
3. Oscar Vicente (ESP) 1:56:01
4. Felix Duchamp (FRA) 1:57:23
5. Ritchie Nicholls (GBR) 1:57:44
6. Tim Van Hemel (BEL) 1:58:36
7. Mark Threlfall (GBR) 1:58:41
8. Masaaki Kurihara (JPN) 2:03:10
9. Manuel Soelkner (AUT) 2:04:41
10. Phil Wolfe (GBR) 2:04:42
14, Brice Winkler (Santa Rosa CA) 2:14:36

ITU Junior Elite World Championship
Edinburgh, Scotland
September 5, 2010
R 5k/ B 21.2k/ R 2.5k

Junior Elite Men

1. Uxio Abuin Ares (ESP) 1:03:52
2. Michael Gosman (AUS) 1:04:02
3. Jose Luis Cordova (MEX) 1:04:08
4. Josao Veiga (POR) 1:04:16
5. Hugo Alves (POR) 1:04:21
6. Johannes Hitzler (GER) 1:04:25
7. Matthias Steinwandter (ITA) 1:04:28
8. Vid Puceli (SLO) 1:04:32
9. Luca Desideri (ITA) 1:04:41
10. Alberto Della Pasqua (ITA) 1:04:43
17. Ryan Peterson (Richmond VA) 1:06:11
20. Hunter Honeycutt (Tifton GA) 1:10:42