ProPhotos 1997 ITU World Championships
Perth, Australia |
 |
Barb Lindquist was
the second athlete out of the Swan River, just four seconds behind Australia's Loretta
Harrop. The two would end their bike third and fifth, respectively, before falling into
14th and 12th place after the run.
Barb Lindquist churns the water.
|
|
| Emma Carney, Jackie Gallagher and Michellie Jones strode in tandem
for the early section of the 10k, but as the run wore on, Jones' lacerated feet wore out
and she dropped into a distant third. Carney and Gallagher continued to duel through the
last mile then the top seed pulled away, winning the world title by 14 seconds.
Emma Carney and Jackie Gallagher duke it out as Michellie Jones, her shoes red with blood,
falls into a distant third.
|
 |
|
 |
Jennifer Gutierrez ended her day in Perth as the top American
woman, bettering Barb Lindquist by four seconds for a 2:03:14 finish.
Jennifer Gutierrez races for top American honors.
|
|
| Emma Carney pulled many sections of the bike as the lead pack
looped through downtown Perth, up to the edge of Kings Park and back. Michellie Jones,
tucked snuggly behind Carney, would see the possibility of a win vanish when her feet were
badly cut during the run transition.
Carney pulls through downtown Perth.
|
 |
|
 |
The pro swims looped back to the Barrack Street Jetty and shallow
water, causing a mild traffic jam at the halfway mark.
Pro men scramble through the shallows at the halfway point of their swim.
|
|
| The top American men shared the lead coming out of the swim, but dropped
behind the bike pack early. Wes Hobson, the second American finisher, rode the streets of
Perth alone for part of the race before finishing 4:30 behind McCormack.
Wes Hobson rides St. Georges Terrace.
|
 |
|
|
An elated Chris McCormack is flanked by Hamish Carter and Simon
Lessing following the race.
Hamish Carter, Chris McCormack and Simon
Lessing. |
|
| Simon Lessing and Stephane Poulat, the top French finisher in
eighth place, exit the Esplanade Park transition for the run. Lessing, Hamish Carter and
winner Chris McCormack would be within spitting distance for most of the run. Lessing
would eventually watch McCormack then Carter pull away as the run drew to a close. He
finished 37 seconds behind in 1:49:07.
Simon Lessing and Stephane Poulat exiting the transition at Esplanade Park.
|
 |
|
 |
Chris McCormack and Emma Carney swept the pros for Australia at the
1997 ITU World Triathlon Championships. Australia, eager to show the world its
capabilities in both event organization and athletic prowess, demonstrated bench-line race
staging skills and total dominance in triathlon. The pro Aussie women placed 1, 2, 3; the
pro men placed 1, 4, 5, 6; the junior women placed 1, 2, 3, 4--wining the team
competition; and the age groupers won 9 of 24 categories--placing in every age group in
which they competed except one.
Chris McCormack and Emma
Carney. |
|
|
