The Gold Coast final race did not go the way I had hoped though. I had a good start in the swim, but I followed the wrong feet after the first bouy and I was taken off course for a bit before returning on the right track and then right in the middle of the group. I was dragged further back by the close swimming of this pack and eventually there was a split and I was in the 2nd pack starting the bike leg. We were only 20 seconds behind the 7 leaders but at the beginning there was no structure at all to work together to begin the chase. The most frustrating of all was the fact there were 4 New Zealanders together but we had no tactics. Each of us were individuals out there. I was the most vocal I had ever been in a race. I got so annoyed each time someone rode up near the front and sat 2nd or 3rd wheel and was not prepared to pull through. Anyway, the group worked together at odd times throughout the bike and we managed to be just under 1 minute behind as we entered T2.
I thought the run course would be draining with the long straights and the fact that you were able to see the girls out on the road in front but I actually enjoyed it. I ran in a group which caught Sarah Groff USA and then just at the finish I caught Jess Harrison FRA. I ran 35.07 for the 10km and finished in 8th place. I had no energy in the sprint, my legs were going as fast as they could so I was pushing forward with my arms. It was 2 hours of complete effort. And I found out as I was escorted to the interviews that I had done enough to keep my 3rd place ranking.
I was the bronze medalist of the 2009 World Championship Series, calculated with the following races:
31st May 1st in Madrid (photo finish - I won by 0.03 of a second!)
21st June 6th in Washington DC
12th July 3rd in Kitzbuhel (Austria)
22nd August 2nd in Yokohama (Japan)
13th September 8th in Gold Coast (Australia)
Overall 2009 World Championship Series Points:
1. Emma MOFFATT AUS 4340
2. Lisa NORDEN SWE 4130
3. Andrea HEWITT NZL 3462
4. Daniela RYF SUI 3187
5. Helen JENKINS GBR 3173
6. Sarah HASKINS USA 3139
7. Juri IDE JPN 2477
8. Magali Di MARCO SUI 2422
9. Jessica HARRISON FRA 2365
10.Annabel LUXFORD AUS 2191
