Shoemaker Takes Seventh in Hamburg WCS Event

HAMBURG, Germany – USA Triathlon National Team standout Jarrod Shoemaker placed seventh Saturday to record a third straight top-10 finish in the 2010 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series.  

Racing on his birthday, Shoemaker (Maynard, Mass.) posted a time of 1 hour, 44 minutes, 10 seconds in the Olympic-distance event to record a season-best finish on the WCS circuit. With his performance, Shoemaker moves to ninth in the WCS series rankings and is now the top-rated American.

Joining Shoemaker in the top 15 Saturday was Manuel Huerta (Miami, Fla.), who raced to a 13th-place finish in just his second career WCS start. He finished in 1:44:39, less than 30 seconds off Shoemaker’s pace.

Kevin Collington (Orlando, Fla.) finished 37th and was followed by Ben Collins (Seattle, Wash.), who was 41st, Mark Fretta (Portland, Ore.), who took 46th, and Chris Foster (Redondo Beach, Calif.), who finished 49th.

Spain’s Javier Gomez overtook Germany’s Jan Frodeno on the final lap of the run to earn the win in 1:43:07.

On lap seven of the bike, Shoemaker, who was eighth in Seoul and ninth in Madrid, helped to pull a chase pack back to the lead group of 33. From there, he closed with a 30:09 run split, to finish just 10 seconds out of fourth place. Huerta, who entered Saturday’s race with three top-10 finishes in Continental Cup events, posted a 30:45 time on the run.

Russia’s Denis Vasiliev and Fretta led the riders into T2 but were passed on the first of four laps of the run.

For more information on the Hamburg ITU World Championship Series races, including recaps and full results from both days of action, visit triathlon.org. The women’s race is scheduled for 9:15 a.m. EDT Sunday with five Americans in action.

The seven-race WCS is a key proving ground for the United States’ top triathletes hoping for a spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. In addition to racing for WCS points, athletes look to score points toward securing a spot for their country at the 2012 Olympic Triathlon in London.

Next up on the WCS circuit is a stop in London next weekend.

Men’s Results - click here for full results
1. Javier Gomez (ESP), 1:43:07, Prize: $18,000
2. Jan Frodeno (GER), 1:43:23, Prize: $13,000
3. Tim Don (GBR), 1:43:57, Prize: $9,500

United States Finishers
7. Jarrod Shoemaker (Maynard, Mass.), 1:44:10, Prize: $3,600
13. Manuel Huerta (Miami, Fla.), 1:44:39, Prize: $1,300
37. Kevin Collington (Orlando, Fla.), 1:46:17
41. Ben Collins (Seattle, Wash.), 1:46:42
46. Mark Fretta (Portland, Ore.), 1:47:29
49. Chris Foster (Redondo Beach, Calif.),1:48:45

About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon – one of the fastest growing sports in the world – as well as duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 3,100 races and connects with more than 133,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USAT provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Championships, Pan American Games and the Summer Olympic Games.