MOFFATT STORMS GEELONG SPRINT COURSE

Olympic triathlete Emma Moffatt kick-started her 2011 World Championship campaign with a stunning victory in the Australian Sprint Triathlon Championships in Geelong today.

It was two-time and defending world champion Moffatt who showed all her class, who scampered away on the final lap of the run to beat Canadian Kirsten Sweetland to win her second National Sprint title. Emma’s coach and boyfriend made it a family day out taking the Men’s Elite event in formidable style. 

Twenty-six-year-old Moffatt took control of the women's race on the final lap of the five-kilometre run course to record a comfortable victory. The Olympic bronze medallist made her move on Kirsten Sweetland on the final hill climb and was never headed. The pair had rubbed shoulders through the first four kilometres but it was Moffatt who was full of running.

Gold Coast-based British Olympian Liz Blatchford, Canadian Olympian Sweetland and Jackson were close behind.

The leading foursome shared duties on the four-lap 20 kilometre bike course with a determined Moffatt always in control. Coming into the second transition from the bike to the five-kilometre run it was Moffatt who produced a smooth change over to steal a 10 metre lead. It was the kind of class which has seen the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist remain a major podium threat again for the London 2012 Olympics. Today's title was Moffatt's second National Sprint Championship, having won her first in

Hobart in 2008. And she knew she had to go from the gun.

 "I knew that there was lots of good runners in the pack so my aim was to get out on top of the swim and hammer it a bit on those first few laps of the bike so that we could possible form a group which we did," said Moffatt. "The four of us worked well together so I knew I just had to get off and run just as hard as I swam and rode. It was a great race. "We rode pretty hard and got off, Kirsten (Sweetland)  went pretty hard from the start, and I felt really good so I kicked on for the last half of the final lap.

 "You never stop running hard until the end but running up the last hill she backed off a little bit and I just  keep going hard now and form that gap and just keep it for as long as I can."It's a nice title to have, it's not the main goal of this season but it's a great way to start the year and hopefully I can continue and be consistent."

Sydney on April 9 and 10.