Derobert rules Subic duathlon

French duathlete Damien Derobert paved the way for his ascension to the top of the world rankings by ruling the 2009 Subic Bay ASTC Asian Duathlon Championships (ADC) Elite Open class held in an out and back race course at the Subic Bay Convention Center, Subic Bay Freeport.

Not even the presence of the world no. 1 Sergey Yakovlev and other ace duathletes could intimidate him as Derobert put on a big windup that was enough to claim the victory and no. 1 ranking entering 2010.

“This is my first time here and outside of the hot weather, it was a good race. I’m very much satisfied with my performance. After this race, I’m going to be the No. 1 ranked in ITU (International Triathlon Union)," said the current world no. 2 Derobert, who covered 10-k run, 40-k bike and 5-k run race in one hour, 49 minutes and 23 seconds.

ASTC Asian Duathlon Championships

Elite Male Results

1. Damien Derobert (FRA) 1:49:23

2. Raphael Baugh (AUS) 1:49:35

3. Sergey Iakovlev (RUS) 1:50:10

4. Yuya Fukaura (JPN) 1:51:35

5. Neil Catiil (PHI) 1:53:02

Elite Female Results

1. Radka Vodickova (CZE) 2:04:43

2. Airi Sawada (JPN) 2:05:38

3. Monica Torres (PHI) 2:08:10

4. Lea Coline Langit (PHI) 2:09:22

5. Erika Inoue (JPN) 2:11:51

Yakovlev actually led after the first run phase but the heat bothered him and forced him to slow down.

Still, Yakovlev was among the six duathletes in the lead group after the second transition but Derobert saved his best for last as he topped the final 5k run with a 16:51 to eventually win the race.

In the end, Australian world no. 4 Raphael Baugh edged the Russian duathlete for second overall, finishing just 12 seconds behind champion Derobert with 1:49:35.

Yakovlev settled for third with his 1:50:10, followed by Japan’s Yuya Fukaura with 1:51:35.

Fukaura emerged as this year’s male Asian Duathlon Champion, an improvement from his second place finish last year. The new Asian champ, however, failed to attend the awarding ceremony as he was throwing up and needed rest after the race due to the humid weather.

Top Filipino bet Neil Catiil came in fifth and grabbed the silver medal in the ADC with 1:53:02 while former national champion August Benedicto took the bronze medal with 1:55:46.

Catiil again displayed his strength in the bike phase on flat roads, submitting the fastest time at 59:32. That enabled him to move forward from sixth place after the first run to a spot in the lead pack after the bike leg.

He, however, took so much time in the bike-to-run transition and was immediately left behind by his rivals.

“Mahina talaga ako sa off-the-bike-to-run transition at ito talaga ang dapat kong baguhin. Pagtingin ko sa kanila malayo na, parang lumipad sila," said Catiil, also the country’s top male triathlete.

In the distaff side, the Czech Republic’s Radka Vodickova led from start to finish to clinch her second straight duathlon title after winning the Malakoff Powerman Duathlon meet a week back in Malaysia.

“I was not bothered by the hot weather because I stayed in Malaysia for the last 14 days. My concern is if I still have the energy to run the 5-k because I just competed in the Malakoff," said Vodickova.

And she indeed had enough of it, negotiating the last 5-k in a respectable 19:48 for a best overall time of 2:04:43.

A distant second was Japan’s Airi Sawada, who clocked in at 2:05:38 but her effort was greatly rewarded as she kept the Asian Duathlon Championship’s female title for the third straight time.

“I was doing all the work in the bike and I was really tired going into the run. Overall, I’m happy with my performance because I maintained my Asian title since 2007," said Sawada in broken English.

The country’s top lady duathlete Monica Torres emerged third overall but claimed the silver medal in the Asian category with 2:08:10 while the Philippines’ ace lady triathlete Lea Coline Langit came next and won the Asian bronze with 2:09:22.

“She (Sawada) has beaten me in almost all previous meetings but this time, I managed to close our gap, which is an improvement on my part," said Torres who also was a silver medalist in the last ADC. - GMANews.TV