Billard, Hauschildt Earn Long Distance World Titles In France

France’s Bertrand Billard and Australia’s Melissa Hauschildt claimed world titles at Saturday’s ITU Long Distance World Championships in Belfort, France. Two days before the start of the race, organizers decided to cut out the swim and change the course due to cold weather and water temperatures. The resulting format was a 9.5km run, 87km bike, 20km run duathlon.

Billard combined a 32:59 run, a 2:17:45 bike and a 1:13:53 run to earn the world title. New Zealand’s Terenzo Bozzone struggled to keep pace with Billard on the bike, but excelled on the run to finish in second. Luxembourg’s Dirk Bockel earned third.

Hauschildt used her experience as a former elite runner to build a lead on the first leg of the race. Denmark’s Camilla Pedersen got within reach of Hauschildt on the bike thanks to a blazing 2:38:17 split, but Hauschildt was able to get away on the final run. Hauschildt earned her second world title (she won the 70.3 world championship in 2011) in a time of 4:42:38. Pedersen cruised in for second at 4:44:14, with Canada’s Rachel McBride earning third.

2013 ITU Long Distance World Triathlon Championships
Belfort, France – June 1, 2013
9.5km run, 87km bike, 20km run

Men
1. Betrand Billard (FRA) 4:08:45
2. Terenzo Bozzone (NZL) 4:10:43
3. Dirk Bockel (LUX) 4:11:51
4. Jens Toft (DEN) 4:15:20
5. Viennot Cyril (FRA) 4:16:13

Women
1. Melissa Hauschildt (AUS) 4:42:38
2. Camilla Pedersen (DEN) 4:44:14
3. Rachel McBride (CAN) 4:52:02
4. Jeanne Collonge (FRA) 4:52:15
5. Jodie Swallow (GBR) 4:55:54

Complete results.

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