Pictorial results 2006

29 Oct - Multiple Noosa Champion Snowsill defended her decision to race with an injury in today's Triathlon. The triple World Champion rolled her ankle on a final training jog, just before the big Noosa event. "The doctor iced & strapped it but it was my decision to race. We all train hard & I didn't want to put all of that good preparation work in, then not get to race". Finishing 3rd & taking 7mins longer than last year's time, she announced her withdrawal from the next World Cup in N.Z. to give torn ligaments time to recover.

24 Sep - Triple world champion Emma Snowsill settled for 2nd today as close rival Vanessa Fernandes (POR) took out the Beijing World Cup on the same course that will be used for the 2008 Olympics. Snowsill, 44secs behind & Elizabeth May of (LUX) 3rd, admitted she’d not trained since winning the world championship in Switzerland earlier this month & appeared to be hurting in the hot, hazy conditions. "It’s tougher than it looks," she told reporters after the race, "If this is the course they’ll use for the Olympics it will be a good test of a true triathlete."

10 Sep - Snowsill, won the Elite Pro women's event in Los Angeles today in very convincing but unusual conditions. Leaving the 1500m ocean swim at Venice Beach with a 33 secs lead she was 4 mins in arrears at T2 having powered 40k's solo along Hollywood Blvd. A 33min36sec sprint over the 10k run placed her in a fast closing 2nd place just 11 secs behind past World Champion Leanda Cave (GBR). Apparently many of the chasing cycles, having lost sight Emma, took a wrong road turn & were subsequently disqualified with Snowsill being pronounced the overall winner.

03 Sep - With victory today in the World Championships in Switzerland, Emma Snowsill has become the most awarded world titleholder in the history of women's triathlon. Crossing the finish in 2h4m03s, a staggering 45secs in front of rival Vanessa Fernandes (POR), Snowsill successfully defended her 2005 title. This win brings her year tally to 7 wins from 8 starts, the only blemish being 2nd in Chicago when treated for dehydration. “Today I ran like I had nothing to lose” she said & even slowed to thank some of the 60,000 spectators as she cruised to the finish tape.

27 Aug - Faltering in the run of the worlds largest Triathlon after having led the swim out of Lake Michigan & holding her own on the bike, Snowsill succumbing to illness & was delirious after finishing behind winner McGlone (CAN). Suffering a stomach upset plus effects of rapid high altitude training variation, Snowsill was treated for severe dehydration in the medical tent saying. “I felt there was a hole in my petrol tank, but I’m a lot better after an intravenous drip put some fluid back in me”. Lavelle & Ziegler (USA) followed Emma with past World Champion Cave (GBR) 5th.

16 Jul - Emma claimed her 6th Olympic distance Triathlon win for the year & her 2nd of the weekend, by taking out the New York City event today. The reigning World Champion won three races in one week with victory in the Edmonton World Cup last Sunday & her title defence at the ‘LTF Triathlon’ in Minneapolis Saturday. In NYC Snowsill was 5th out of the Hudson River swim, improved two places during the 40km bike thru Manhattan & the Bronx, then took the lead in the 10km run thru Central Park to win followed by McGlone (CAN) & Wassner (USA).

15 July - In a quest for a dead heat finish between male and female triathletes racing for a better share of the purse, LTF Triathlon announced today that their 2006 Equalizer handicap for women pros would be 9mins 49secs; an increase of 17 secs over the 2005 margin. Battling steaming 90deg heat & fatigue, Snowsill struggled but won the women's event in 2hr 34.9sec, finishing 2mins ahead of the next woman including Fernandes (POR). Emma again led the event but couldn't hold off all the men for an outright win, getting caught before the finish by Hunter Kemper (USA).

09 July - Emma won the Edmonton World Cup in Canada today by taking the lead early in the swim & staying on her own for the first 4 of the 6 lap 40K bike course. She was caught by the large chasing bike pack but the group quickly spread out on the run course. Snowsill took the lead and never looking back, leading to a finishing time of 1:56:49. "I didn't have the 'twang' to keep the gap growing", she said of being caught on the bike. "I like to race myself and not the others”.

11 Jun - In the first World Cup Triathlon ever held on the African Continent, Emma led from the start to the finish line, winning by 3 1/2 mins from Dittmer (GER) & Frinova (CZE). Exiting the ocean at Richards Bay with a 16secs lead & not wait for anyone, Emma rode solo for the entire 40ks, increasing her lead over the chase pack to 3min 51sec at T2 and followed with a 35:12 run split for the 10ks. "I felt really strong out there today," she said "I was really just testing myself as I haven't raced for more than two months.”.

18 Mar - Emma Snowsill won the Woman's Triathlon today & claimed the Gold Medal. With an estimated 150,000 spectators crowding the St Kilda beach foreshore a jubilant Snowsill said "I could feel the energy of the crowd when people were cheering for me. It was a unique experience & I hope I've done Australia proud." After a chilly start the dual World Champion built such a commanding lead in the last 5km of the 10km run she even had time to pause and kiss her dad Garry, then collect an Australian flag before finally breaking the finish tape.

19 Feb - Emma came to the race looking to "blow out some cobwebs" after a season break from training in her lead up to the 2006 Commonwealth Games triathlon. Following the wetsuit Hobart Harbour swim, two distinct bike packs formed with a group of 3 Kiwis and 3 Aussies maintaining a strong leading gap. World Champion Snowsill blew her opposition away after her well measured swim & bike was followed by a devastating run over 10kms to the wild applause of a large Hobart crowd. Debbie Tanner (NZL) crossed 2nd & Annabel Luxford (AUS) 3rd.