HAMBURG, Germany – Vanessa Fernandes has done it. The Portuguese superstar won her elusive world title today at the 2007 Hamburg BG Triathlon World Championships. It was not only her first elite world championship but also the first for Portugal. Three-time world champion Emma Snowsill came from behind to win silver while American Laura Bennett took the bronze, her fourth career medal at the world championships.

With a wetsuit swim, the usually powerful American swimmers were not able to break away in the water as they normally like to. Local favourite Joelle Franzmann of Germany delighted the crowds as she led the women out of the water and into transition. Not far behind were a host of contenders including Fernandes, Aussie Emma Moffatt and a trio of Americans, Laura Bennett, Sarah Haskins and Sara McLarty.

The most crucial moment of the race came as the women came through the first transition. Snowsill exited the water just three seconds behind Fernandes but suffered a bad transition and lost critical time.

“You can never waste a second and I lost that second in transition, fumbling with my wetsuit but this is racing, it happens,” said Snowsill.

The Aussie wasn’t the only one to be slowed down during transition; Fernandes also had difficulties getting out of her wetsuit and onto her bike and barely latched onto the lead pack. By the time Snowsill began the flat, technical 40-kilometer bike course, the 3-second deficit to Fernandes became a 10-second gap. With Fernandes and Australian Annabel Luxford doing much of the work in the front group, the lead over Snowsill’s pack ballooned to 43 seconds. By the end of the fifth lap, the lead fattened to 77 seconds.

After cycling in the lead pack that extended its lead virtually with every lap, the world number one Fernandes headed out onto the run in 11th place. But it wasn’t long before she reeled in the ten women in front of her one by one. Bennett was the last woman in her sight and early in the first lap, Fernandes surged past her to take the lead for good. Once she snatched the lead, it was clear she wasn’t going to relinquish it. With the second fastest run time of the day, Fernandes coasted to the finish line, taking the time to savor the moment of her winning her first career world championship. It was a convincing and satisfying win for the Portuguese sensation, at long last silencing her critics over her inability to win the big one.

“I feel very happy because it was not an obligation to win this world championship but it was a goal I had at the beginning of this year,” said the newly crowned world champion. “It was a beautiful race today.”

With the fastest run time of the day, sub-33 minutes, Snowsill ran all the way back into contention and eventually passed Bennett in the final 500 meters to steal silver. In three previous trips to the world championships, she had always won gold and though Fernandes thwarted her bid for a record-tying fourth world title, Snowsill called this a “personal victory” as she faced a deficit of more than a minute.

“The race turned out the way the race turned out. I’m not going to go home tonight kicking myself the fact that I wasted a second or two. Vanessa had a phenomenal race and I’m really happy for her,” said Snowsill. “You just get those feelings sometimes when it’s someone else’s day and I’m just happy to be here. I knew at the back of my mind, even if I got off the bike with her, it was going to be an extremely hard-fought race. She’s a phenomenal athlete and it’s due time that she finally has that world championship title.”

Snowsill and her training partner Bennett both collected their fourth career medal at the world championships and moved into a tie for second among all-time medalists. Bennett, who picked up the biggest payday in the sport’s history earlier this year in Des Moines, came through in the clutch again, proving she’s one of the sport’s big race athletes. Bennett was elated to be on the same podium as the sport’s two major superstars.

“I knew Vanessa would catch me and I know where her and Emma are right now. Hopefully in a year’s time I can be mixing it up with them but they clearly run a minute into me right now. I’m more than happy to be the next best girl after those two. I’m in great company,” said Bennett.

Approximately a quarter million fans gathered in the streets of downtown Hamburg as 77 women took off, vying for the coveted world title. The German contingent fared well in the first world championships in their country, placing three in the top ten. Lisk and Anja Ditter both earned spots on the Olympic team as the top German finishers in this race, a designated Olympic qualifier for their team.

Hamburg BG Triathlon World Championships – Final Elite Women’s Results:
1st – Vanessa Fernandes (POR) 01:53:27
2nd – Emma Snowsill (AUS) 01:54:31
3rd – Laura Bennett (USA) 01:54:37
4th – Emma Moffatt (AUS) 01:54:54
5th – Ricarda Lisk (GER) 01:54:59
6th – Anja Dittmer (GER) 01:55:04
7th – Magali Di marco Messmer (SUI) 01:55:09
8th – Joelle Franzmann (GER) 01:55:15
9th – Jessica Harrison (FRA) 01:55:26
10th – Sarah Haskins (USA) 01:55:27