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Lessing Pulls Away in Run

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Times Staff Writer

While the new Olympic-length triathlon course at Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach passed the test Saturday against some of the sport’s best athletes, the competition wasn’t as challenging.

Five-time world champion Simon Lessing of Britain took the lead early in the final leg, a 10-kilometer run, and went on to win the first Pacific Coast International Triathlon Union race in 1 hour 51 minutes 39 seconds.

Lessing, 32, who moved to Boulder, Colo., in September, completed the run in 32:30, the fastest time by 46 seconds. Lessing was impressed with some of the course’s unique characteristics but didn’t care for the conservative strategy used by some of his 42 counterparts.

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Lessing said he was hoping a smaller group would break loose from the lead pack of about 11 riders during the draft-legal 40-kilometer bike leg, but everyone seemed content to stay bunched. “You can’t [pull away] on your own,” he said. “It was frustrating.”

Australians Chris Hill and Craig Alexander, both Carlsbad residents, led heading into the run, but Lessing took the lead after approximately 1 1/2 kilometers, said Alexander, who finished second in 1:52.18.

Alexander, a two-time Australian long course champion, said the uphill transition from the 1.5-kilometer swim to the bike leg and the ensuing hilly sections made Crystal Cove one of the most challenging venues he has raced.

“This course is a true test of triathlon,” said Alexander.

Hill, ranked second in the world, finished third in 1:52.52.

Australian Michellie Jones, a 2000 Olympic silver medalist, won the women’s race in 2:05.17, Maxine Seear of Australia was second in 2:05.31, Becky Gibbs-Lavell of Cupertino was third in 2:06.34 and Julie Swail of Irvine was fourth in 2:07.12.

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