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Fernandes is number one again
• 10 May 2007 •
 VANESSA FERNANES of Portugal has won the 2007 Lisbon BG Triathlon World Cup, which took place in front of an estimated 40,000 ecstatic Portuguese fans. After exiting the water, an unusual 36 seconds back from the leaders, the 2006 determined World Cup Series Champion was able to pull herself up to the lead group, and run to gold in a time of 2:04:45.
In second place, was Michelle Dillon of Great Britain, 1 minute and 21 seconds behind. And rounding up the top three was Christiane Pilz of Germany, a further 24 seconds behind. With her win, 21-year-old Fernandes moves to the front of the 2007 BG Triathlon World Cup rankings with 149 points. Seventy-two women dived into the Atlantic Ocean to start the Portuguese edition of the Triathlon World Cup. From the starting horn, it was Jill Savege of Canada, Sarah Haskins of the United States and Julie Swallow of Great Britain who jumped to an early lead, with Fernandes and a number of other top contenders over 30 seconds down.
Out onto the eighth lap, 40-kilometre cycle, Fernandes was able to bridge the half a minute gap over the first five kilometres and bring a large group together at the front of the race.
Onto the fourth lap, 10 kilometre run course, Fernandes immediately pulled away and never looked back with the fastest run split of the day to claim her 15th world cup title.
To the cheers of thousands of spectators in the enclosed stadium finish, Fernandes was embraced by her father as she crossed the line. After the race, President Cavaco Silva sent a message congratulating Vanessa on her victory.
The President said: “This new victory proves that hard work and perseverance are the best way to be successful in sports.
You have achieved an important sports victory for Portugal, so I would like to congratulate you on that and wish you success for the future of your career.”
Fernandes is famous and respected, nationally and abroad, for her achievements in the triathlon, with such a tender age, where she has won both the European Elite and under-23 Triathlon Championships for three consecutive times since 2004, and came second at the 2006 World Championships, in Lausanne.
In 1999, she was introduced to triathlon by her father Venceslau Fernandes, former cycler and winner of the 1984 Tour of Portugal.
She was born in Perosinho and represented the local club before signing for Benfica, in 2005. Vanessa competed at the Olympics for the first time, in Athens 2004.
On the second Olympic triathlon competition, the 18 year old Portuguese took eighth place.
In June, 2006, Vanessa was ranked number one in the world, according to International Triathlon Union. In September, she equalled Australian Emma Carney's record number of consecutive wins in the BG Triathlon World Cup, with a 12th victory at the Beijing event. In October, she won the European duathlon title, for the first time. |  Return to Top
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