With three years to go until the Beijing Olympics, the ITU World Cup series headed to the Chinese capital to begin testing the Olympic course. 

2005 OSIM Beijing ITU Triathlon World Cup,
China – September 17

Women:
Just three days after her 20th birthday, Vanessa Fernandes tackled the Beijing course with her eyes squarely set on the 2008 Olympics.  Though she was 17th out of the water, Fernandes posted the fastest bike leg and used a blazing run to decimate the field by almost a full two minutes.  American Sheila Taormina was second, followed by Helen Tucker of Great Britain.  Though the field was missing many notables including Emma Snowsill and Sam Warriner, Fernandes sent a clear message that Beijing was going to be her top priority in the coming years.

Men:
Hunter Kemper, the two-time Olympian from the United States, embarked on his third Olympic journey with an impressive win on the future Olympic course.  Kemper was in lead group after the swim and threw down a sub-31:00 run on the tough course to hold off Frenchman Frederic Belaubre to claim the Beijing title.  It was a statement year for Kemper who was later crowned the overall World Cup series champion for 2005.  German Jan Frodeno came across the line for the bronze, one of three Germans in the top ten.

Final Results

1	Kemper, Hunter (USA)	Fernandes, Vanessa (POR)
2	Belaubre, Frederic (FRA)	Taormina, Sheila (USA)
3	Frodeno, Jan (GER)	Tucker, Helen (GBR)

Click here for full men’s and women’s results

2006 Beijing BG Triathlon World Cup, China – September 24

With ITU Olympic qualifying officially underway in June 2006, the world’s best returned to Beijing in the fall to challenge the Olympic course
Women:

For the first time, Vanessa Fernandes would battle her chief rival, Emma Snowsill, in Beijing.  After besting Fernandes at the World Championships in Lausanne earlier in the month, Snowsill couldn’t pull off upset again.  After settling for silver in Lausanne, Fernandes roared back with a convincing win on the Olympic course.  Elizabeth May of Luxembourg, who called Beijing her favorite course, put together an impressive race and surprisingly took the final spot on the podium over the likes of Laura Bennett, Joelle Franzmann and Sam Warriner.

Men:
For the second straight year, Frederic Belaubre attacked the Olympic course and for the second straight year, he made the podium.  But no silver this time, Belaubre took gold and was soon considered a serious pre-Olympic favorite as the only man to podium at both Beijing events.  Javier Gomez quickly entered the Olympic contenders conversation with a silver medal performance.  Stephane Poulat made it a highly successful outing for the French team by taking the bronze.

Final Results

1	Belaubre, Frederic (FRA)	Fernandes, Vanessa (POR)
2	Gomez, Javier (ESP)	Snowsill, Emma (AUS)
3	Poulat, Stephane (FRA)	May, Elizabeth (LUX)

Click here for full men’s and women’s results
**Note that some of the men’s split times were not properly recorded

2007 Beijing BG Triathlon World Cup, China – September 16

Just two weeks after the World Championships in Hamburg, the elites traveled to Beijing to race the Olympic course for the final time before the big dance in 2008.  They were gunning for a World Cup title and perhaps a psychological edge over the competition.  World Championship caliber fields lined the pontoon for both men’s and women’s fields with many athletes seeking a spot on their own Olympic team.  Several National Federations designated this world cup as a key qualifier in their selection process.

Women:
Fresh off her first world championship title, Vanessa Fernandes was all business in her third trip to Beijing and expected showdown with Emma Snowsill.  The pair exited the water just two seconds apart but the tough bike course benefited Fernandes who built a nine second lead over Snowsill after the bike.  As they headed out onto the run, Fernandes wasted little time in solidifying herself as the clear Olympic favorite.  Her 34:16 run was the finishing touch to another virtuoso performance, winning by over a full minute and ensuring no other woman tasted victory on the all-important Olympic course.  Snowsill came from behind to take silver for the second straight year while Laura Bennett held off a surging Debbie Tanner for the bronze.

Men:
After being upset at the Hamburg BG Triathlon World Championships just two weeks earlier, world number one Javier Gomez took out his frustrations on the Olympic course.  Just ten seconds off the lead after the swim, Gomez rode in the lead pack on the challenging 40-kilometer bike course, setting himself up to take command on the run.  Usually known for cranking it up mid-way through the run, Gomez exploded out of transition and laid down a punishing pace that no man could keep up with. A sizzling 30:41 run split capped off a masterful race for Gomez who captured the Olympic test event and vaulted to the top of the gold medal contenders.  Courtney Atkinson out-sprinted 2004 Olympic silver medalist Bevan Docherty for the silver.

Final Results

1	Gomez, Javier (ESP)	Fernandes, Vanessa (POR)
2	Atkinson, Courtney (AUS)	Snowsill, Emma (AUS)
3	Docherty, Bevan (NZL)	Bennett, Laura (USA)

Click here for full men’s and women’s results