Geelong Live Updates

The Geelong Multisport Festival has wrapped up for another year. A big congratulations to all that competed and an equally big congrats to all of you who have tolerated my ramblings for another weekend. See you at the next race!

Congratulations to Belinda Granger winner of Urban 2.80.20 and her husband Justin who came 7th in mens. Seen here with Subaru's Steve Desira checking out the Subaru XV.

Drew Box wins the Australian title, taking fourth place overall behind Tony Dodds in third. Aaron Royle in 5th, Chris McCormack and Courtney Atkinson both slipping into the top 10 as well.

Laurent Vidal wins in a sprint with Will Clarke

Drew Box is at the front of the chase pack, at this stage set for the Australian title!

Will and Laurent have 10 seconds on the field

Uh oh, Courtney has to serve a penalty on the next lap. So does Macca! Might not be great for the Aussie chances!

Will Clarke (GB) leads the run, followed by Frenchman Vidal and Tony Dodds from NZ in third. No Aussies on the podium at this stage, come through boys!!

Men are onto the run and I receive a msg from young Aussie racing Dom Angules: "coffee?". I guess his race didn't go to plan :)

Courtney Atkinson comfortably slotted into the front bunch along with all the big names: Laurent Vidal, Chris McCormack, Will Clarke, Aaron Royle. I love a good name drop!

Brendan Sexton has pulled out, problems on the bike either crash or mechanical. Front bunch is now 29 strong but seems to split up every lap on the technical section.

Front bunch = 15 athletes (led by Chris McCormack), chase bunch 10secs back = 14 athletes.

Jimmy Seear and Jack Hickey are having a crack at going off the front. Bold move from the youngeons!

Jimmy Seear leads out of the water by 5 metres, big pack bunched together behind him! Could be one big bunch on the bike.

Emma Moffat wins Geelong 2012, followed by Germany's Anne Haug, GB's Liz Blatchford then Erin Densham posting the fastest run split

And they're out onto the run! Emma Moffat leads, Anne Haug from Germany looking like she'll come secondhand Liz Blatchford third!

Going off the front in the women's race is Tersa Adam from NZ, Emma Moffat and Sarissa from Nedtherlands. Chase pack is 30 secs off the pace.

And they're off! How many times has that been said at the start of a race

Athletes, supporters and coaches all standing around looking very nervous! Let's get this underway! Someone has given me to commentary mic, should be interesting :)

The chosen pro transition set up: elastic laces holding bike shoes in place, small chain ring at the front and medium gear at the back to start off spinning!

Great question from Emma Moffat 15 mins away from race start: "Dave, do you know where the course goes? I wasn't paying attention at race briefing."

The bikes are racked and the women are ready for racing! And if anyone isn't ready, well, deal with it this is happening in 20 mins!

Final gear check for Aussie Chloe Turner, all set for a fast and mechanical-problem-free race!

Sorry everyone, all the Subaru cowbells are now out on the course! If you want to know who got the last one I could not say no to this little dude...

Anticipation is in the air for the ITU pro women to get underway now that they're arriving at race site. All the big names of the sport are here bar 2008 Olympic Champion (and Subaru ambassador) Emma Snowsill who is overseas. But it's not all about the big names, cheer on my buddy Matilda Raynolds, her first big ITU professional race and looking psyched!

With the long course and Olympic distance races wrapping up, tune in for the leadup and race updates for the ITU Australian Sprint Championships kicking off at 1:45pm. For now, here's the dude controlling the big camera to get shots similar to the one below:

Belinda Granger has won the women's long course race. Age groupers across both distances are now rolling in to the deafening roar of Subaru cowbells. Ouch.

Clayton Fettell wins the Urban 2.80.20 triathlon. Now relaxing with an aromatherapy massage.

Lots of kids ringing Subaru cowbells, lots of parents getting headaches.

He may be the man providing me with the knowledge over the mic, but when it comes to fashion I don't think I'll listen to his valuable words

Belinda Granger leads the women's race by 4 mins! Here's the battle for 2nd and 3rd...

Tim Berkel running in third place, 4 mins behind Fettell in first. Still about 30mins of racing to go a lot can happen!

Leon Griffin chases Fettell, currently 2:25 behind him.

Fettell leading

Most of the bikes are back in transition and athletes are out on the run course in Both the long course and Olympic distance races. In the long course, Clayton Fettell had a 4 minute lead out of transition and is still leading from Leon Griffin in second and Tim Berkel in third.

I think these are the only dudes not under cover in a coffee shop at the moment! Absolutely bucketing down for the past hour and I think people must be following the race via the Subaru Tracker rather than in person :)

The horn has blasted and Olympic distance race is underway! Imagine the photo below except they're swimming really fast instead of standing around.

At halfway on he bike in the long course race, Clayton Fettell is 3:25 ahead of the chase pack of 4 including Hawaii runner-up Pete Jacobs (pictured). I keep trying to get a photo of Clayto but he's too fast!

Listening to the final race briefing of the swim course. For those if you wondering, the course is officially "swim out, turn right, right, right, right, right, right, right, swim in."

Whilst Olympic distance athletes do their final warm up before starting in 5mins, Clayton Fettell has gone solo off the front of the long course race, minutes ahead of A group containing Pete Jacobs, Leon Griffin and Tim Berkel.

The sun has come out just in time for the Olympic distance race. Wetsuits still on the cards in the water but expect things to heat up on the bike and run. Yes, more weather updates.

There's a never-ending stream of long course athletes are now climbing their way out of Geelong. And when I say never ending I mean ending in 5 minutes. Then there will be a never-ending stream of long course athletes returning to Geelong.

There's a constant stream of wetsuit-clad athletes exiting the water now, it's cold in the water and even colder out. Weather observations, it's what I'm good for.

Clayton Fettell is first on the bike, riding Giant no surprises there! Leon Griffin follows about 2mins behind, with Tim Berkel and Matty White (pictured) just behind.

Geelong day 2 is underway. Long course athletes in the water already, Olympic distance athletes are warming up!

See you all tomorrow! Events kick off at 7:05am with the Long Course (2.80.20) tri, and run through to the Elite ITU male sprint (750.20.5) tri starting at 3pm. Nicho's final word for the day: "download the Subaru Tracker app to follow your friends and keep up to date with relevant information". Thanks Nicho!! (do not disobey him)

Courtney Atkinson: professional triathlete / fleece material analyst.

Interviewing Courtney: "I hear you've got 5,000 friends on Facebook. Who's Darrel?"

Of all the photos I have taken accidentally whilst leaving the camera on, I reckon this is the most artistic (it's floor by the way). Not really newsworthy but hey is anyone really reading this blog for cutting-edge investigatory journalism?

Miscellaneous 'triathlete at expo' shot, installment #1

Come down to the expo to see capital punishment returning to society in a big way.

My old coach Daz with 33.3% of the European contingent in the girls ITU race tomorrow, Anne Haug. To clarify, when I say Daz is my old coach I'm not saying he is an old person, just my old coach from 2010. Although age-wise... Well... I should stop.

Someone standing on my right said something obviously hilarious, then I took this photo. Come have a chat with Courtney at the Subaru tent if you're floating round the expo!

Do you want to know what is happening in Geelong tomorrow? Are you opposed to reading easily legible digitalized signs with a clear white background? This photo is for you!

Pro triathletes Clayton Fettell and Tim Berkel all set for the 2.80.20 long course race tomorrow. Damn I wish I was as fashionable as these guys.

Lunch time in Geelong with some of the dudes racing tomorrow, ready for some attempted name dropping? Pete Kerr, Nick Kastalein and 90% of Dom Angules (back of head cropped out so isn't quite all of him), keep an eye out at 3pm for these fellas in the ITU Australian Sprint Championships.

I'm trying to get photos of the Subaru car, but publicity hungry pro triathletes keep getting in the way.

5 minutes before the Bay 1,000 swim I realised we were allowed to wear wetsuits. Considering mine is in Sydney it was not an ideal discovery... Thanks to this lovely lady from the Aquashop for lending me one! Love that about tris, people are so willing to help. Wow, that just got deep, real deep.

The Geelong expo is going off! And by off I mean it is on. Not to confused with off. My head hurts. Coffee why have I not found you?

The calm before the storm. That was intended figuratively with the 1,000m swim race almost underway, but is also open to literal interpretations.

Miscellaneous random lady rocking out in the Triathlon Australia tent. Go visit if you want some cracking conversation and TA info. Free drinks as well (if you BYO).

Next major event today is the Geelong 1,000m Bay Swim at 12 noon. Next minor event is spotting triathletes wearing teardrop helmets whilst not actually on their bikes.

I'll level with you, there is some product placement in the below photo from the Geelong expo. It's subtle, but do keep an eye out for it.

My favorite eavesdrop from the expo so far: "You know you're in Geelong when Bon Jovi is blasting over the PA system". Yes the street party is going off.

Freddy Ovett wins the 5km race, this dude is an 18year old 800m runner with a PB of 1:51. In his spare time he likes to unwind with a long walk down down a deserted beach. One of my stranger athlete profile posts I'll admit.

The first event of the weekend is done and dusted, the "Target Foreshore 5 & 10km fun run supporting give where you live". Yes that is the longest title in the history of sporting events.

Geelong is underway! You will never be more awesome than this moment. (worst motivational speech ever)