Noosa Triathlon: Ashleigh Gentle grabs unprecedented seventh title after powering home in run leg

Tasmanian Jake Birtwhistle enhanced his reputation with his second title at the Noosa Triathlon while Ashleigh Gentle etched her name into the history books by winning her seventh title at the event.

JAKE Birtwhistle claimed his second Noosa title and immediately set sights on a bigger prize - the Olympics. The 24-year-old Tasmanian will be Australia’s best hope of an individual medal in the men’s race at Tokyo given his selection is a virtual formality after setting up residence inside the ITU’s top five world rankings. He will also form an integral part of the mixed relay event.

Meanwhile the ‘Queen of Noosa’ was not just knocking on seven’s door on Sunday.

Ashleigh Gentle kicked it down emphatically to claim her place in history with an unprecedented seventh triumph at the Noosa Triathlon.

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Ashleigh Gentle took her record to seven wins froms even starts at Noosa.

Gentle also has designs on Tokyo after becoming the most successful competitor – male or female – in the 37-year history of the sport’s most famous race at Noosa.

Her sixth-straight victory at Noosa moved her past former coach Craig Walton - who won the men’s event six times – and puts her two ahead of her hero Emma Snowsill.

The win followed the tried-and-tested Gentle template at Noosa. Emerge from the swim in the second pack, creep up on the leaders and stay in touch on the bike and then blow them all away on the run.

Gentle crossed the line almost a minute in front of Natalie Van Coevorden with Sarah Crowley in third, just weeks after filling the same place at the Hawaiian Ironman.

The 28-year-old Queenslander did not feel like triathlon royalty after the event, with relief the more prevailing emotion.

“It’s been a bit of a big build-up but I’ve enjoyed it. It feels good to have crossed the line first,’’ Gentle said.

“It will take a while for it to sink in. There was so much talk before the race with the titles and breaking the records.

“I don’t know if I’ll get used to the Queen reference but yeah, I’ll take it…it feels kind of weird.’’

Jake Birtwhistle proved too strong in the men’s race.

Gentle said 2020 was a “massive year” for her.

“It’s all about turning up to races and performing and putting your best foot forward,’’ she said.

“This is by no means a selection race but it’s still a race, it’s Olympic distance and it’s an opportunity to show the selectors that I’m still here and I want to go to the Olympics.’’

Birtwhistle flipped the result from the 2018 Commonwealth Games where he won silver and South African Henri Schoeman won gold.

After the swim leg was shortened due to dangerous surf conditions, Birtwhistle and Schoeman spent a majority of the 10km run shoulder-to-shoulder.

The Aussie kicked away in the final kilometre along Noosa Parade to leave the Rio Olympic bronze medallist in his dust and add to his 2017 title at the world’s biggest triathlon.

“Noosa is a huge event globally and for us Aussies especially, it means a lot with the history that it has. It’s great to be back here and get on top of the podium again,’’ Birtwhistle said.

“I just had to play the waiting game, I was pretty confident I’d be able to have him (Schoeman) covered at the back end of the run.”

Originally published as Noosa Triathlon: Ashleigh Gentle grabs unprecedented seventh title after powering home in run leg