Courtesy: ITU

Canada's hero and Olympic Gold Medallist, Simon Whitfield and USA's Siri Lindley were the runaway winners of a class field at the slippery ITU Pizza Hut World Cup Triathlon in Toronto today.

The strongest international field since the Olympic Games began the women's race at 12.30pm in threatening weather and the chilly waters of Lake Ontario. Tightly bunched for the first 750m of the 1500m wetsuit swim, an uncharacteristic large pack of 13 women emerged. Remarkably, Olympic silver medallist, Michellie Jones was missing from the group and Lindley was fourth to exit the water.

A swift transition saw a group containing local favourites, Sharon Donnelly and Tereza Macel (CAN), Loretta Harrop and Nicole Hackett (AUS), Laura Reback and Barb Lindquist (USA), and Joelle Franzmann (GER) steal a handy break from Sheila Taormina and Becky Gibbs (USA), Rina Hill (NZL), Sandra Soldan (BRA), Jill Savege and Christine Jeffrey (CAN).

Around 20km into the race, Harrop's bike slid from beneath her on a wet corner and she and Reback lost around 40 seconds in a pack crash that ended the race for Donnelly and Franzmann. Meanwhile, a tighter lead pack extended their lead and a gallant Jones worked tirelessly with a chase over two minutes down.

Lindley asserted her intentions for the race, as she charged first from transition from the 40km bike to the 10km run. With a smooth and flowing rhythm she posted the fastest run time, leaving Lindquist and Hackett to battle for their respective medals. Jones ran through the field to finish fourth, just ahead of Reback and the fast improving and determined Japanese Akiko Sekine.

"I felt that swim was the greatest stepping-stone of my career," said an ecstatic Lindley of her second ITU World Cup victory of the season. "Every race is so important to me and I feel that this race has given me a great deal of confidence and I feel great about the season ahead."

Ominous lightning delayed the men's race by 30 minutes and dropped the water temperature to an icy 13 degrees. While there was no significant breakaway in the swim, the transition to the bikes greatly impacted the early formation of groups.

Former World Champion Chris McCormack (AUS) spent almost a minute struggling in transition while a class pack containing notables Whitfield, Miles Stewart (AUS) and Hamish Carter (NZL) lead 18 men into the race.

Again the slippery roads wreaked havoc, claiming Tim Don (UK), Carlos Gil (ESP), Uzziel Valderrabano (MEX) and six others. McCormack regathered himself to work back to the leaders.

Several break away groups formed throughout the race, however none proving decisive until the efforts of Whitfield and Nathan Richmond (NZ) pulled away, soon to be joined by McCormack, Stewart and Greg Bennett (AUS) with around 10km remaining.

Stewart took an early lead with his trademark speedy transition. Whitfield and McCormack soon passed Stewart to enter a two-man race for the line. The pair ran stride for stride until the 7.5 km point.

"At the start of the last lap I surged and I knew I would win," said Whitfield. "I felt great and knew I could stay away."

Whitfield delighted the patriotic crowd, carrying the Canadian flag across the line. McCormack crossed soon after, while Stewart held on from Carter, and the storming Australian pair, Peter Robertson and Trent Chapman.

"At the five kilometre mark, I thought I had him," said McCormack after the race. "I felt great, but then he just eased away. He is definitely the form guy of the moment."

Whitfield's victory was a welcome result for the 2008 Toronto Bid Committee, who await the decision of the International Olympic Committee from Moscow in a week. A hometown win rewarded the scores of volunteers who were a part of the race, a demonstration of the city's commitment to hosting an Olympic Games.

Elite Males

1      1:50:32 Simon Whitfield               CAN
2      1:50:45 Chris McCormack               AUS            
3      1:50:53 Miles Stewart                 AUS            
4      1:50:57 Hamish Carter                 NZL            
5      1:51:07 Peter Robertson               AUS            
6      1:51:12 Trent Chapman                 AUS            
7      1:51:15 Malk Petzold                  GER            
8      1:51:18 Andrew Johns                  GBR             
9      1:51:18 Craig Watson                  NZL            
10     1:51:34 Chris Hill                    AUS

Elite Females

1      2:00:04 Siri Lindley                  USA          
2      2:02:15 Barbara Lindquist             USA           
3      2:02:41 Nicole Hackett                AUS            
4      2:03:38 Michellie Jones               AUS            
5      2:03:57 Loretta Harrop                AUS            
6      2:04:06 Laura Reback                  USA            
7      2:04:13 Akiko Sekine                  JPN            
8      2:04:50 Sheila Taormina               USA            
9      2:05:10 Jill Savege                   CAN            
10     2:05:41 Melissa Ashton                AUS