As expected, Evan Naude proved to be the fastest of Bermuda's Olympic-distance age group competitors at the World Triathlon Championships held on the Gold Coast, near Brisbane, Australia over the weekend.

Competing in the 30 to 40 age group, Naude produced one of the fastest runs in his division, completing the 1,500 metre swim, 40 kilometre cycle and 10K run in two hours, three minutes and three seconds for a 36th place finish.

Veteran Kent Richardson had hoped to break into the top 15 in the 50-55 age group but fell well short of his personal best after cramping on the swim and ended up in 37th place with a time of 2:16.52.

Bermuda's other athletes over the Olympic distance were Peter Hallatt (98th in the 25-29 age group in 2.17.35), Russell Burgess (108th in the 30-34 age group in 2.31.44) and Travis Cooper (86th in the 30-34 age group in 2.16.41.)

For Ryan Gunn, the Island's youngest competitor and one of the youngest in yesterday's Junior Elite World Championships, the event proved to be a baptism of fire.

In a field of 64 competitors, he was unable to finish.

Trailing the main field by over a minute after the swim, Gunn was forced to ride solo and despite a gutsy performance was eventually caught on lap four by the fast moving large leading group which was led by a number of young professionals.

With the same loop course being used for the bike and run, organisers had ruled that any lapped cyclists would be pulled from the course, so Gunn, together with two other juniors, was unable to make it to the finish line.

Saturday's Olympic distance racing proved to be competitive, reflecting the rapid growth in the sport with the powerful Australian squad of over 1000 participants and the large Great Britain, USA and New Zealand squads dominating the medals.

According to Bermuda Triathlon Association spokesman, Dave Morrison, who also competed, the race was not without some controversy with the tight bike course proving difficult to navigate.

"With so many competitors, that slowed some of the faster athletes and led to some illegal group riding which was largely ignored by the draft marshals," commented Morrison.

In the Sprint Distance World Championships, Sue Edney was Bermuda's highest finisher, taking 24th place in the Women's 45-49 age group in 1.20.49 over a course which included a 750 metre swim, 20 kilometres bike ride and 5K run.

Neil de ste Croix took 26th place in the Men's 40-44 age group in 1.10.03. Morrison was 11th off the bike in the Men's 55-59 age group but only completed three kilometres of the run due to a recurring Achilles injury.

Missing from the event was Bermuda's only professional triathlete, Tyler Butterfield, who only a week earlier had produced a blistering finish to place third at the Monaco Triathlon which attracted over 1,000 competitors, and had never intended competing at this years Worlds.

The Island's three leading female triathletes, Karen Smith, Karen Bordage and Julia Hawley also avoided the trip Down Under as they prepare for next month's Hawaii Ironman, considered the most prestigious of all triathlons.

In Beijing Olympic bronze medallist Emma Moffatt of Australia won yesterday's female world championship and the 2009 overall ITU series after a race-long duel with Sweden's Lisa Norden.

Moffatt beat Norden by five seconds, leaving the Swede in second place overall for the season after eight races.

Britain's Alistair Brownlee sprinted the final 500 metres of the run leg to win the men's elite grand final on Saturday and the overall title following four previous wins in world championship series events.

More than 5,000 competitors took part in various age-group events over the weekend, including those in a 74-to-79 age bracket.