Lauren Brandon led the women out of the water onto Mooloolaba Beach, with 26 year-old Lawrence hot on her heels just 30 seconds back. About a minute behind the lead women were Annabel Luxford, Leanda Cave, Daniela Ryf, and Caroline Steffen.
At the first hill on the bike Lawrence managed to pull ahead, and by the halfway point she had a three minute lead over the chase pack, including Steffen, Cave, and Kaye. Heather Wurtele put in time into the women all day to come off the bike in third.
Lawrence's 1:21 run was enough to hold off the hard-charging Melissa Hauschildt, who used her impressive 1:18 half marathon to run her way into second. Wurtele pushed into the final place on the podium, while defending champion Daniela Ryf fought hard for fourth despite tired legs. The Sunshine Coast-based Steffen, who made this race her major aim this year, was impressive in fifth.
In a thrilling finale Australian Tim Reed took the men's, beating German Sebastian Kienle by just two seconds after the two had been vying for the lead throughout the run, never being more than 20 metres from each other and ended up swapping the lead six times.
Top 10 Women
Name
Ctry
Total
Swim
Bike
Run
Holly Lawrence
GBR
4:09:11
0:23:23
2:19:27
1:21:48
Melissa Hauschildt
AUS
4:11:08
0:26:45
2:21:06
1:18:43
Heather Wurtele
CAN
4:13:35
0:25:04
2:22:26
1:21:38
Daniela Ryf
CHE
4:14:08
0:24:11
2:23:47
1:21:18
Caroline Steffen
CHE
4:17:15
0:24:12
2:23:08
1:25:09
Annabel Luxford
AUS
4:17:25
0:24:10
2:23:43
1:24:57
Laura Philipp
DEU
4:17:39
0:27:15
2:24:45
1:20:59
Alicia Kaye
USA
4:17:52
0:24:16
2:23:30
1:25:35
Radka Vodickova
CZE
4:18:16
0:24:09
2:26:51
1:22:37
Magali Tisseyre
CAN
4:18:18
0:24:15
2:23:49
1:25:36
ArrayTop 10 Men
Array