By Kerry Larsen

While the inaugural Challenge Cairns triathlon held two weeks ago in Cairns and Port Douglas was rated one of the best courses in the world by the athletes, it seems the course was too much of a good thing for the winner.

Chris McCormack, who won the ironman distance – a 3.8km swim, a 180km cycle, and a 42km run – had to retire from the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship in Kitzbühel, Austria, yesterday, citing slow recovery from Challenge Cairns as the cause.

While all eyes were on McCormack for this return to the ironman series, he was left in the wash in the bleak, wintery European conditions.

“It was an empty tank for me today, 13 days after the ironman (in Cairns),” McCormack said, withdrawing during the cycle leg of the Austrian race after the swim leg.

Australian national head coach, Shaun Stephens, said McCormack found the speed of the swim too much and was losing touch with the lead pack in the cycling leg before withdrawing from the race.

“The residual fatigue from completing an ironman two weeks prior, and lack of speed work in training, meant he was unable to be competitive in the race and he decided to withdraw,” Stephens said.

Great Britain’s Alistair Brownlee won the event ahead of Russia’s Alexander Brukhankov. Australians Brad Kahlefeldt, Jamie Huggett and James Seear placed fifth, 22nd and 44th respectively in the 65-strong field.