By Gary Anderson

October 12 - Frenchman Tony Moulai claimed his first ITU World Cup win in his final raceFrenchman Tony Moulai called time on his triathlon career with the perfect result in Tongyeong by clinching his first International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Cup win with a time of 1 hour 51min 23sec in his last race at this level.

The 37-year-old, whose best finish this season was seventh place at the Mooloolaba World Cup in March, put in one of the most memorable performances of his career to finish ahead of Russia's Igor Polyanskiy and Italy's Daniel Hofer.

Moulai, who took team relay World Championship silver in Stockholm last year and European Championship individual silver in 2008, signalled his intention from the start of proceedings in Tongyeong as he powered into a sizeable lead by halfway, and although his lead over the rest of the field began to wane in the second half of the race, the veteran had enough left in the tank to secure the famous win.

"I decided a few weeks ago to stop my international career," Moulai revealed afterwards.

"So I was very motivated to come over here to take the win today and I have done, so that's the perfect end.

"I know it's not WTS [World Triathlon Series], but it's a race, I said to my coach, 'There is no little races'."

It was Polyanskiy's second consecutive year on the Tongyeong podium, and the Russian was happy with his final performance of the season.

"It's my last race in this season and I'm very happy," he said.

"Tongyeong is very happy for me, last year I was third and this year second, it's the best results of my career for me."

Tony Moulai celebrates his European silver medal in Lisbon in 2008Tony Moulai celebrates his European silver medal in Lisbon in 2008


























Meanwhile, at the other end of the age and experience scale, Australia's Emma Jackson will also have fond memories of Tongyeong as she recorded her first international victory at this level in the women's elite competition.

The 22-year-old's win was based on an emphatic performance in the final running leg which saw her post a 10 kilometre split that was 47 seconds faster than anyone else in the field, before going on to eventually take the win by almost a minute and a half from second placed Vendula Frintová of the Czech Republic in a time of 2:02:49.

There was another notable moment for Jackson's teammate Natalie Van Coevorden as she finished on the podium for the first time in her ITU World Cup career, taking bronze.

Emma Jackson capped a fine season with her first ITU World Cup win in TongyeongEmma Jackson capped a fine season with her first ITU World Cup win in Tongyeong

























































Jackson, the 2010 under-23 world champion, has had a fine end to the season which has seen her finish second in the World Triathlon Series event in Kitzbühel and sixth at the World Triathlon Grand Final in London last month.

"I'm very happy to have my first World Cup win, I just wanted to come to Tongyeong and execute a really good race and I was hoping for a win," Jackson said.

"I didn't have a great start to the season so I'm really happy with the way my season ended and to end it with a win."

The final ITU World Cup event of the year is due to take place in Guatapé, Colombia on October 27.

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