Oceania Triathlon

After her quest for the all-time record was derailed by rival Emma Snowsill in Mooloolaba earlier this year, Vanessa Fernandes again bids to become the most decorated ITU triathlete ever at Sunday’s Madrid BG Triathlon World Cup, the 200th in ITU history.  With 19 world cup titles, Vanessa Fernandes takes aim at a record-breaking 20th win, moving her ahead of Australian great Emma Carney.  Madrid would be a fitting place for the historic victory as it was the site of Fernandes’ first world cup title and where she has collected the most wins.  Another Madrid title would be her sixth straight, ensuring no other woman has ever won in the Spanish capital.

The Numbers
Perhaps most impressive with Fernandes is the furious rate in which she has racked up the titles.  Madrid this weekend will be just the 31st world cup start of her career, meaning she’s won 19 of the 30 world cup races she’s entered, a staggering winning percentage of 0.633.  Fernandes has stood on the world cup podium a grand total of 23 times, in just 30 races.  And she just turned 22 last September, just two weeks after winning her first elite world championship, which sits next to the five elite European titles she’s also collected.

The Victories
Six days after her 18th birthday, Fernandes won the 2003 Madrid ITU Triathlon World Cup and the winning has yet to stop, or even slow down. 

World Cup Win #1 – September 21, 2003 - 2003 Madrid ITU Triathlon World Cup, Spain
World Cup Win #2 – September 19, 2004 - Madrid ITU Triathlon World Cup, Spain
World Cup Win #3 – November 7, 2004 - Rio de Janeiro ITU Triathlon World Cup, Brazil
World Cup Win #4 – April 24, 2005 - Mazatlan ITU Triathlon World Cup, Mexico
World Cup Win #5 – June 5, 2005 - Madrid ITU Triathlon World Cup, Spain
World Cup Win #6 – September 17, 2005 - OSIM Beijing ITU Triathlon World Cup, Beijing
World Cup Win #7 – November 13, 2005 - New Plymouth ITU Triathlon World Cup, New Zealand
World Cup Win #8 – March 10, 2006 - Aqaba ITU Triathlon World Cup, Jordan
World Cup Win #9 – May 7, 2006 - Mazatlan ITU Triathlon World Cup, Mexico
World Cup Win #10 – June 4, 2006 - Madrid BG Triathlon World Cup, Spain
World Cup Win #11 – July 23, 2006 - Corner Brook BG Triathlon World Cup, Canada
World Cup Win #12 – September 9, 2006 - Hamburg BG Triathlon World Cup, Germany
World Cup Win #13 – September 24, 2006 - Beijing BG Triathlon World Cup, China
World Cup Win #14 – April 15, 2007 - Ishigaki BG Triathlon World Cup, Japan
World Cup Win #15 – May 6, 2007 - Lisbon BG Triathlon World Cup, Portugal
World Cup Win #16 – June 3, 2007 - Madrid BG Triathlon World Cup, Spain
World Cup Win #17 – July 29, 2007 - Salford BG Triathlon World Cup, Great Britain
World Cup Win #18 – September 16, 2007 - Beijing BG Triathlon World Cup, China
World Cup Win #19 – October 7, 2007 - Rhodes BG Triathlon World Cup, Greece
World Cup Win #20 – ???

So what’s next?  She’ll head to Vancouver, Canada to defend her world championship in June then will chase Olympic glory in Beijing.

Don’t forget to log onto triathlon.org for live coverage from Madrid.  Who will challenge Fernandes this weekend?  Click here for a full Madrid preview

Click here for more on Vanessa Fernandes

Click here for her career results

Click here to watch Fernandes’ victories from 2006 and 2007

Vanessa Fernandes wins her 5th Madrid title last year