Release courtesy of www.tricalifornia.com

Simon Lessing, a five-time world champion and a member of Great Britain's Olympic team in Sydney two years ago, turned in a dominating performance at the Seagate Triathlon at Pacific Grove on Saturday afternoon, winning by 2:25 over a small but classy field of international and American triathletes.

In cool and foggy conditions, Lessing exited the water 10 seconds clear of a group of three chasers – BSc’s Craig Alexander, Marc Lees and New Zealand's Kris Gemmell.

Once onto the bike, Alexander, Lees, Gemmell and Lessing worked together to distance themselves from the rest of the field, building up a gap of 1:30 over New Zealand's Bryan Rhodes.

Once onto the run, however, Lessing unleashed his running dominance using his long, fluid stride to build an ever-increasing gap over his pursuers, with Alexander doggedly chasing in second. Lessing came home in 1:50:18 with a 30:33 closing 10k, with Alexander second in 1:52:43. Lees, the first winner of the Pacific Grove Triathlon eight years ago, came home third in 1:53:27, with Gemmell fourth in 1:54:43 and Plata in fifth in 1:56:29.