Intro:

Erin Densham won the first race of the ITU World Cup on Sunday in Mooloolaba, beating Nicola Spirig into second by 52 seconds.

Script:

The elite women of the International Triathlon Union were in in Queensland on Sunday for the first World Cup race of the year - the Mooloolaba Triathlon.

The swimming section saw American Laura Bennett lead for the majority of the 1.5km course, only for Erin Densham to catch her in the closing stages and emerge from the water first.

The Australian had never lead a World Cup race coming out of the water but she was determine to make her advantage count as she stayed with the leading group in the 40-kilometre cycling section.

With nine competitors making it to the second transition within seconds of each other it was anyone's race.

However,. Densham hit the road first for the 10km run and pulled out a healthy lead, eventually crossing the line 52 seconds ahead of New Zealand's Nicola Spirig to secure her second World Cup win in a time of two hours, three minutes and 32 seconds.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Erin Densham, Winner of the Mooloolaba Triathlon:

"Yes, I've just been going one race at a time and, honestly, I had no idea what to expect here and, like I said before, coming out (of) the water in the front pack is like a massive win for me. I knew I had the run there and it hadn't been there in the last couple, or last race, but.... this is what I can do and this is what I should do every race and I'm just finally happy that I pulled it off."

Densham was joined on the podium by Spirig, who took second, and New Zealand's Andrea Hewitt in third.