Consecutive wins against the clock for Queenslander
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Shara Gillow (Orica - AIS) shows off her medal after the podium ceremony(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Shara Gillow (Orica - AIS) took her third time trial title in a row(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Gold for Gillow(Image credit: Mark Gunter - markgunter.com.au)
Felicity Wardlaw put in an impressive ride in todays Womens TT(Image credit: Mark Gunter - markgunter.com.au)
Grace Sulzberger finished second in the Womens TT(Image credit: Mark Gunter - markgunter.com.au)
Shara Gillow nears the end of her 3rd TT gold in as many years(Image credit: Mark Gunter - markgunter.com.au)
Taryn Heather during her TT ride(Image credit: Mark Gunter - markgunter.com.au)
Shara Gillow was exstatic with her win(Image credit: Mark Gunter - markgunter.com.au)
Shara Gillow (Orica - AIS) sets off on her record-matching third consecutive victory(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Carla Ryan (QLD) was ninth, having started first, she spent a lot of time in the 'hot seat' for fastest finisher(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Uder 23 Champion, Ailie McDonald (ACT) approaches the finish line(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Bridie O'Donnell (VIC) was tenth overall(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Taryn Heather (VIC) was fourth, after her podium position last year(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
The under 23 podium - Jess Allen, Ailie McDonald, Cassandra Dodd(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
The under 23 podium - Jess Allen, Ailie McDonald, Cassandra Dodd(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Grace Sulzberger (Jayco-AIS), Shara Gillow (Orica - AIS) and Felicity Wardlaw (VIC) on the podium(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Amanda Spratt (Orica - AIS) took seventh in the time trial(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Grace Sulzberger (Jayco-AIS) begins her ride to silver(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Ruth Corset (QLD), forward on the saddle(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Under 23 winner, Ailie McDonald (ACT) sets out(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Cassandra Dodd (QLD) was second in the under 23 category(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Felicity Wardlaw (VIC) on the way to bronze(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Jess Allen (VIC) was bronze medallist in the under 23 cateogry (Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Tiffany Cromwell (Orica - AIS) was fifth in the time trial(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
A victorious Shara Gillow stands on the podium having won her third Australian ITT title(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
A gold medal and a big Mars bar to boot! Shara Gillow smiles for the cameras following her third consecutive Australian ITT Championship win(Image credit: Alex Malone)
Time for the champagne! Celebration time for Shara Gillow on completion of her third consecutive Australian Women's ITT title(Image credit: Mark Gunter - markgunter.com.au)
Gillow out on course on the way to her third consecutive Australian Women's ITT title(Image credit: Mark Gunter - markgunter.com.au)
Shara Gillow (Orica-AIS) rode to her third consecutive Australian Individual Time Trial Championship in Ballarat on Wednesday. Her effort of completing the three-peat was impressive but the fact that this year's victory equalled that of Kathy Watt between 1992 and 1994.
Gillow finished with over a minute advantage back to Grace Sulzberger and Felicity Wardlaw on the 29.2km course which began with a loop around Lake Wendouree.
"I actually only found out recently that Kathy Watt had set the mark with three titles and that it hadn't been broken," admitted Gillow. "I've equalled that now. I didn't have any extra pressure to chase that record. I always put pressure on myself anyway."
This year's course was different to that which Gillow claimed her previous two titles, making it hard to compare. Road's were completely closed for the first time so while safety was an obvious improvement it also allowed competitors to use more of the road and in theory, ride faster times.
"I'm pretty happy with my ride, and it's obviously really good to win the national championships again," said Gillow. "With the course changes this year, it's hard to compare my effort to my previous titles, and I'm always striving to go better. It's a special win today, that's for sure."
Gillow was the last rider out of the start house and caught the two riders, Taryn Heather and former winner Bridie O'Donnell out on course. After that point, the 25-year-old said that she found it hard to gauge her performance.
"We did a bit more than five kilometers around the lake before we headed straight out of town and straight back," she said. "There was a bit of wind, which I like, so that worked in my favour. I didn't break the course down into different sections. My goal was just to go as fast I could the entire time.
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"I caught the first two riders I was chasing, but they weren't medal contenders," she explained. "Once I had gone past them, it was a bit more difficult to gauge how I was going, and I definitely like to have that tangible mark during a race when possible."
Gillow will also compete in the women's road race on Saturday .
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