The world title dashed from her grasp by illness, Australian Erin Densham says she has to be happy with what has been her best season on the world triathlon circuit. 

London Olympics bronze medallist Densham was the world series leader heading into the grand final in Auckland on Saturday. 

But being under the weather for the past fortnight hindered her preparation for a tough course featuring a hilly bike leg. 

Having battled through the swim, she withdrew early on the cycle ride. 

She then saw the world title go to the rival who had been her closest pursuer, Swede Lisa Norden. 

Olympic silver medallist Norden crossed the line fourth behind German winner Anne Haug to claim her first world crown. 

Densham says she wouldn't have competed in the grand final if the title hadn't been at stake. 

"I've been sick for the past two weeks and the work hasn't been done for a course like this," the 27-year-old said. 

"If it had been a flat course, I might have been able to hide." 

Speaking through a nagging cough, she said she did everything she could to get to the start line in the best physical shape. 

She felt okay on the first of the two laps of the swim, but from there she lost her energy and, come the bike leg, she could feel she was going in reverse. 

She was in two minds about whether to continue and the words of a coach at the course, who recommended that she stop, convinced her to make the tough decision. 

She accepted it was case of her body telling to have a rest. 

"My rest came an hour and a half earlier than I would have liked, but these things happen." 

Densham, who dropped from first to fifth on the points table, can still reflect on a season that brought her Olympic bronze and world series wins in Sydney and Hamburg. 

"It has been an awesome year for me and I have to walk away happy with that." 

In the men's competition, London Olympian Brendan Sexton was just one of the victims of the horrendous conditions in Auckland that created havoc.

The 22-year-old crashed and fell to the road early in the 40km bike leg as he pushed himself to get back in touch with the leaders in the Elite Men’s race, leaving his right arm severely grazed as riders battled the driving rain.

But to his credit, Sexton, the lone Australian in the Elite Men’s division, picked himself up and finished in 30^th place in a race that claimed five victims with a DNF.

“The simple fact of the matter was I just wasn't able to keep pace on the bike. I crashed trying to get back to my group taking more risk than I would if I was physically stronger,” said Sexton who gave an honest appraisal of what he described as a disappointing end to the year after finishing 35^th in his Olympic debut.

“I will now take some time away from triathlon and plan how I can target the weaknesses that have left me at a distance from my potential.”

After an enthralling race that saw Slovakia’s Richard Varga and his training partner Olympic bronze medallist, Great Britain’s Jonathan Brownlee open up a commanding lead in the swim and a brave effort from retiring New Zealander Kris Gemmell on the bike, it was Spain Javier Gomez who stole the honours.

Gomez, running shoulder to shoulder with Brownlee, kicked first with 250m to run before Brownlee responded but wasn’t fast enough to match Gomez with Switzerland’s Sven Riederer taking the bronze.

While it was a tough day for many, top Australian prospect for the 2016 Rio Games Aaron Royle claimed the Under 23 World Championship. Check out a full story here>>>>

AAP and Triathlon Australia