Murray's (pictured top) victory was all the more impressive as he had to withstand the pressure of two time world champion Javier Gomez of Spain in the final sprint.

Gomez had led following the swim, with Germany's Maik Petzold and Slovak Richard Varga in close pursuit.

They led a group of nine in the bike leg, though by the start of the run Australians Dan Wilson and Courtney Atkinson, Clark Ellice of New Zealand and Brazil's Reinaldo Colucci had managed to break into the lead.

However, it was not long until Gomez and Murray, as well as Germany's Steffen Justus, began to pressure the leaders.

By the end of the first lap of the run, the trio had taken the lead before Murray and Gomez broke away for the final dash to the end, which the South African edged.

"I think it's probably the most spectacular one of the whole series, just because of the crowd and the ambience, and because Hamburg city is so amazing," said Murray.

"It was amazing running with Javi, it was definitely an amazing experience.

"I just went absolutely all out for the first two kilometres, and then I wanted to see who would still be hanging on.

"Because I realised the pace was not really sustainable for five kilometres...so I went out to do it on purpose."

Richard Murray (4) and Javier Gomez (16) during the ITU World Series in Hamburg

Murray's victory came in a time of 51mins 48sec.

That was just five seconds ahead of Gomez, who will have to pick himself up for the Olympic triathlon event in just over a week's time in London's Hyde Park.

British world champion Alistair Brownlee and his brother Jonathan did not take part in the race.

In the women's race Australian Erin Densham claimed her second Series win of the year – having won the first Series event on home soil in Sydney – seeing off compatriot Emma Moffatt and American Sarah Groff for victory.

It was all the more impressive as Densham had left the water 30 seconds behind the leaders.

Moffatt on the other hand was among the leading five along with Ireland's Aileen Morrison, Pamela Oliveira of Brazil, Groff and Rachel Klamer from the Netherlands.

Densham worked her way into contention during a tightly fought bike leg, but it was Moffatt who, along with South Africa's Kate Roberts, eventually took the lead.

Densham continued to fight hard and eventually pegged back Roberts before seeing off Moffatt in the final kilometre.

Having run a time of 56:07 and with victory in this year's Mooloolaba ITU Triathlon World Cup under her belt, Densham is in good form ahead of London 2012 and showed that she will be the Australian to beat in the British capital.

Erin Densham (centre) celebrates with Sarah Groff (right) and Emma Moffatt (left) 

She is also the only woman to have claimed a podium place at three World Series events this year.

"It is awesome, they are always out, they are so passionate, and they do drive you on," she said.

"It's just great to race here."

"I like to get into transition at the front but I was not quite there, I just did not feel like I had the go straight away, but I just seemed to build into it really well.

"I was really happy with how I ran because I felt flat all week, and I'm just thinking hopefully I can come out of this and have a good race."

Moffatt secured second spot to ensure that she continued her run of always finishing on the podium in Hamburg, having won in 2009 and 2011 and finished runner up in 2010.

She also demonstrated that the Australian selector's decision not to pick Beijing 2008 champion Emma Snowsill for their Olympic team this summer may not have been quite as strange a decision as it first seemed.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]