Race Report:
story by Ken Maclaren

Setting the weekend underway was the age group selection race.... Off at 7:30am in the calm waters off Westshore Beach, 18 year old Kieren Doe was the first to show. Swimming superbly he was never headed and pulled away to lead by more than a minute as he hit the shore in just over eighteen minutes. The flat 40km out and back course saw some fast times with Lock and Blair Cox of Taranaki recording sub sixty minute splits.

For the women world champion Cindy Taylor set the pace but not far down was Brigitte Nimmo of Wellington. Once off the bike and on to the two lap run course Cox was ahead but faded on the second lap allowing Chris McAteer of Christchurch to pull through for the win. Steven Shaw of Wanganui was a delighted third place finisher.

In the women's race Cindy Taylor pulled the plug on the run but it was Nimmo who was the strongest throughout recording a win in 2:12:31. As usual Hawkes Bay's Simonne Morris ran strongly for a second place finish with Felicity Lennox in third.

Down the field the competition was as tough as ever as competitors raced it out looking to qualify for the New Zealand team in their respective age groups. None was closer than the men's 40-44 category although Euan MacKenzie was as usual way out ahead behind him five athletes finished within a minute of each other.

Brian Rhodes of Taupo took the men's title in the Elite race held as part of the Tararua Festival of Triathlon on the 1.5km swim, 40km bike, and 10km run, route. In his last race before he takes on the Ironman in his home town, Rhodes along with Nathan Stretch (Blenheim) reeled in swim leader Zac Young (Wellington) early on during the multi lap bike leg. As they hit the run Rhodes used his experience to pull clear of Stretch and moved clear.

In the women's race Wellington's Sue Curtis and Megan Evans both showed their experience and class to pull away after leading out of the water and came off the bike with a three minute lead. Halfway into the 10k run leg Evans' proved to be the stronger in the hot conditions and edged away for the win. Taupo's, Fionna Docherty came through with a strong run for third. Earlier in the day a hundred competitors took part in the age group race, one of the qualifing rounds for the world age group championships, to held later in the year in Germany.

Results:

Nigel Mather    Men 18 - 19 02:03:30 1 AUCKLAND
Kieran Doe      Men 18 - 19 02:04:15 2 FEILDING
David Te Paa    Men 18 - 19 02:08:46 3 CHRISTCHURCH 

Hayden Lawrence Men 20 - 24 02:04:09 1 WELLINGTON
Andrew Hooks    Men 20 - 24 02:16:57 2 NEW PLYMOUTH
Aaron Chambers  Men 20 - 24 02:18:06 3 NEW PLYMOUTH

Chris McAteer   Men 25 - 29 01:57:06 1 CHRISTCHURCH
Steven Shaw     Men 25 - 29 01:59:31 2 WANGANUI
Richard Brough  Men 25 - 29 02:02:14 3 NAPIER

Matt Lock       Men 30 - 34 02:00:21 1 NAPIER
Kerry Harford   Men 30 - 34 02:02:26 2 HAVELOCK NORTH
Grant Ayson     Men 30 - 34 02:04:50 3 WELLINGTON

Blair Cox       Men 35 - 39 01:58:22 1 NEW PLYMOUTH
Greg Narain     Men 35 - 39 02:02:53 2 WELLINGTON
Shane Austin    Men 35 - 39 02:04:42 3 NAPIER

Euan MacKenzie  Men 40 - 44 02:02:31 1 ROTORUA
Nick Holmes     Men 40 - 44 02:07:47 2 NAPIER
Brett Mudgway   Men 40 - 44 02:10:14 3 NAPIER

Shorty Clark    Men 45 - 49 02:11:00 1 NEW PLYMOUTH
John Rasmussen  Men 45 - 49 02:12:04 2 FEILDING
Barry Larsen    Men 45 - 49 02:16:11 3 AUCKLAND

Rich Sweetman   Men 50 - 54 02:19:39 1 WELLINGTON
Bob Loan        Men 50 - 54 02:25:50 2 NAPIER
Philip Morrison Men 50 - 54 02:27:11 3 WELLINGTON

Felicity Lennox Women 20 - 24 02:19:37 1 WANGANUI
Anna Cheyne     Women 20 - 24 02:20:34 2 AUCKLAND
Tracey Campbell Women 20 - 24 02:22:05 3 NAPIER

Brigitte Nimmo  Women 25 - 29 02:12:31 1 WELLINGTON
Simonne Morris  Women 25 - 29 02:13:21 2 NAPIER
Kara Northcote  Women 25 - 29 02:22:33 3 NEW PLYMOUTH

Ann Robottom    Women 35 - 39 02:28:40 1 NAPIER
Gerda Kuschel   Women 35 - 39 02:50:09 2 AUCKLAND
Andrena Rist    Women 35 - 39 02:57:00 3 AUCKLAND

Lee Dawe        Women 45 - 49 02:27:38 1 TAURANGA

Hillary Hazell  Women 50 - 54 02:52:10 1 PORIRUA

Judy Thomas     Women 55 - 59 02:51:56 1 PALMERSTON NORTH

Elite Results
Men
1 Brian Rhodes (Taupo)      1:54:17
2 Nathan Stretch (Blenheim) 1:56:17
3 Damian Max (Tauranga)     1:59:31
Women
1 Megan Evans (Wellington)  2:06:41
2 Sue Curtis (Wellington)   2:08:42
3 Fiona Docherty (Taupo)    2:12:13