Callum Millward went back to back in Rotorua while Nicky Samuels won on her first appearance at the first round of the Contact Triathlon Series at Blue Lake.
The day dawned chilly and breezy but dry for competitors at the first round of the Contact Tri Series at the picturesque Blue Lake location but that didn't dampen the enthusiasm for the first event of the seven event nationwide series.
Interest in the race was heightened with its timing, coming just two weeks out from the Barfoot & Thompson ITU World Cup event in Auckland, with many participants looking for a solid hit out to start their season. ITU World Cup winner Samuels (Wanaka) was one of them, racing Rotorua for the first time.
The world number 29 led out of the water but only by the narrowest of margins from visiting American Rebecca Witnok-Huber, also tuning up for Auckland, with two time Rotorua winner Maddy Brunton (Waikato) a minute further back. On the bike though Samuels owned the race and was never headed, clearing out to a large margin with Brunton coming through into second.
"I pushed it quite hard in training but somehow I managed to find my legs,” said Samuels.
"I didn't know how I would go this week after pushing it quite hard from the week before, but hopefully this is a good sign that I have some form back for the start of the new season.”
Samuels enjoyed the course too, one she had never raced before.
"This is a fabulous course; it was amazing, especially the cycle loop which goes really fast with the descent and all the corners, it's a lot of fun. Then coming home on the run around the lake was fun, the hill was a grind but once you get to the top you can treat it like you are on a mountain bike and take a few jumps, look to miss the trees and tree roots. It's something we miss a bit in triathlon, it is good to have a little off road stuff.”
The men's race was a battle between Millward and Mark Bowstead (Glenbrook) throughout, the two exiting the water side by side and heading out on to the run with Bowstead leading by just five seconds as the two half ironman experts put the rest of the field to the sword. It was only on the second of the two laps around Blue Lake that Millward finally shook Bowstead from his tail, winning by 50 seconds.
"I knew I had to bust a gut to stay with Mark in the swim and on the bike, that is the race right there and last year he rode away from me, so I am stoked, Mark is a great swimmer,” said Millward.
"I'm working towards Tauranga again, my shift has been up to the half from the ITU distance events, these races are always a gauge to see where you are at and take on people like Mark, he is a class athlete with a lot of speed and intensity.”
Like Samuels, Millward enjoyed the undulating bike and bush track run around the Blue Lake.
"This venue is so cool; it kind of reminds me of Boulder, my training base back in the States. With the mountains around the lake and nestled in the hills, it is good to be back here for sure.”
Promising local junior Sam Osborne (Rotorua) made a late decision to race the shorter distance, winning the sprint distance race with ease as he put in a solid days work, finishing 59 seconds ahead of second place getter Sam Ward (Auckland) with Josh Kenyon (Taupo) a further two seconds back in third. Former Olympic and World Championship Rower Nathan Twaddle was another racing Rotorua as a teaser for Auckland, the 35-year-old finishing in 36th place overall and third in his age group after a preparation affected by injuries to his shoulder and ankle.
Just under 400 participants took on a variety of events in Rotorua from the children's Contact 1:2:1 to the Contact 3:9:3 for beginners and the sprint and trophy races for the more experienced athletes.
The next race in the Contact Series is Whangamata on January 3 but the next big event on the calendar is the Barfoot & Thompson ITU World Cup, with age group sprint and standard distance races before the elite World Cup athletes take to the Auckland waterfront course on November 20.
Contact Tri Series Rotorua
Sprint Men
(750m swim, 20km bike, 5.5km run)
1. Sam Osborne (Rotorua) 1:06:29
2. Sam Ward (Auckland) 1:07:27
3. Josh Kenyon (Taupo) 1:07:29
Plus
36. Nathan Twaddle (Tauranga) 1:24:11 (third in 35 to 40 men)
Sprint Women
1. Sophie Pulford (Mount Maunganui) 1:16:18
2. Rowan Marie Baird (Auckland) 1:17:15
3. Elise Salt (Auckland) 1:17:19
Contact Trophy Men
(1500m swim, 40km bike, 11km run)
1. Callum Millward (Auckland) 2:08:10
2. Mark Bowstead (Glenbrook) 2:09:00
3. Brodie Madgwick (Auckland) 2:15:41
Contract Trophy Women
1. Nicky Samuels (Wanaka) 2:20:32
2. Maddy Brunton (Waikato) 2:29:00
3. Naomi Fergusson (Havelock Nth) 2:33:49
