Class shone through at the .kiwi Tri Series Takapuna race last night with Ryan Sissons and Nicky Samuels winning the elite races on a stunning Auckland evening.
With the race over a super sprint distance (500m swim, 16km bike, 4.2km run) racing was hectic and the pace on throughout with Samuels leading from start to finish while Sissons had plenty of company on the bike before stamping his class on the run leg to demolish the field over the opening kilometre.
The women raced first in warm and bright conditions and it was Samuels emerging from the water with only Rebecca Clarke for company. Clarke could not sustain the early pace of the Wanaka based triahtlete though and quickly it became a time trial for the world number 14 on the tight and technical Takapuna course.
"It is always a good hit out at Takapuna, with tight corners and accelerating out of them it is a great chance to replicate what we get on a World Series course and practice at home in our own conditions. It was really good to have a hard bike and hard run and well done to the other girls who just managed to stay in front of me on that final lap, well done to them for staying ahead."
Samuels was referring to a group of mainly U19 and U23 triathletes who were riding for their lives, knowing that under ITU draft legal conditions, to be lapped would mean they were out of the race. U19's Lizzy Stannard, Josie Clow and U23 competitors Deborah Lynch and Martina Fellman and open elites Samantha Kingsford and Clarke who recovered from a crash to do enough to stay in the race for the podium.
"I have done a couple of track sessions with some short sharp stuff," said Samuels. "Speed is something I struggle with so it is in my programme most of the time. I haven't done huge mileague this summer either training under Jon Brown, it is a bit different to what I would normally have done so I am learning heaps from that.
"For this early in the season with a month of decent training, this is really good to feel this way already and build on this for the rest of the season."
Clow and Stannard showed their potential finishing second and third respectively, both are U19 and show immense promise in the sport and have recently returned from racing in the Australian Junior Series in Penrith.
Sissons was equally as dominant in victory, albeit in a different manner with a group of 8 staying together throughout the bike before Sissons put his foot down big time on the run.
"I had a good swim and came out first on the bike and thought I would give it a go on the first lap but the group behind were pretty determined and it would have been hard to stay away for the whole race so we settled into the bunch and worked pretty well together. There were a couple of breaks attempted but I made sure it stayed together.
"I spoke to the coaches about what I wanted to get out of the race, I wanted to win but not use too much energy, we have a big race next weekend in Kinloch and I am back to Wanaka tomorrow morning for a run session in the afternoon. I wanted to work on a few things and the first k on the run was one of those things, I put my foot down on that first lap and then settled into a nice rhythm from then on.
"This is my third win here in Takapuna and I think I have another 3 or 4 podiums, I enjoy racing here in front of a home crowd with plenty of noise and on a good tight course. I am feeling great at this early stage of the season and have been working on my strength for the past few months, partly to aid my speed but also to help me stay injury free."
Cameron Goldsmid (Wellington) showed his liking for the course and the distance with a strong second place with former national schools champion Michael Peree in third.
Racing continues on Saturday morning with age group racing over a variety of distances from 7am. For more information visit www.triseries.co.nz.
Results: .kiwi Tri Series Takapuna
Elite Women
1. Nicky Samuels (Wanaka) 49:58
2. Josie Clow (Auckland) 52:39
3. Elizabeth Stannard (Palmerston North) 53:21
Elite Men
1. Ryan Sissons (Auckland) 45:59
2. Cameron Goldsmid (Wellington) 46:11
3. Michael Perree (Auckland) 46:54
