Tony Dodds (Wanaka) has posted a strong start to his racing season, finishing 4th at the ITU Mooloolaba World Cup on Australia's Sunshine Coast this afternoon.
After enduring a tough time with injury in 2014, today's return to racing was an important step for the Wanaka athlete as he continues to build strength on the back of some solid training weeks with the Tri NZ HP team in Cambridge and of late, at Snow Farm in Wanaka.
As is often the case in Mooloolaba conditions were hot and testing and the field was strong as a number of internationals look to get their 'down under' campaigns underway and the local Aussies look to race well in front of their home crowds.
David Hauss (FRA) was strongest in a tight contest, winning from Jake Birtwhistle (AUS) and Vicente Hernandez (ESP), with Dodds close behind in fourth place.
"It was a brilliant race, I didn't quite execute at the end but it was awesome. I was nice and relaxed going into it and did everything pretty well throughout. There was a good swell in the ocean for the swim so I relaxed and was about 10th for most of it before I bodysurfed in towards the end and passed just about everybody.
"I felt really good on the bike with a break of about 8 on the first lap but it all came together in a big bunch, which pissed me off a bit to be honest but I sat at the front and stayed out of trouble. I felt really good and took it out on the run with the other guys, sat at the front with four or five others and when David Hauss (FRA) went past no one went with him, there were three or four of us battling it out for second and third but I held my form really well.
"When I finished fourth – I thought not again, fourth! On the way to the line I kept thinking surge surge but the others were thinking the same and just when I was about to surge the others went too, so I went with them and it was only in the last kilometre down the hill that I couldn't go again – the idea of finding a kick at this stage of the season is pretty daunting!
"Overall though I am really pleased, I am delighted with a hard workout and putting together a strong race for my first-up effort this season. I have two more weeks of work now before Auckland and will come home and get stuck in to prepare for that and then look to the rest of the season, with plenty of racing opportunities to come."
Earlier in the day Rebecca Spence was the best of the Kiwi women in 17th place, with Anneke Jenkins 23rd and Simone Ackermann 31st in a race won by Tamara Gomez Garrido (ESP).
ITU Mooloolaba World Cup
Sprint distance (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run)
Elite Men
1 David Hauss, FRA
2 Jacob Birtwhistle, AUS
3 Vicente Hernandez, ESP
4 Tony Dodds, NZL
