Posted: March 4, 2007

Multisport: Hot racing for Women athletes

With the fantastic weather spell ongoing in the Wakatipu region, just on 250 women gathered at Lake Hayes show ground yesterday for the 14th annual Fresh Choice Southern Lakes Women's Duathlon and Triathlon. Blue skies and hot sun greeted a race field of 135 individuals and 35 teams. Women travelled from Invercargill, Dunedin, Christchurch, Alexandra, and Wanaka regions to take part. Race Director, Geoff Hunt, was delighted with the interest received for this year's race. "More individual women than ever are keen to get out and have a go at a triathlon or duathlon and enjoy the all female race environment. There is a great atmosphere out in the field, and the event encourages participation of women at all levels of fitness." "The introduction of a duathlon to this years event also proved a great success with more than half the women competing in this division." Joanna Williams from Wanaka won the Individual Open category for the second year in a row in a time slightly slower than her previous best, of 56 mins 05 secs. Miranda Hayes from Queenstown, just 15 years old, came second in a time of 56 mins 45 secs. Her determination to succeed at the sport was demonstrated this past week with her competing in three different triathlons in the region. In the popular Veteran Individual category, first to cross the line was Leanne Durry in a good time of 54 mins 34 secs. This time gave her the fastest overall for the day, ahead of veteran Philippa Findlay from Wanaka, who finished in 58 mins 18 secs. The teams category is always hotly contested especially in the Business House section where the girls from Back on Track proved that winning two years in a row was no fluke: they won the Dan Kelly trophy easily for a third time in a row in a time of 1 hour 2 mins 47 secs, just under 5 mins ahead of the 'Naylor Lovelies in 1 hr 7 mins 45secs. The Open Team category was won with the fastest team time of the day in 56mins 59secs by the Pulse Fitness Fit Chicks from Queenstown with the Mondo Cafe team from Arrowtown taking the first Veteran team in 59mins 19secs. The duathlon introduced for the first time into the long established event proved a huge success with half the individual field opting for the non swimming event. Starting with a 1.5km run the duathletes, teams and individuals arrived in transition at the same time as the swim athletes and were soon out of the new arena transition onto the bikes, before running the same 5km run as the triathlon. First duathletes home Ivonne McDonald - Grant in 55mins 54secs and second placed Jill Roughan in 58mins 37secs showed a clean pair of heels to the other individuals and teams in this field. The closest the teams could get was the Open division won by the Camp Wall team in 56 mins 39secs, veteran team BJ finishing in 57 mins 33secs, and the Business house team of Hollyford Track in 1 hr 7mins and 48secs. The duathlon veteran individual was won by Ann Vessey in 58 mins 46secs The hot Saturday weather encouraged many of the athletes to enjoy a picnic while the prize giving proceeded with individual duathlon winner Yvonne McDonald Grant winning the Sarah Ulmer mountain bike spot prize which she said will be going to her mother. Results Summary - Fresh Choice Southern Lakes Women's Duathlon and Triathlon Triathlon Individual Open 1st Joanna Williams, Wanaka 56 mins 05 secs 2nd Miranda Hayes, Queenstown 53 mins 45 secs Veteran 1st Leanne Durry 54mins 34 secs 2nd Philippa Findlay 58 mins 18 secs Team Open 1st Pulse Fitness Chicks, Queenstown 56 mins 59 secs Business House 1st Back on Track Queenstown 1 hr 02mins 47 secs Veteran 1st Mondo Cafe from Arrowtown 59 mins 19 secs Duathlon Open 1st Ivonne McDonald-Grant 55 mins 54 secs 2nd Jill Roughan 58 mins 37 secs Veteran 1st Ann Vessey 58mins 46 secs 2nd Penny Stevens 1hr 00mins 43secs Team Open 1st Team Campwall 56 mins 39 secs Business House 1st Hollyford Track Team 1 hr 07mins 48 secs Veteran 1st Team BJ 57mins 33secs