Race #57

Entrants that lined up for the start of Race #5 in the Stroke & Stride Series received a bonus fun ride as part of their admission fee. North-westerly winds of over 40 knots had gusted through Auckland during the day resulting in steady lines of chop marching down the beach.  The 750 metre swim course was set so that competitors battled against the wind and chop out to the first buoy and then hung on for the wet’n’wild ride down to buoy number two before heading back to shore.  But at buoy two a decision had to be made.  ls it better to make a hard right hand turn and take the direct line back to the swim exit and at the same time battle those same conditions that were encountered on the first leg?  Or alternatively keep the wind and waves at your back, land farther down the beach, and then run back up the beach to the swim exit?

Whatever decision was made, when you got back to dry land and got your running shoes on the ride wasn’t over yet.  You see, from St Heliers to Mission Bay, Tamaki Drive takes a few twists and tums but basically you’re heading west and you guessed it, that’s exactly where that wind was blowing from.  This of course means you face a hard grind for the first two kilometres of the out and back run.  Once you round that turn, the wind is at your back and it’s just a matter of putting the legs into top gear, hitting maximum velocity and hold on tight for the ride home.  Or at least it should be.  You see that outward leg is very important.  lt’s going to be hard going, but just how hard should you go?  Basically in a race you are either chasing or being chased.  Do you give it everything into the wind and make a move on your opposition?  Or do you cross that line between giving it everything and giving it too much?  Give it too much on the way out and you may just find that that your engine stalls on the return joumey leaving you stuck in the slow lane and vulnerable to passing manoeuvrers from your opposition.

The women’s field once again had the pleasure of Nikki Tanner leading them round the swim course and this time her closest challenger was sister, Debbie Tanner, 30 seconds behind.  All the leading women favoured the more direct course back to the beach with only some of the weaker swimmers opting for the downwind final leg.  A further 15 seconds behind the Tanner sisters was Jacqui Milne and then came Naomi Calder, Jo Craddock, Natasja Hilgeholt, Nicola de Lautour, Roxane Benney, Suzanne Clark and then Series Leader Heidi Alexander.

Debbie Tanner had just hung on to win the previous two races with the shorter 3 kilometre run.  Would she do the same with the longer run distance and the tough conditions on the night?  Well yes, but she didn’t just hang on, she showed experience beyond her years, really exerted her authority and convincingly won this time out.  Natasja Hilgeholt again proved to be the best of the rest taking second while Heidi Alexander’s run speed got her up for third.  Suzanne Clark also used the run leg to move up to fourth place ahead of Nicola de Lautour.

The men’s field had more time to think about the course options for the swim.  Brent Foster’s strong background in Surf Life Saving meant there was only one course he was going to take; follow the waves into the shore.  In these conditions it was no surprise to see Brent leading the men in, but he then faced a lengthy run back up the beach to the transition area.  Would this be his undoing?  Not this time guys.  Brent’s swim and run was still half a minute quicker than the next man to the transition who on this occasion was Bryan Rhodes.  They then started arriving from all directions with Robbie Baff ahead of Malcolm McGregor and then Vaughan Skiffington, Dean Foster, Nathan Richmond and Cameron Brown all being highly placed.  Give Brent Foster 30 seconds lead at the start of a 4 kilometre run and you’re giving yourself a headache if you’re anticipating someone catching him.  This guy thrives on leading from the front and again runs home a comfortable winner for the third time this season.  Nathan Richmond was the big mover on the run with an excellent run split taking him up to second place.  Malcolm McGregor is proving to be Mr Consistency in the Series and for this race cements a solid third place ahead of the ever improving Vaughan Skiffington who headed home Bryan Rhodes.