Race #43

With a 2000 metre swim followed by a 5 kilometre run some say that Race # 7 of the NutraSport Stroke & Stride Series was suited to the swimmers.  And when you consider that for a number of the competitors it was a case of spending longer in the water than out on the road, what they say is hard to argue with.

The men’s and women’s fields started together over the triangular two lap swim. Conditions were perfect with the Waitemata Harbour doing a great impression of the world’s largest swimming pool.  At the end of the first lap John Munro had really turned on the gas and had opened up a 10 second lead over Brent Foster and holding third place overall was Jo Craddock who was 2 minutes clear of the chasing women at this point.  At the end of the second lap and a very honest 2 kilometre swim the leading contenders posted the following times.

Brent Foster 24m 15s

John Munro 24 15

Jo Craddock 25 40

Stephen Sheldrake 25 44

Malcolm McGregor 25 54

Dean Foster 26 15

Jared Letica 28 00

Walter Thorburn 28 06

Yoshi Yamanaka 28 06

Rodney Gordon 29 00

Sherilee Strange 29 22

Mark Hutchinson 29 22

Heidi Alexander 30 00

Jane Beckman 30 10

Roxane Benney 31 06

Brenda Crean-Curtis 31 16

Karen Williams 33 06

Lorenc Smith 33 48

Out onto the 5 kilometre run to Mission Bay and back to St Heliers, Brent Foster was slowed by leg cramps at the start but quickly went on to put daylight between himself and the remaining men to record his fourth win of the Series.  Jared Letica continues to impress with his running to move through for second ahead of Malcolm McGregor, Stephen Sheldrake and Walter Thorburn.

Jo Craddock didn’t look in any danger of surrendering her impressive lead over the women and actually started the run in third place overall.  At the end of the 5 kilometre she had held on to win by two and a half minutes from Heidi Alexander who posted the fastest run split of the day.  Roxane Benney came through to take third place from Sherilee Strange with Jane Beckman holding on to fifth.