Race #50

The 50th race of all time for the Stroke & Stride Series was celebrated in style with a large field turning up to race in perfect weather conditions laid on at St Heliers Bay.  With the top swimmers dominating races in recent weeks some were expecting an upset with tonight’s course thought to favour the runners with the little 500 metre swim followed by the big 5 kilometre run.

Jackie Read had lead the women’s field from start to finish in the last three races and again was first out of the water but on this occasion was only 10 seconds ahead of Megan Dalton in second.  Tracey Laurence was a further 30 seconds behind with Suzanne Clark 90 seconds from the lead.  Megan Dalton has dominated the Stroke & Stride Series like no other with victories in 23 of the previous 49 Stroke & Stride races.  She once again demonstrated her talent and experience as she ensured that the 50th race  was hers also by taking command during the run leg to Mission Bay and back.  Jackie Read found the 5 kilometre distance hard work but still finished a comfortable second ahead of Suzanne Clark.  Jill Newman, a triathlete visiting Auckland from the USA headed home local Tracey Laurence for fourth place.

When the Men’s field get under way and with the absence of Brent Foster, John Munro and Tim Bowen it was left to last fortnight’s winner Nathan Richmond to lead the men around the buoys on the swim course.  Nathan Richmond was first out of the water in a time of 6 minutes 45 seconds.  Ten seconds ahead of Malcolm McGregor and with a further ten seconds back to Brendon Downey.  Nathan Richmond had won the last race in convincing manner and again showed his ability to not just swim fast (check out his 100 metre time) but also run rather quickly as he fended off the challengers to record his second win in the Series.

Malcolm McGregor briefly lost second place during the run but responded magnificently to regain second and those valuable Grand Prix points.  Paul Duffy smoked the 5 kilometre run and came from nowhere to take third from Brendon Downey who just held of Liam Scopes in fifth.  These first 5 men all finished within 20 seconds of each other.

So despite some predictions it wasn’t runners that triumphed in this race but a couple of very quick swimmers who can also turn on a very respectable run split when required.