Race #53

This season’s Stroke & Stride Series kicked off in blustery conditions at St Heliers Bay on a Thursday evening.  The race start was delayed by 15 minutes while the large number of race day entries were processed at the bustling registration tent.  The women’s field started first and made short work of the 500 metre swim into the wind and the short chop that was running down the bay.  With the top two women from last season, Megan Dalton and Jackie Read out of town the door was open for a new star to emerge in the first event for the season.  No one swimmer managed to make a break on the field and a continuous stream of competitors ran up the beach and into the transition area.

The 5 km run was along the waterfront to Mission Bay before returning to the finish at St Heliers Bay.  Again competitors were battling the strong south-westerly wind for the first half of the run leg.  Heidi Alexander was handily placed at the end of the swim and quickly stamped her domination on her competition as she moved to the head of the field.  Heidi last won a Stroke & Stride in 1993 and has been a contender for Series Champion on a number of occasions.  Heidi took time off from serious competition while on maternity leave last season.  On the return leg of the journey the young mum showed the experience, that has made her World Junior Duathlon Champion, to extend her lead to more than 30 seconds at the finish line.

Sixteen year old Nicola de Lautour showed plenty of promise last season with a number of top ten placings including a fourth in Race #2.  This season she has already shown what a difference a year can make as she runs through for a comfortable second in the first race of the season.  Sue Attwood held out another junior, fourteen year old Debbie Tanner for third, while Marianne Duston had a fine run leg to move up for fifth place.

The men’s field battled the same conditions on the swim as the women and again the opportunity was there for a new star to emerge from the ranks.  Question: what happens when you put one of the world’s best swimmers in the world’s fastest wetsuit? Answer: Atlanta OIympian Trent Bray in an Orca suit shows a clean pair of heels to the competition and an awesome display of power to the spectators as he opened up a 30 second lead by the time he hit the beach.  In the chasing pack were a large number of excellent swimmers including Brent Foster, John Munro, Malcolm McGregor and Nathan Richmond.

Last season Brent and Nathan traded the lead in the Series Grand Prix before Brent’s experience paid off to win his fourth title in succession.  For this race Brent had run the Auckland marathon eleven days earlier while Nathan was itching to draw first blood for the season.  The pair quickly overtook Trent Bray and assumed their rightful position at the head of the field.  They then each took turns to surge and try to drop the other.  On the return to St Heliers Nathan, who last season was World Junior Triathlon Champion, managed to edge ahead and hold on for a delighted win just three seconds ahead of Brent.  Paul Duffy and Glen Tasker both had excellent run legs and made up their deficit after the swim leg to run through for third and fourth placings.  Malcolm McGregor continues to improve his running to match his swimnung ability and on this occasion held on to fifth place.