Race #90

The sixth event in the Reesby & Company Stroke & Stride Series looks like one for the runners with just a 500 metre swim followed by a big 5 kilometre run on the program. But some of the more favoured runners would have been a tad disappointed on their arrival at the St Heliers Bay race venue. While Auckland had been bathed in sunshine all day; the resulting afternoon sea breeze kicked up a wicked little chop that would have to be conquered during the swim leg before anyone was able to make their move on the run leg. This onshore breeze would also makes it’s presence felt later in the race. While the wind was at competitor’s backs on the outward journey to Mission Bay it was more or less on the nose for the final couple of kilometres back to St Heliers.

The Pro men’s field were started first and again it was New Zealand’s Olympic swimming representative Stephen Fergusson leading the way on the water and he hit the beach in a time of 6min 25sec. Just behind him was Brent Foster and also in contact was Hamish Carter. Bryan Rhodes was backing up after his big win in Malaysia and he finished the swim in 7minutes flat with Malcolm McGregor and Stephen Peterson a further few seconds back. The Pro women’s field started 2 minutes behind and again it was Rebecca Nesbitt leading the swim which was not surprising after her top finish at the weekend’s New Zealand Open Water Swimming Champs. Caroline Collard was only seconds behind with another 30 seconds back to Jillian Wood and Debbie Tanner and then a further ten seconds back came Kirsty Whiting and Evelyn Williamson.

Hamish Carter and Evelyn Williamson have a lot in common. They both represented New Zealand at last years Olympic Games in Sydney, they both have taken medals at World Championships, they both won the last Stroke & Stride a fortnight ago and they both recorded the fastest run split in this event. So it should be no surprise that they were both victorious again taking comfortable wins ahead of the top-notch competition. Hamish’s win headed off the reigning Stroke & Stride champion Brent Foster with hard charging Terenzo Bozzone having his best race of the season in third. Malcolm McGregor was also having his best race for this season coming home in fourth while fast finishing Clark Ellice rounded out the top five. Meanwhile back in the women’s field it was the current New Zealand Swimrun champion Kirsty Whiting who had stayed the closest to Evelyn Williamson in the early stages and came home in second with Nicole Cope, Debbie Tanner and Nicola de Lautour the next to cross the finish line.

In the battle for supremacy in this season’s Grand Prix to decide the Stroke & Stride Series champions it’s all over bar the shouting for the top honours. After six races Evelyn Williamson (2nd, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st & 1st) and Brent Foster (2nd, 2nd, 1st, 1st, 2nd & 2nd) have got it all wrapped with their already insurmountable leads and there are still two events to run. Brent Foster has made a habit of winning these titles in the 1990’s and the new decade hasn’t changed a thing. In the past talent and consistency has been the name of the game to win the overall Series but Evelyn Williamson has added another component to the mix and that’s commuting as she makes a successful fortnightly commute from Wellington to Auckland to compete in the Series. If the top positions are decided then the battle for the minor places couldn’t be closer with a host of athletes challenging.