Kerr, Abram win Wellington
Australians Peter Kerr and Felicity Abram prevailed in finish line sprints to win the elite titles at the OTU Oceania Championships in Wellington, New Zealand.
Elite Men
Kerr, a rising star coming off big wins at Noosa last November and at the Devenport OTU Sprint Oceania Championships last month, ran away in the final kilometer to finish in 1:51:27 with a 4 seconds margin over runner-up Aaron Royle of Australia and 33 seconds over top New Zealander Tony Dodds.
Pre race favorite Ryan Sissons of New Zealand cut his foot on some glass and had to withdraw prior to the swim start.
After some tight pack racing on the bike, Kerr, Royle and Dodds sped away and the trio traded surges through the first 9 kilometers of the run. “There was cat and mouse on the run, the pace was up and down,” Kerr told Triathlon New Zealand media. “I knew it would be a tough ten kilometers today and it was a case of reading those attacks and surges and when I went at the end I had to stay focused, listen to the crowd to gauge where they were behind me and not look back.”
With a kilometer to go, Kerr made a final , unanswerable surge to take the win. “I love it, when you win it is satisfying,” Kerr told Triathlon New Zealand. “I am going into races with a different attitude to be at the pointy end and then that isn’t good enough. I want to be top five and take out races which isn’t as easy as it sounds but at the moment I am in great form and proud to be Oceania Champion.”
Runner-up Dodds had to be satisfied with 2nd overall and winning the New Zealand Standard Distance Championship. “The swim I felt alright but I am just not quite strong enough in all three disciplines and we will work on that before [the] Auckland [World Triathlon Series event] next month. I am pleased with my mental strength today to bridge back up to the leaders when they dropped me on the run. I’m stoked to become national champion for sure.”
Elite Women
Felicity Abram of Australia found the extra ounce of strength and speed to outsprint runner-up New Zealander Kate McIlroy and 3rd-place finisher Grace Musgrove of Australia.
Maddison Allen led the swim but crashed and broke her derailleur in transition and had to withdraw. ITU World number 10 Kiwi star Kate McIlroy made a solo charge on the bike and forged a lead of one minute midway through the 40 kilometer bike before sitting up and waiting for the chase group to catch her. In the final half of the bike, former World Cup Champion Samantha Warriner in her first race after the birth of her first child, kept order in the peleton.
"Sam was playing ‘Aunty Sam’ on the bike which was good, keeping everyone in line and taking their turn,” Abram told Triathlon New Zealand after the race.
On the run, Abram surged to the lead and maintained that slim margin to finish in 2:04:55 with a 12 seconds margin of victory over runner-up McIlroy and 24 seconds on Musgrove.
"I guess I quietly put some pressure on myself today,” Abram told Triathlon New Zealand media. “I was racing for my Uncle (Peter Abram) who is back home very sick with lung and brain cancer. I said I would race and do my best to win for him today, I said I would do anything to spur him on back home. I wasn’t planning on racing this early in the season though so to blow the cobwebs out I am quite satisfied.”
McIlroy had mixed feelings about her 2nd overall finish. "It was a physical swim, I almost had my wetsuit pulled down and had to stop to sort it out,” McIlroy told Triathlon New Zealand media. “I tried to go on the bike, but it was a shame no one went with me so I sat up and rode with the group. That was a bit frustrating but I gave it a shot. On the run I paid a price for going out on the bike as I did. I tweaked my ankle a few weeks ago and had missed some running in training, so to be honest I am happy with my race today.”
ITU Oceania Championships
Wellington, New Zealand
March 9, 2013
S 1.5k / B 40k / R 10k
Results
Elite men
1. Peter Kerr (AUS) 1:51:27
2. Aaron Royle (AUS) 1:51:31
3. Tony Dodds (NZL) 1:52:00
4. Bryce McMaster (NZL) 1:52:05
5. Ryan Bailie (AUS) 1:52:31
6. Clark Ellice (NZL) 1:52:51
7. Martin Van Barneveld (NZL) 1:52:56
8. Taylor Cecil (AUS) 1:53:06
9. Nick Kastelein (AUS) 1:53:22
10. Mitchell Kealey (AUS) 1:53:35
15. Dylan McNeice (NZL) 1:55:15
Elite Women
1. Felicity Abram (AUS) 2:04:55
2. Kate McIlroy (NZL) 2:05:07
3. Grace Musgrove (AUS) 2:05:19
4. Natalie Van Coevorden (AUS) 2:05:58
5. Charlotte McShane (AUS) 2:07:12
6. Sam Warriner (NZL) 2:07:51
7. Anneke Jenkins (NZL) 2:11:20
8. Ellie Salthouse (AUS) 2:12:13
9. Rebecca Clarke (NZL) 2:12:57
10. Chloe Turner (AUS) 2:14:38
