O'Grady continues comeback from poor 2007

Graham O’Grady continued his recent run of good form with victory at the World Tri Festival in New Plymouth today, taking out the standard distance age group race.

After a season to forget when the 26 year old athlete was dogged by illness and injury, O’Grady has been putting in some big miles in training and has high hopes for the remainder of 2008.

“That was a tough course out there today and to be honest I felt a little flat so am glad to have won,” said O’Grady.

“I will continue with my training and have secured a start at a World Cup race in Korea in three weeks so that is the short term goal, otherwise it is just getting back into the swing of things and improving my ranking.”

“It was a good race for me to step up and get back into the swing of things. I had a bad start, but I stuck to my race plan and it paid off.”

O’Grady did admit to finding the course a real challenge, with New Plymouth’s swell and calf-cramping hills pushing him hard all day.

“I don’t feel too bad, but it’s a really tough course. The swim was choppy with an undulating bike ride.”

In second place was one of New Zealand’s leading age group athletes, Andrew Curtayne (Auckland), who saw the race as a chance to ‘empty the tanks.’

“It was just a good hit out for me.”

Unlike most, the hills gave under-23 New Zealand Elite Triathlon squad member Julia Grant an advantage.

The 22-year-old from Christchurch came first in the women’s race.

“I like this course because of the hills, especially on the bike ride, it works in my favour.”

Grant was third coming out of the swim leg which put her in the perfect attacking position.

Fellow Cantabrian, Johanna van Dooran followed Grant to the podium in second place. It was van Dooran’s first attempt at the standard triathlon distance after four years of competing in shorter events.

 

World Tri Festival, Standard Distance Age Group Triathlon

 

Men

1 Graham O’Grady Hamilton 1.58.18

2 Andrew Curtayne Auckland 2.00.49

3 Rob Creasy Auckland 2.05.42

 

Women

1 Julia Grant Christchurch 2.20.59

2 Johanna van Doorn Christchurch 2.25.30

3 Gili Zuckerman Israel 2.27.09

 

Teams – Men

1 SLS 2.13.57

3 S and S 2.15.06

3 Rocksnot Athletic 2.19.35

 

Teams – Women

1 Just for fun 2.39.01

2 Splash and Dash 2.49.53

3 Tri Hard Mamas 2.52.22

 

Teams – Mixed

1 Graham’s Greats 2.10.54

2 NPDC 2.23.53

3 WKJ Tri Team 2.31.36

 

Complete results will be posted at www.triathlon.org.nz later today.