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TRIATHLON

Hot racing for Women athletes

Sunday 4 March 2007, 2:22PM

By Fraser Mills

1694 views

QUEENSTOWN

With the fantastic weather spell ongoing in the Wakatipu region, just on
250 women gathered at Lake Hayes show ground yesterday for the 14th annual
Fresh Choice Southern Lakes Women's Duathlon and Triathlon.

Blue skies and hot sun greeted a race field of 135 individuals and 35 teams.
Women travelled from Invercargill, Dunedin, Christchurch, Alexandra, and
Wanaka regions to take part.

Race Director, Geoff Hunt, was delighted with the interest received for this
year's race. "More individual women than ever are keen to get out and have a
go at a triathlon or duathlon and enjoy the all female race environment.
There is a great atmosphere out in the field, and the event encourages
participation of women at all levels of fitness."

"The introduction of a duathlon to this years event also proved a great
success with more than half the women competing in this division."

Joanna Williams from Wanaka won the Individual Open category for the second
year in a row in a time slightly slower than her previous best, of 56 mins
05 secs. Miranda Hayes from Queenstown, just 15 years old, came second in a
time of 56 mins 45 secs. Her determination to succeed at the sport was
demonstrated this past week with her competing in three different triathlons
in the region.

In the popular Veteran Individual category, first to cross the line was
Leanne Durry in a good time of 54 mins 34 secs. This time gave her the
fastest overall for the day, ahead of veteran Philippa Findlay from Wanaka,
who finished in 58 mins 18 secs.

The teams category is always hotly contested especially in the Business
House section where the girls from Back on Track proved that winning two
years in a row was no fluke: they won the Dan Kelly trophy easily for a
third time in a row in a time of 1 hour 2 mins 47 secs, just under 5 mins
ahead of the 'Naylor Lovelies in 1 hr 7 mins 45secs.

The Open Team category was won with the fastest team time of the day in
56mins 59secs by the Pulse Fitness Fit Chicks from Queenstown with the Mondo
Cafe team from Arrowtown taking the first Veteran team in 59mins 19secs.

The duathlon introduced for the first time into the long established event
proved a huge success with half the individual field opting for the non
swimming event. Starting with a 1.5km run the duathletes, teams and
individuals arrived in transition at the same time as the swim athletes and
were soon out of the new arena transition onto the bikes, before running the
same 5km run as the triathlon.

First duathletes home Ivonne McDonald - Grant in 55mins 54secs and second
placed Jill Roughan in 58mins 37secs showed a clean pair of heels to the
other individuals and teams in this field. The closest the teams could get
was the Open division won by the Camp Wall team in 56 mins 39secs, veteran
team BJ finishing in 57 mins 33secs, and the Business house team of
Hollyford Track in 1 hr 7mins and 48secs.

The duathlon veteran individual was won by Ann Vessey in 58 mins 46secs

The hot Saturday weather encouraged many of the athletes to enjoy a picnic
while the prize giving proceeded with individual duathlon winner Yvonne
McDonald Grant winning the Sarah Ulmer mountain bike spot prize which she
said will be going to her mother.

The southern Lakes Womens Duathlon and Triathlon is sponsored by
Fresh Choice, Gorge Rd Queenstown and Women in Business Supporting
Women in Sport include Over the Top
Helicopters, Real Journeys, The Cow, Alpine Sports, Cutting Edge Hair
Design, Elysium, Thomas's Hotel on the Waterfront, Pulse Fitness, Browns
Sotheby's International Realty and Style and Grace.



Results Summary
Fresh Choice Southern Lakes Women's
Duathlon and Triathlon

Triathlon
INDIVIDUAL
Open
1st Joanna Williams, Wanaka 56 mins 05 secs
2nd Miranda Hayes, Queenstown 53 mins 45 secs

Veteran
1st Leanne Durry 54mins 34 secs
2nd Philippa Findlay 58 mins 18 secs

TEAM
Open
1st Pulse Fitness Chicks, Queenstown 56 mins 59 secs

Business House
1st Back on Track Queenstown 1 hr 02mins 47 secs

Veteran
1st Mondo Cafe from Arrowtown 59 mins 19 secs



DUATHLON
Open
1st Ivonne McDonald-Grant 55 mins 54 secs
2nd Jill Roughan 58 mins 37 secs

Veteran
1st Ann Vessey 58mins 46 secs
2nd Penny Stevens 1hr 00mins 43secs

TEAM
Open
1st Team Campwall 56 mins 39 secs

Business House
1st Hollyford Track Team 1 hr 07mins 48 secs

Veteran
1st Team BJ 57mins 33secs