Moodie reigns while Clarke grabs surf double

Stung by a second-placing in the board race, surf lifesaving star Daniel Moodie wreaked vengeance in the ironman to win his fourth consecutive national championship in the glamour event.
Australian-based Moodie, 21, won the surf race earlier in the day as the big Gisborne surf finally abated, but was beaten in a sprint for the line in the board race by Mount Maunganui’s Andrew Newton.
“I was pretty fired up by that and didn’t want the ironman to come down to a sprint so I put in a big effort in the first two legs,” Moodie said. “The New Zealand title means a lot to me, especially when I see some of the names on that trophy.”
Moodie finished well clear of two other Daniels, East End’s Daniel Nelson and Midway’s Dan Janes, joining the likes of Olympic kayaker Ian Ferguson and Waimairi's Geoff Walker, who both collected four national ironman titles.
The outstanding female athlete of the three-day championships was Orewa teenager Rachel Clarke, who took out the under-19 and open ironwoman double.
Clarke, who has also based herself across the Tasman this year, dominated the opening ski leg of the under-19 event, and held off Midway locals Leesa Barton and Lucy Gavin over the swim and the board.
Barton also featured in the open final, but the title was decided in a sprint between Clarke and defending champion Nikki Cox, with Clarke winning by less than a metre.
A shattered Clarke collapsed on the sand upon crossing the line, after emulating the historic 2006 double achieved by Auckland’s Jamie-Lee Reynolds.
“I knew that Nikki was fast across the sand so I just concentrated on getting a good dismount off the board, and just managed to hold her off,” Clarke said. “Winning an ironman title at nationals has been a big goal of mine for a long time so to grab two in the same day is just unbelievable.”
Cox didn’t leave empty-handed, however, claiming wins in the ski race, and double ski with Westshore teammate Jess Berridge, while Muriwai’s Jess Parr defended her surf race title.
Newton’s board race win came amid a dramatic mass sprint, after nine riders – including 36-year-old ironman legend Cory Hutchings – caught the same wave into the beach.
Wellington’s Titahi Bay club had a big final day, with their champion boat crew defending their long course title and the open men’s taplin team claiming an upset win in the final event of the day. Titahi Bay’s Danny McDowell also picked up the under-19 ironman and surf race titles.
Midway’s Matt Sutton picked up a popular win in the open men’s ski race, holding off Westshore’s Adam Moffitt and defending champion Travis Mitchell (Mairangi Bay).
Sutton’s efforts helped Midway to an utterly dominant win in the overall club honours, picking up 137 points, with second-placed Mount Maungaui on 78. Westshore were third on 64, followed by Red Beach and Mairangi Bay (both 42).