Braden Currie defended his 2015 crown and fellow Kiwi Lizzie Orchard took her first big win in her home country at XTERRA New Zealand.
Men
Currie, a 29-year-old Wanaka resident, topped Rotorua native Sam Osborne by 1:41 and South African Bradley Weiss by 5:52 on a sunny day at Blue Lake.
Currie and Osborne emerged together from the swim and into the first miles of the mountain bike leg before pulling away near T2.
“Yea me and Sam swim pretty similar and we ride pretty similar on the flat stuff and I just managed to get away on the big hill,” Currie told XTERRA media. “It was great to go into transition with a little bit of a lead ‘cause I knew we would be real close in the run too.”
Despite his lead, Currie overcame a rough ride. “I had an epic crash and I’m really starting to feel it now,” Currie recalled after the race. “I was sitting on Sam’s wheel and just scored a wrong line and went straight over the bars at full speed and slipped down the bank on my shoulder and head. I came to a stop and collected my bike and lost all my gels.”
Osborne overcame a slow swim start to challenge Currie for most of the race. “I didn’t have the best start,” he said. “I actually had to swim back on which was a bit annoying. Braden and I were battling it out the whole bike, but coming into the big climb he just let rip at the bottom of it and I just couldn’t go with his initial surge. It came down to a running race and I think I just burnt too many matches on the bike.”
Women
Lizzie Orchard came back from 3rd place after the mountain bike section to pass Sarah Backler on the run and take a 27 seconds margin of victory over her countrywoman at the finish.
The win improved on Orchard’s 2nd place finish last year. Orchard’s other XTERRA win came at Albay in the Philippines in February.
“I don’t think I have ever come out of a bike ride in a triathlon in the lead, so I am used to being on the back foot and I enjoy running so it’s good to have your strength last,” Orchard told XTERRA media. “It’s also good to have the others a little bit worried sometimes, they know you are coming.”
The win came after 10 years’ experience at this Rotorua XTERRA. “I’ve been coming here for over 10 years, starting as a teenager before eventually trying the full triathlon,” said Orchard. “It’s always great, loads of support and so many people cheering you on.”
XTERRA New Zealand
Rotorua, New Zealand
April 16, 2016
Results
Men
1. Braden Currie (NZL) 2:05:42
2. Sam Osborne (NZL) 2:07:23
3. Bradley Weiss(RSA) 2:11:33
4. Olly Shaw (NZL) 2:11:50
5. Kieran McPherson (NZL) 2:17:27
Women
1. Lizzie Orchard (NZL) 2:39:10
2. Sarah Backler (NZL) 2:39:37
3. Rachel Challis (NZL) 2:41:04
4. Mary Gray (NZL) 2:41:38
