Callum Millward and Samantha Warriner took the men’s and women’s titles at the Taupo Half Ironman Saturday in New Zealand.

Millward and 10-time Ironman New Zealand champion Cameron Brown matched swim (25:31 to 25:36) and bike (2:10:28 to 2:10:36) legs and much of the half marathon before Millward broke away with a race-best 1:15:37 for the 13.1 miles to beat the highly decorated veteran Brown by 27 seconds. Millward’s 3:56:16 finish broke the old race record by 9 minutes.

This half Ironman win was Millward's second of 2011, following his victory at the Tauranga half Ironman in January. Jamie Whyte took third, 7 minutes and 1 second back of Brown.

Warriner, the 2008 ITU Olympic distance bronze medalist, 7-time ITU World Cup winner, 2011 Ironman New Zealand champion and many time Ironman 70.3 winner broke away from 8-time Ironman-distance champion and 2009 Ironman New Zealand winner Gina Crawford with a race-best 2:22:41 bike that gave her a 4:52 advantage. Warriner then gave back 1:54 to Crawford's women's 2nd-best 1:28:17 run, but had enough to hit the line first in 4:24:37 for a 2:57 margin of victory.

Candice Hammond finished 3rd, another 2:37 back of Crawford.

Kelloggs Nutrigrain Taupo Half Ironman
Lake Taupo, New Zealand
December 10, 2011
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi.

Results

Elite Men

1. Callum Millward (NZL) 3:56:16
2. Cameron Brown (NZL) 3:56:43
3 Jamie Whyte (NZL) 4:03:44
4. Brodie Madgwick (NZL) 4:08:17
5. Matt Taylor (NZL) 4:13:21
6. Chris Sanson (NZL) 4:14:25
7. Jared Bowden (NZL) 4:14:51
8. Shaun Kavanagh (NZL) 4:22:02
9. Will O’Connor (NZL) 4:25:06
10. David Bowden (NZL) 4:33:45

Elite Women

1. Samantha Warriner (NZL) 4:24:37
2. Gina Crawford (NZL) 4:27:34
3. Candice Hammond (NZL) 4:30:11
4. Belinda Harper (NZL) 4:35:38
5. Jo Carrel (NZL) 4:49:47