Aquathlon: Tactical win for newcomer

Hamish Miller wins the NZ Aquathlon title at Pilot Bay on Saturday. Photo / George Novak

Hamish Miller has made a significant step forward in his multi-sport career.

The 17-year-old New Zealand Youth team member, who won a rare beach sprint title at the 2014 Australian Surf Lifesaving nationals, took out the Jennian Homes NZ Aquathlon title in style in challenging conditions at Pilot Bay on Saturday.

Miller gave his all in the final sprint home, with the Mount Maunganui lifeguard and Bethlehem College sports captain winning by eight seconds from the fast-finishing Nicholas Sasse from Wellington. Ashburton's Mathew Clough was third.

Miller clocked an impressive time of 30m 05s but it took its toll as he collapsed after finishing. A quick dip in Pilot Bay soon revived him and he was delighted with his performance.

"It is pretty cool to be (national champion) considering I have only been in the sport for less than a year now," Miller said.

"It is so much fun and I enjoy it, which is what makes me go. It has two of the three disciplines triathlon has, so just for training purposes it is good to get out and do an aquathlon.

"We had the wind sweeping across and the incoming tides so it made it real hard to swim upwards. It was quite tactical sitting on people's feet and trying to work your way around the buoys when they were all moving.

"On the run leg the tactic was to run out at a nice steady pace and try to build throughout but when [Sasse] nearly caught me three quarters around the Mount I had to hit it quite hard."

Miller was second out of the water well behind Jackson Cropp but his poor transition saw Miller swoop past him to lead into the final run leg.

In the women's elite race, Nicole Mitchell from Wellington won well in 33.19, with Auckland's Jacey Cropp second (33.31) and Hannah Knighton from Hamilton third (33.45).

In the under-16 female race, it was a battle between Greerton Swim Club team-mates Olivia Cummings and Mia Pugh. Oliva finished strongly on the sprint back from Mauao to take the title in 17.18 despite trailing Mia by 22 seconds at the halfway transition after the swim. Lucy Farrell from Hamilton was third.

"The swim was a bit hard but the run went well," Olivia, 13, said. "There were so many people in the water. It was hard to beat Mia but I got there."

Christchurch's Quinton Hurley won the under-16 male race, with Tauranga athletes Nicholas Wotton second and Jade Stafford third.