Rotorua triathlete Matt Parsonage may be in his first season back after a five-year spell but this didn't stop him from smashing the course record for Hawke's Bay's Harbour to Hills event today.
"I'm very happy with that in my first Harbour to Hills," Parsonage replied when told his time for the Napier Port-sponsored event (a 2km swim in the ocean off Napier's Perfume Point, a 95km cycle over a course between Napier and the Tuki Tuki hills and a 21km run in Napier) of 4hrs26m02s bettered the previous record of 4hrs28m03s set by Aucklander Donal Sheehy last year.
Wellingtonian Jack McGuinness, who eventually finished third in 4hrs29m51s, was first after the cycle but he was hunted down by Parsonage, 38, and Wellington's Lucas Duross who finished second, 43s faster than McGinness.
"Running is my strength. I'm training for my sixth Rotorua marathon on May 4 so my running is going well at the moment," Parsonage said.
The veterinarian who did his first triathlon 10 years ago trains up to 20 hours each week. His next triathlon will be Hawke's Bay's Quarter IronMaori event in November and he will be back to try and retain his Harbour to Hills title next year.