Wanaka's Braden Currie celebrates victory in the 2017 Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand in Taupo at his first attempt. PHOTO/ DELLY CARR
Wanaka's Braden Currie celebrates victory in the 2017 Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand in Taupo at his first attempt. PHOTO/ DELLY CARR
It was a dramatic day in Taupo with two new faces taking home the top prizes at the 2017 Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand.
Going into yesterday's competition world record-breaker Cameron Brown and five-time winner Meredith Kessler were aiming to retain their coveted crowns.
But in the men's event, Braden Currie, 31, repelled a late charge from Brown, who was seeking to extend his world record to a 13th Ironman New Zealand title, in his first attempt over the distance.
Meanwhile, in the women's race just two years after turning pro, rising American star and mother Jocelyn McCauley, 29, celebrated success to derail Kessler's bid for a sixth straight title.
McCauley finished in a scintillating sub-three hour run leading her to a thumping victory by more than 12 minutes.
It was a good day for local athletes too with several local competitors crossing the line as Ironmen.
"My training preparation went well for the 30 weeks training plan lead up to it. It's pretty hard training through Christmas with the holiday season."
Rangitutia said it was his second Ironman and he was happy with the result despite the weather conditions on the day.
"The lake was rough and there was a strong headwind each time coming back into Taupo. Overall a very tough day out there and I was glad to see the finish line after that long hard day."
Currie, who finished second in the Coast to Coast behind Sam Clark, overtook fellow Kiwi Terenzo Bozzone early in the marathon run leg, then accelerated away from 2014 champion Albert to finish in a time of 08h 20m 58s.
Defending champion Brown chased hard, but couldn't finish fast enough to chase his opponent down finishing over three minutes behind in a time of 8h 20m 58s. France's Cyril Viennot was third in 08h 25m 43s.
With victory, Currie become the first athlete to make a successful transition between the Coast to Coast and Ironman events and the fourth Kiwi male to win the prestigious Ironman New Zealand following Scott Ballance, Brown and Bevan Docherty, who like Currie won on debut.
"To win is amazing and I never expected it. I came here to figure out how to race it for next year and I am not sure if I will be able to race as well as today," said Currie.
"Cam is a legend. He is so amazing, strong, repetitive and consistent and never gives up. I knew I could run fast but didn't know how consistent I would be in the marathon . . . I was running scared knowing Cam could keep the same pace the whole time."
Currie started strongly - part of the lead group of swimmers, including Bozzone, Albert, Clayton Fettell and Graham O'Grady, before Bozzone pulled away to lead by almost six minutes during the cycle leg.
Currie was 2m 07s behind Bozzone at the end of the cycle leg, but managed to fight back and push ahead in the race lead.
"I just managed to sit on [Terenzo's] feet [during the swim], blowing some bubbles," Currie said.
"Then I got on that bike and hit the climb and obviously my mountain biking background came too and I managed to, I didn't even want to, but managed to pull away by myself.
"It didn't take too much longer once we hit the flats for [Terenzo] to peg me back, and he pulls up besides me and says, 'you think this is a one lap race, mate'. But then he took off, so I don't know what he was thinking.
"I didn't have any game plan after that."
The big mover in the second half of the race was the indefatigable 44-year-old Brown.
However, despite the veteran running the quickest marathon of the day, in 2h 42m 29s, just over a minute outside the run course record Currie would not be denied crossing the line in first place
Brown admitted he'd found the race a struggle unlike last year.
"Today . . . that wind was bloody hard. It felt like you were swimming 5km rather than 3.8km, probably the hardest swim we've had here in 19 years," Brown said.
"The bike was extremely tough. I thought, that's it, I'm going to retire after this, I'm too old now. We were 14 minutes down, and, yeah. But I never gave up, gave it all I've got but it wasn't quite enough."
Meanwhile, a shock result saw veteran Ironman winner Kessler beaten by fellow American McCauley.
Jocelyn McCauley (USA) was the winner of the women's field at the Ironman New Zealand. PHOTO/ JOHN COWPLAND
McCauley, a former amateur Ironman athlete and cross country star, ran down Kessler early in a blistering marathon final leg, and showed no signs of slowing as she built up an impressive plus 10 minute lead.
The former amateur World Ironman champion, who only turned pro in 2015, showed she is a quick learner and refused to panic when the vastly more experienced Kessler and in -form Australian Annabel Luxford dominated the swim and the first half of the bike.
McCauley, mother to three-year-old daughter Emilyn, worked hard alongside Christchurch-based Briton Laura Siddall and Dutch athlete Yvonne van Vlerken as the trio caught the lead duo into T2 before the Texan stamped her authority in the run.
She crossed the finish in 9h 09m 46s, catching and passing Kessler at 14km mark, before easing to victory for her first Ironman NZ victory, after failing to finish during the 2016 event.
"The day unfolded like it would in my perfect dream, I couldn't have asked for anything better," McCauley said.
"I was up against a world-class field and was running scared - I was terrified out of my mind with Siddall (Laura) the comeback-queen behind me - and Meredith, who is a legend.
"I raced my first pro-race here two years ago, and I remember shyly speaking to Meredith beforehand, who told me I would rise to the occasion and I have kept that with me."
Behind, Siddall produced a strong second half of the race to take a commendable second some 12:06 back with Kessler, the five-time former champion, well short of her best today claiming third in 9h 27m 18s.
"I am not disappointed because I lost, but because I didn't deliver for this town," said Kessler.
"I am at the pointy part of my career, and I don't care about the win or the money, but about delivering for Taupo which has been such a special place for me and my husband.
"For the last two years I have been sick before the race and I have broken records. I had a perfect build-up and felt good but it didn't happen for me."
2017 Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand results:
Rotorua results: - Ian Rangitutia, 12:28:17 - Ray Hewlett, 14:04:43 - Shiree Flutey, 14:11:52 - Rory Brickland, 14:26:32 - Elizabeth Gellatly, 14:42:09 - Martin Carlyle, 15:24:35 - Karen Shaw, 15:49:57 - Moana Tapsell, 15:52:13 - Lee Meijer, 15:58:49 - Jason Biss, 16:20:11
