Triathlon talent descends on Taupō

Taupō triathlete Nicole van der Kaay wins the Oceania Cup Wānaka. Photo / Sean Beale / seanbeale.com

Nicole van der Kaay sent an ominous warning to those who covet her crown as the queen of Kiwi short-course triathlon with a spectacular come-from-behind victory at Oceania Cup Wānaka on Friday night.

The Taupō 27-year-old turned a 40-second deficit off the bike into a 20-second, season-opening victory at the sprint race, leading home Cantabrian Brea Roderick in an eye-catching Kiwi one-two.

Aussie Emma Jeffcoat rounded out the podium ahead of Otago medical student Olivia Thornbury and race provocateur Hannah Knighton in fourth and fifth respectively, with Olivia Cummings (10th) giving the Kiwis five in the top 10.

But it was van der Kaay’s blistering run that turned heads. Her 16:34 split for the five-kilometre was 40 seconds faster than the next best - Aussie Jessica Ewart-McTigue, who finished eighth - and will give her a massive boost heading into her home Oceania Cup race in Taupō this Saturday.

“I’ve just been in base training, so I haven’t done much speed work yet, so I’m really happy to have the speed out there already,” van der Kaay told Triathlon.kiwi after completing the 750-metre swim, 18km cycle and 5km run sprint in 53:40.

”I was in the second pack, so I didn’t expect to run them down, but I’m really happy with that. They definitely made me work for it, and I think the crowd appreciated it too. It’s epic - we’ve missed this race for a few years, so it is really cool to have it back.”

Roderick’s performance won’t have gone unnoticed either, as the race to the Paris Olympics and Games beyond heats up. The Cantabrian, just 20, was fourth out of Lake Wānaka behind Jeffcoat, fellow Aussie Aleisha Wesley and Knighton – all part of a cunning masterplan sussed out over the summer.

“We always kind of wanted a breakaway. Hannah [Knighton] and I have been talking about it over summer - we didn’t want it to just be a running race, and Jeffcoat’s such a fast swim-biker, so it’s kind of handy it all just came together,” Roderick said.

”On the run, I just tried to stay relaxed for two laps because I knew Nicole was coming, and when she came I tried to go with her, but I had nothing. She’s just too fast.”

Hannah Knighton pushed the pace on the bike leg.

Roderick was still thrilled to be so close to the Kiwi number one, and justifiably so. The Cantabrian is only just out of the U-19 ranks – she won her very first Olympic distance start at the Canterbury Classic on January 29 – and back in the sport after stepping away from triathlon for a spell.

“It’s my first elite podium and my first podium in like three years, so I’m really, really stoked. I just come out of the junior ranks last year, so I’m just getting used to being in the open category, but yeah, really happy with that race today,” Roderick said.

“It’s definitely a big confidence boost moving forward for the season. Glad the first one is out of the way - the nerves are gone, and now it’s just exciting.”

The next Oceania Cup, also over the sprint distance, is scheduled for next Saturday, a day before the Oceania Mixed Relay Championships are also staged in Taupō.