Cory Hutchings realised a dream when he celebrated his 10th ironman title in the national surf lifesaving championships at Gisborne yesterday.
The 29-year-old blitzed a strong field in returning to his home-town beach at Midway, where he won his first ironman title in 1991.
Hutchings earlier dominated the board final and beat a world-class field to win the surf race. But it was the ironman title he wanted most.
He showed his class to open a telling advantage in the heavy surf conditions on the board leg before extending his winning margin to more than 30s.
Australian Dane Hurst, who also raced for the Makos in the surf league across the Tasman this year, came through from sixth after the swim to finish second.
Hutchings' brother-in-law, Mark Muir, finished third.
"This was very special. To do it here on my home beach where I grew up and where my career started is very special," Hutchings said.
"I had to be careful not to be complacent after I got the lead because the conditions were tricky, especially on the ski leg."
Earlier, Gisborne's Leigh Webster scored the best win of her career to win the ironwoman race.
The Canterbury pair of Tina Hewitt and Ceri Pearson opened a lead after the swim leg, but Webster showed superior skills on the board leg, in the big surf, to hit the lead.
Webster worked her way conservatively through the heavy seas on the ski but broached and was upturned by a wave on the way to the beach. She managed to hold on to her ski to win by 45s from Wellington's Amy Robertson and Hawkes Bay's Angela Dalton.
"At first I thought 'be nice to me'," Webster said.
"I saw that the others were still battling out to the buoy so I just held on to my ski for dear life.
"This is just awesome. It is what I have wanted for so long now."
Webster has enjoyed a good season, also winning the ironwoman title at the northern regionals.
Canterbury teenager Andrea Hewitt came off the waves best to win the board race in a sprint from Muriwai's Emma Roberts and early leader, Australian-based Kim Tunnell.
Anna Ballara, another Australian-based veteran, came from mid-pack when she chose a superior line and caught a wave to win the women's surf race ahead of Pearson and Tina Hewitt.
The world ski champion, Katie Pocock of Auckland, was all class in retaining her women's ski title.
In the men's board race, Hutchings trounced the pack.
He then turned around and dominated an outstanding field in the men's surf race, that included Olympic swimmers Steven Ferguson, Dean Kent and Trent Bray, world surf champion Brent Foster and Australian champion Ky Hurst.
Canterbury's John Creighton broached on the final big wave as he challenged for his eighth men's ski title. That allowed Auckland's Mike Walker to come through for his first open title from talented Otago surf athlete Pierre Tapper.
- NZPA
Ironman: Hutchings national ironman champ for the 10th time
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.