KEY POINTS:
Australian mother of two Rina Hill upset the favourites to win in rough conditions at New Plymouth.
At the end of a 1.5km swim, 40km cycle leg and 10km run in cold and blustery weather, the Brisbane triathlete showed she was too strong for the more favoured German Anja Dittmer and Laura Bennett from the United States, who finished second and third respectively.
New Zealand's Andrea Hewitt finished a creditable 10th, the only local to get a top 10 placing. Samantha Warriner and Nicky Samuels finished 19th and 21st respectively.
Hill, who finished the race in 2h 3m 18s, was slightly off the pace coming out of a choppy harbour, but was in the leading bunch at the end of the cycle leg and then forged ahead towards the end of the run.
"I felt comfortable. I thought if anyone comes out and tries to pressure me I still felt comfortable that I would have it on them," Hill said.
Despite winning relatively easily, Hill said she had surprised herself by ending on the top of the podium.
"I haven't had a win at a World Cup race for a very, very long time ... I was hoping for a top five, so a win is just awesome."
She said keeping the momentum going with two young children was not easy, but was thrilled with how effective her buildup turned out to be.
Hill, who is married to a New Zealander, said she was not too put off by cold wind gusts after having had mentally prepared for the worst. "Sometimes if you do that it's a bonus."
Hewitt, from Christchurch, also had to try and block out the conditions and was pleased with her result, which left the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist ninth overall at the end of this year's World Cup series.
"It's been an amazing season. It's my first year on the world circuit and I got three podiums and a top 10 finish today," she said.
Portugal's Vanessa Fernandes, who didn't compete yesterday, ends the year at the top of the World Cup series, followed by Germany's Joelle Franzmann, who also sat New Plymouth out. Dittmer has moved from fourth to third.
- NZPA
