Triathlon: Bozzone smashes course record in Western Australia

Terenzo Bozzone during the IRONMAN Texas North American Championships. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand's Terenzo Bozzone took advantage of idyllic conditions to smash the course record on the way to his breakthrough IRONMAN victory in Western Australia.

The former IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion had failed to finish the recent IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii after swelling in his legs, and both wanted to get things right and quickly.

He achieved that in spades with the 31-year-old claiming the men's honours in 7:51:25, nearly five minutes inside the previous race record.

More it was his first win over the ultimate distance, and also sets him up for a more confident tilt at the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain IRONMAN New Zealand in March.

"Some of my workouts leading in had been outstanding by my own standards. My legs felt good. I've had my physio with me and he's been able to flush out all the lactate acid after every work out and that has been a big help.

"And we seemed to get the sodium levels right today, but of course the temperatures were not like Kona.

"This is a huge tick for me today. I've felt I was on the brink of breaking through in IRONMAN racing and kept knocking on the door and finally the door opened.

"I've learned a lot today and hopefully this will put me in good stead for the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain IRONMAN New Zealand in March."

Bozzone said he wanted to trial himself over a different IRONMAN event "without worrying about Cam Brown running me down."

Australian Nick Kastelein led Queensland's Clayton Fettell out of the swim, both recording 46:09 for the 3.8km swim in glassy conditions, to better the previous swim record and signal what was to follow.

Bozzone and Kastelein, who were training mates with IRONMAN World Champion Jan Frodeno this year, opened a telling early lead on the bike. By 55kms they were nearly five minutes clear before the Kiwi made his move, establishing a lead of over nine minutes into transition after the 180km journey.

American Andy Potts worked his way through the field into second, taking time out of Bozzone, but the result was never in doubt as he won in 7:51:25, well inside Luke McKenzie's record of 7:55:58.

Potts limped over the line in second in 7:55:11, also under the old mark, while Kastelein was rewarded for a strong day with his first IRONMAN podium.

Australian Melissa Hauschildt, the current European IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 champion, overcame cramps late in the run to win the women's title also in a course record/

Hauschildt took no time in assuming control on the bike, ahead by four minutes by midway through the bike before German Mareen Hufe made her move, ultimately grabbing the lead with 15kms left and taking a near three-minute buffer on to the 42.2km marathon run.

That advantage did not last long against the might of Hauschildt who regained the lead before the 10km mark and while she had to overcome cramps in the final 15kms, she won in 8:54:38 to better the 2014 record of New Zealand's Britta by nearly two minutes.

Attention now turns to home shores this week for the Kellogg's IRONMAN 70.3 in Taupo on Saturday, where Wanaka's Braden Currie will defend his title against 12-time IRONMAN New Zealand champion Brown in the men, and American star Meredith Kessler takes on in-form Kiwi Amelia Watkinson in the women.

As a result of Sunday's race in Western Australia, Bozzone will bypass the Taupo event to focus on IRONMAN New Zealand in March.