Triathlon: Cox wins ironwoman race

Hawkes Bay's Nikki Cox. Photo / Supplied

Hawke's Bay and New Zealand surf lifesaver Nikki Cox comfortably won the open ironwoman race at Mount Maunganui today.

Cox (Westshore) beat Mairangi Bay's Madison Boon and rising Papamoa star Natalie Peat in flat conditions, despite a sparse racing schedule leading into the carnival.

"It was comforting and reassuring to know that all the work I've been doing is paying off," Cox said. "I have been doing a lot behind the scenes but I just haven't had that many races this season. This is a different season to any other one I've had because I played hockey in the offseason and had a complete break from surf. It's been quite refreshing to come back into it now after it wasn't my main focus over winter."

Cox also won the double ski with Westshore clubmate Larissa Cowlrick.

Red Beach's Australian-based ironman Chris Moors completed a dream carnival by winning the feature men's race, after winning the board and surf races yesterday (Sat).

After holding off the final-leg surges of Midway pair Mike Janes and Cory Taylor in the ironman, Moors then anchored the Red Beach taplin team to a solid win over Mairangi Bay and Mount Maunganui.

Mount Maunganui took the first two spots in the open women's taplin, while Chanel Hickman (Mairangi Bay) completed the beach sprint and flags double.

Papamoa teenager Kodi Harman continued his outstanding sprinting form by winning both the under-19 and open beach sprint, then bringing home the Papamoa beach relay team to an upset open victory.

Mount Maunganui's overall dominance was reflected in the club points tally, collecting 136, with Papamoa second on 79. Auckland clubs filled out the top-five, with Mairangi Bay (66), Red Beach (62) and Piha (48).

Piha was helped by a classy surf boat display, filling the top two positions in both the open men's and under-23 men's divisions, plus the under-21 women, while national champions Mairangi Bay won the open women's long course section.