Triathlon: Hammond pips veteran in stunning finish

Hamish Hammond overtakes Stephen Sheldrake at the finish line to win the Open Men's Trophey when an unfortunate Sheldrake tripped. Photo / NZ Herald

Hamish Hammond pipped veteran Stephen Sheldrake within 2m of the finish line to win the Contact Tri Series in wet and cool conditions in Whangamata today after Sheldrake crashed to the ground just short of the line, taking second.

Greytown-based Hammond had to play catch-up in the awful conditions as athletes bashed their way through choppy water conditions in the two-lap 1500m swim and rode carefully on the 40km bike with roads slippery as the 'big wet' continued to hit the Coromandel Peninsula.

The 21-year-old is one to watch for the future, a relative newcomer to the sport and a winner at the 2011 ITU age group world championships. The conditions, though, were nothing to the boy raised on the farm in the Wairarapa.

"I raced here last year and didn't have the best race as I didn't know the course really well but I ran well on the sand so knew I would go Ok today,'' he said. ``The conditions weren't too bad really and didn't bother me. I was a bit careful on some of the corners on the bike but it wasn't too bad. I like the hard conditions and the hard racing.

"This is my first win in the Contact Tri Series and is a great way to start the year. I have really only been in triathlon two-and-a-bit years so I am still new to the sport. I have worked hard in the holiday break, working hard outside while everyone else was snuggled up inside so I figured I would be in good shape."

Former Contact Series champion Sheldrake, 37, is renowned as one of the sport's best swim-bike exponents and has spent the best part of two years struggling to overcome a serious knee injury that required surgery. It was that lack of running and further 'niggles' with the troublesome knee that opened the door for the younger Hammond.

"I think they need to introduce a new run distance, maybe 9.98km and I would be on top of the podium," said Sheldrake. "This is old-school triathlon - waves in the swim, rain on the bike and a cross country run - so this was great, back where it all started here in Whangamata, I love coming here. Pity about the weather but it isn't cold. Hamish ran a great race, though, and was strong to the finish. Congratulations to him."

In the women's event, 17-year-old world junior champion Mikayla Nielsen (Waikato) dominated to defeat another promising youngster in Maddy Brunton (Waikato).

Nielsen led almost from start to finish. She took control on the bike before running home comfortably ahead of Brunton who herself is in the middle of some big mileage.

"The swim was really rough," she said. "I was getting thrown about quite a lot, swallowing lots of water which gave me the stitch. The bike felt alright, though. The legs are a bit sore but it was good. I enjoyed the longer distance. I was quite relaxed on the run and enjoyed it."

Nielsen was racing over the standard distance for the first time in a non-drafting race as she contemplates a few more events at this distance. The priority, however, is to go back-to-back in October's world championships in Auckland.

"This really was a training day for me, albeit one that had the pressure of racing as well. The goal for me this year is to win the world championships again. I am eligible again in the junior [under-19] category and it would be great to win in Auckland."

Conditions were testing for everyone, including Joanna Lawn, who used the sprint event as a tune-up for Saturday's Port of Tauranga Half Ironman. Lawn was second in the 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run behind youngster Nicole van der Kaay.

In the men's sprint, it was a battle of the youngsters with Sam Ward running home strongly ahead of Tom McLaughlin and Tayler Reid.