Mixed Team Relay Wraps Up Sovereign Oceania Champs

Racing wrapped up at the Sovereign Oceania Triathlon Championships in Gisborne today, with the age group, fun races and the Junior Mixed Relay event, with Australia and New Zealand putting on a fast and frantic show for the spectators.
 
13 teams lined up (seven from regions around New Zealand), largely representing their States or Regions, with the Aussies bolstered by a couple of local Gisborne youngsters to ensure all those who had made the trip across the Tasman could line up again today after racing in the individual event yesterday.
 
And it was Australia who took out gold and silver in a great race, with the Auckland region team of Rose Dillon, Liam Ward, Katherine Badham and Trent Dodds coming home to claim the bronze.
 
As is often the case in relay racing, tactics played a huge part as teams looked to either gain an advantage or close on leading teams, adding to this intrigue was the nature of the surf swim, with some athletes making up valuable time by catching a wave into the shore while others lost time by not being in the right place at the right time.
 
The bronze for the Kiwis backed up the Junior Women finishing second and the Junior Men winning Trans-Tasman Trophy honours yesterday, in a competition that now dates back to 2004 between the two proud triathlon nations. Points are accumulated based on individual finishes for the leading 4 athletes, with the Kiwi Junior Men’s team of Dan Hoy, Liam Ward, Trent Dodds and Bradley Cullen coming out on top.
 
Event Director Terry Sheldrake of TMZ Sport Promotions looked back on a great weekend.
 
“I am delighted for everyone who has played a part in bringing this event to Gisborne and then helped deliver it so successfully. The weather has been great, the location superb and the racing excellent.
 
“It is only with the support of the Eastland Triathlon and Multisport Club, a large number of volunteers and the support of the Gisborne District Council, our commercial partners Sovereign (naming rights partner), Eastland Community Trust, Out East, New Zealand Community Trust, Air New Zealand, Triathlon New Zealand, Elliott Travel and GIsbornespecials.co.nz that we were able to showcase the region and put on such a great weekend.
 
“I am incredibly proud of this region and of everyone who has contributed to the weekend, the support in the community has been superb and I know the visiting athletes and supporters have enjoyed it immensely.”

Sovereign Oceania Triathlon Championships
Results
Junior Mixed Team Relay
1 Australia (4)
2 Australia (2)
3 NZL (Auckland Region Team) Rose Dillon, Katherine Badham, Liam Ward, Trent Dodds
 
Trans-Tasman Trophy
Junior Women
1^st ACT/VIC – 22points
Ellie HOITINK, Grace HOITINK, Matilda VIDLER
 
2^nd NEW ZEALAND – 32points
Hannah KNIGHTON, Eva GOODISON, Olivia THORNBURY
 
3^rd NEW ZEALAND – 34points
Jamie LEADER, Ainsley THORPE, Rose DILLON
 
Junior Men
1^st NEW ZEALAND – 40points
Liam WARD, Dan HOY, Trent DODDS, Bradley CULLEN
 
2^nd ACT/SA – 47points
Callum McCLUSKY, Liam SPROULE, Luke BURNS, Jack TIERNEY
 
3^rd VICTORIA – 65points
Jack VAN STEKELENBURG, Kurt McDONALD, Alex EVANS, Noah DEUBEL
 
ANNUAL TRANS-TASMAN TRIATHLON CHALLENGE (AUS vs NZL) HONOUR ROLL
Year, Junior Men’s, Junior Women’s champions
2016, NZL, Dan Hoy Liam Ward Trent Dodds Bradley Cullen. ACT/VIC, Ellie Hoitink, Grace Hoitink Matilda Vidler
2015 NSW, Nathan Breen Caleb Agostino-Morrow Sam Lewis Brady Goodyear. Queensland, Sophie Malowiecki Dimi Coventry Elle Leahy
2014 New Zealand, Tayler Reid Jay Wallwork Fynn Thompson Kyle Smith. Western Australia, Jaz Hedgeland Kira Hedgeland Mikala Falconer
2013 VIC/TAS, Jacob Birtwhistle Joel Tobin-White Ben Anderson Nick McGuire. New Zealand, Mikayla Nielsen Nicole Van Der Kaay Elise Salt
2012 Victoria, Marcel Walkington Joel Tobin-White Ben Anderson Sascha Bondarenko. New Zealand, Mikayla Nielsen Maddie Dillon Elise Salt
2011 Queensland, Matt Brown Brayden Tucker Luke Farrell Ryan Mouritz. New Zealand, Mikayla Nielsen Maddie Dillon Laura Wood
2010 New Zealand, Edward Rawles Sam Osbourne Aaron Barclay Mike Phillips. New Zealand, Penny Hayes Maddy Brunton Maddie Dillon
2009 NSW, Aaron Royle Sam Appleton Elliot Brown Jack Hickey. Victoria, Holly Aitken Erin Gangelhoff Jaimi Chisholm
2008 NSW, Joseph Lampe Aaron Royle Michael Murphy David Mainwaring. Victoria, Holly Aitken Meg Russell Erin Gangelhoff
2007 Queensland, Josh Maeder Josh Amberger Sam Betten Adam Carlton. Queensland, Courtney Dutton Ashleigh Gentle Emma Jackson
2006 New Zealand, Tony Dodds Ross Smith Matt Burgess James Bowstead. Queensland, Kirsten Watt Jessica Large Skye Nicholas
2005 NSW, Ben Yates Jacob Hunter Brett Lee Adrian Comminotto. NSW, Brittany Orr Melanie Sexton Rebecca Moxey
2004 NSW, Brendan Sexton Joel Cook Brett Lee Adrian Comminotto. NSW, Brittany Orr Melanie Sexton Erin Densham