Nelson Lays Claim to Multisport Capital

Nelson is renowned as New Zealand’s Sunshine Capital. But today in Christchurch
it announced itself as New Zealand’s multisport capital when Richard Ussher and
Sophie Hart both claimed world titles at the Speight’s Coast to Coast.

Ussher’s wins was expected. The now four-time winner returned to the 243k road
cycle, mountain run and kayak race across the South Island after three years
away challenging the world’s best at Ironman triathlon. But multisport and
adventure racing is where his heart is, and the 34 year old professional put up
the best race of his career to narrowly miss the race record.

 

It was a fast race from start to finish, with a 12-strong bunch of contenders
breaking away in the opening 55k road cycle. Auckland’s Carl Bevins led the
bunch into transition to claim a new record for this stage of 1hr 40min.

 

Bevins, a regular top-10 finisher in previous years, led the opening stages of
the following 33k mountain run. But Ussher was quickly into his work and built
up a 4min lead over Goat Pass that had grown to 6min over Bevins as they
started the 67k kayak down the Waimakariri River. Just over four hour as later
he started the final 70k cycle to the Sumner Beach finish line with a 14min
lead that he held all the way to the finish.

 

While Ussher made his fourth win look all too easy, he admitted to it being
anything but. “This is a tough race,” he said. “I knew I was in good shape, but
after three years away I wasn’t sure how I’d go. But a few weeks ago I sort of
said to myself, ‘if I was in this sort of shape five or six years ago I would
have been stoked.’ So I lined up pretty relaxed and just concentrated on my own
race.”

 

His own race turned out to be too good for hotly tipped contender Dougal Allan
from Wanaka. Allan, the runner up in 2010, started the kayak 14min down on
Ussher in fifth place. But paddling with other emerging talents, Sam Clark
(Whakatane) and Glen Currie (Methven), they worked together to catch Carl
Bevins and four riders battled for the remaining podium spots all the way to
the finish .

 

In the end it was Allan who proved strongest, clocking up to 55k/hr in the
strong tailwinds to take a minute out of Ussher’s lead and set a new best time
for the final 70k cycle of 1hr 35min. Allan finished in 10hrs 55min 59secs to
claim second ahead of little known Glen Currie, who shrugged off a year-long
liver illness to romp home for third place in 11hrs 07min 10secs.

 

Stopping the clock at 10hrs 41min 12secs, Ussher became the second fastest
winner in Speight’s Coast to Coast history, missing Keith Murray’s legendary
1994 record of 10hrs 34min 37secs by just 7min. But the winner shrugged off the
near miss, saying, “When I saw the conditions forecast I just decided I’d have
a crack at it. With the river running high and a big tail wind for the last
cycle I knew it would be a fast day, and you don’t get those conditions very
often so you have to have a go.”

 

Have a go is exactly what Nelson doctor Sophie hart decided she had to do
during the women’s world title race.

 

Pre-race speculation revolved around defending champion Elina Ussher and three-
time champion Emily Miazga. And while it was hart who led them off the bike and
into the run, it was Ussher and Miazga who tried to dominate, with the duo
tracking each other for the first hour up the Deception River before Miazga had
to let go.

 

As they started the kayak section Ussher appeared in the control of the race,
leading Hart by 5min with Miazga slipping back to 18min but still in third
place. In recent years Miazga has been the strongest athlete in the second half
of this race. But this time it was Sophie Hart who came through, passing Ussher
after 90min on the water and then starting the final ride with a 6min buffer.

 

Hart was strong on the bike, but Ussher didn’t give in and stayed at 6min for
almost 20k before she gradually started slipping away. Hart wasn’t sure what
was happening; knowing she had a shot at winning a world title, but not knowing
if Ussher was closing the Whakatane born 27 year old squeezed her energy levels
dry, but managing a big grin as she stumbled across Sumner Beach finish line to
win by nine minutes in 12hrs 10min 31secs.

 

Behind her the Ussher family had some disappointment in not achieving the
husband/wife double they had hoped for. But Mrs Ussher was satisfied with her
fastest ever Speight’s Coast to Coast. In third place, Emily Miazga closed off
her outstanding career in this race, stopping the clock in 12hrs 33min 25secs
and announcing that this is her last Speight’s Coast to Coast.

 

Sophie Hart, however, is just starting a stellar career. She had just missed
the legendary 1997 race record of Andrea Murray by just 65secs. “Either not
quite understanding or not quite believing, she simply shrugged and said.
Honestly, if the race had been five kilometres longer I don’t think I could
have won it.”

 

Rather than talking too much about her own race Hart was quick to point to her
new found Nelson mutlisport scene, where she is coached by former adventure
racing world champion Nathan Fa’avae. “I just can’t say enough about what he’s
taught me,” she said. “I knew I was in good shape, but he taught me to believe
in it.”

 

The Speight’s Coast to Coast two day event also finished today. Highlights
included Wellington’s James Coubrough and Christchurch’s Hayley Shearer
maintaining their overnight leads to win the individual two day race. World
shearing champion Paul Avery (New Plym) also became a Speight’s Coast veterans
champion. Another highlight was Christchurch friends Claire van Polanen and
Olivia Spencer-Bower finally winning the women’s team section after being
second the previous two years.

 

The biggest highlight, however, was the sight of Speight’s Coast to Coast race
director Robin Judkins crossing his Sumner Beach finish line after a weekend
teaming with Steve Gurney to complete his own race. Gurney was among the
leading kayakers this morning and Judkins completed the final 70k cycle section
in just on three hours, cackling as he crossed the finish line, “I actually
passed three other riders!”

 

Speight’s Coast to Coast Multisport Race

West Coast to Christchurch

Men One Day World
Championship

1 Richard Ussher
Nelson 10:41:12

2 Dougal Allan
Wanaka 10:55:59

3 Glen Currie
Methven 11:07:10

4 Carl Bevins
Christchurch 11:09:19

5 Sam Clark
Whakatane 11:16:46

6 Jeremy McKenzie
Blenheim 11:47:36

7 Nathan Jones
Christchurch 11:49:26

8 James Kuegler
Auckland 11:56:59

9 Jakob Van Dorp
Canada 11:58:36

10 JJ Wilson
Christchurch 12:05:56

Women One Day World
Championship

1 Sophie Hart
Nelson 12:10:31

2 Elina Ussher
Nelson/Finland 12:19:27

3 Emily Miazga
Granity 12:33:25

4 Louise Mark
Auckland 12:56:15

5 Rachel Cashin
Taumarunui 12:56:52

6 Joanna Williams
Ireland 13:04:47

7 Emma McCosh
Auckland 13:12:49

8 Camila Nicolau
Brazil 13:23:35

9 Tanya Maitland
Hokitika 13:38:10

10 Anyika Thomsen
Taumarunui 13:45:10