Contact Schools National Triathlon Champs A Roaring Success At Jacks

Contact Schools National Triathlon Champs A Roaring Success At Jacks

1 April 2011, 10:32AM
Triathlon New Zealand

Jack’s Point in Queenstown played a superb host to the Contact National Schools Triathlon Championships today, with over 600 competitors racing in the idyllic surroundings on a testing course around the world renowned Golf Resort settled into the foot of the Remarkables.

The feature events of the day were the U19 Championship with both boys and girls races producing stunning results and worthy champions. Michael Perree (Kristin School, Albany) upset his more fancied rivals to win the boys race, finishing a comfortable 15 seconds ahead of Josh Kenyon (Taupo Nui-a-tia College) with a further 18 seconds back to Cooper Rand (Saint Kentigern College Auckland).

17 year old Perree was delighted with his performance.

“That feels awesome to be national champion, it really hasn’t sunk in yet but it feels great. My swim wasn’t so good today, I would have liked to have been further up the field but I guess I was happy enough. Once on the bike I just concentrated on a good cadence and getting to the lead as quickly as I could and then tried to hold on.

“Josh caught me early in the run and we ran together for a while before I made a surge up the hill on the second lap and managed to drop him and then it was a case of keeping my rhythm and holding on.”

The Brett Reid coached Perree was in his element around the stunning Jack’s Point location.

“Wow, what a cool venue, I’ve never raced anywhere like this before, the scenery was amazing and the hills were great, this is an amazing course for race.”

17 year old runner up Kenyon echoed those sentiments about the course.

“This is a great course, fantastic to race on. I just didn’t see the surge coming from Michael though and I couldn’t go with him.”

The girl’s race turned into a procession but what an impressive procession it was. Mikayla Nielsen (Correspondence School) backed up from her win at the Oceania and NZ U19 Championships in Wellington a fortnight ago with another impressive display, leading almost from start to finish to come home an incredible four minutes and one second ahead of defending champion Maddie Dillon (Kristin School, Albany).

“I think I was third out of the water and was struggling to feel my feet, they had gone a little numb. But I took the lead up the first hill on the bike and felt better the longer the race went on. So much of my improvement this past year is on the bike and that is thanks to the work I am doing with (coach) Mark Elliott.

“I love the venue though and the run was well suited to me with the grass and the hills, it suited my strength I think. I love cross country running and that felt a little bit like that today so yeah, I loved it and a national title feels fantastic.”

Trophies were also handed out for the schools with the best overall record across the U14, U16 and U19’s with the best finisher from each school in those races counting towards an overall score. In the boys St Kentigerns just edged Auckland Grammar on count back while in the girls Taupo Nui-a-tia College was a clear winner.

Teams racing as always proved a popular part of the programme with many athletes doubling up and racing in the short and sharp team’s format with school mates and teachers cheering them on.

Results at www.schoolstri.co.nz

Image: Mikayla Nielsen

credit: Mike Heydon.

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