Ward and Salt Take Out Contact National Schools Honours

Ward and Salt Take Out Contact National Schools Honours

29 March 2012, 3:06PM
Triathlon New Zealand

Over 700 children from as far South as Invercargill and North to Whangarei competed on a picture perfect day at the Contact National Schools Triathlon Championships at Lake Karapiro today.
 

Sam Ward (St Kentigern College) took out the honours in the elite U19 boy’s race in a fierce battle with Troy McAlister (Central Southland College), Ward winning by 37 seconds but only after breaking away midway through the first lap on the run.

Ward raced superbly at the recent Oceania Championships in Tasmania but had to hang tough on the bike as McAlister employed pre-race tactics to try and drop his great rival.

“That was one tough race, I was only just hanging on during the bike, Troy was hammering it and I was doing all I could to stay with him. Once we got on to the run I tried to make a move reasonably early as I didn’t want to get into a sprint, I managed to get a gap on him and held that until the end.

“This is my last shot at the Contact Schools Nationals, I am 17 and this is my final year so it is great to get the win. My season has gone really well with my coach Brett Reid, my aim now is the U19 elite squad so I have plenty of hard training still to do but this is great, certainly the highlight of my season by a long way.”

McAlister tried all he could knowing that Ward would have the edge on the run.

“My plan was certainly to try and break Sam on the bike but I just couldn’t drop him. I took the lead quickly on the run hoping I might be able to hurt him in the first kilometre, I know he has an edge on me in the run so I had to try something but Sam was the best triathlete today, well done to him.”

Thomas McLaughlin (Hamilton Boys High) came home in third place.

In the women’s U19 race it was Elise Salt (St Cuthbert’s College) who came out on top, gradually improving throughout each leg emerging from the water in third, off the bike in second and then over the finish line in first place ahead of Steffie Holcroft (Hillcrest High School) and Emily Pearce (Kristin School).

“I guess that was kind of how I planned or expected the race to go,” said Steffie. “I knew I might have to rely on my run to get to the front and that was how it happened, Stefie had a great race and I must admit I was looking over my shoulder a bit on the last part of the run.

“My goal now is to make the NZ U19 elite squad so I have some time trials and targets to meet, that will be the focus for me from now.”

The result came as a nice early wedding gift for Salt’s coach Scott Hotham, who ties the knot tomorrow.

U16 racing was equally intense around the Karapiro course, with a breeze making things tough on the return leg each lap on the bike course on an otherwise perfect day for racing with Alana Lythe (Westlake Girls High) and Jonty Morreau (Auckland Grammar) taking out the honours.

Titles were awarded in age groups year 7 and 8, U14, U16 and U19 and yesterday saw the inaugural National Open Water Schools Champs with close to 200 competitors, many triathletes but equally plenty of specialist swimmers making the trip.

Team racing was again hugely popular as athletes banded together under their school colours and raced to the cheers and shouts of fellow students lining the transition area and course through the tents and school ‘camp sites’.

Former world number one Sam Warriner was there watching and supporting all the children, coaching and mentoring a team of 20 children from a variety of Northland Schools, some racing for the first time while some were able to secure spots on the podium.

ITU elite competitor Teresa Adam also made the trip down from Auckland to cheer the competitors on and help with the medal presentations on a great day for the schools, the participants and the many families and supporters cheering them on.

Contact National Schools Triathlon Champs
Lake Karapiro
Year 7 boys 150m swim, 7km bike, 1.6km run
1          Saxon Morgan          St Andrews Prep School    26:47
2          Adam Martin             P North Intermediate           27:26
3          Samuel Thornbury  Verdon College                    28:02
Year 7 girls 150m swim, 7km bike, 1.6km run
1          Tahlia Pook               Taupo Intermediate             30:41
2          Emma McLeay          Southland Girls High          31:27
3          Eden Bastiaanse     St Andrews Prep School    31:41
Year 8 Boys 150m swim, 7km bike, 1.6km run
1          Bradley Christison   Tutira School                        25:24
2          Janus Staufenberg Mt Aspiring College             25:56
3          Theo Wright              Tauranga Intermediate       26:14
Year 8 Girls 150m swim, 7km bike, 1.6km run
1          Arlia Schurr               Heaton Intermediate            27:01
2          Gorgi van Lienen     P Nth Intermediate               28:15
3          Estafana Fowler       Baradene College               28:52
U14 Boys 350m swim, 11.4km bike, 3.2km run
1          Matthew Manning    St Kentigern College           39:23
2          Daniel Hoy                Westlake Boys High            40:59
3          Alex Morreau            Auckland Grammar             41:22
U14 Girls 350m swim, 11.4km bike, 3.2km run
1          Mikayla Harvey         Saint Kentigern College     45:02
2          Emma Daniels          Sacred Heart Girls               46:00
3          Ashlee Greenhalgh Huanui College                   46:18
U16 Boys 500m swim, 14km bike, 4km run
1          Jonty Morreau          Auckland Grammar             49:03
2          Tayler Reid                Gisborne Boys High            49:28
3          Greg Moore               Christchurch Boys High     50:00
U16 Girls 500m swim, 14km bike, 4km run
1          Alana Lythe              Westlake Girls High             53:58
2          Nicole van der KaayTaupo Nui-a-Tia College    54:45
3          Jamiee Leader          P North Girls High               54:51
U19 Boys 750m swim, 21km bike, 4.8km run
1          Sam Ward                 St Kentigern College           1:04:23
2          Troy McAlister           Central Southland               1:05:00
3          Thomas McLaughlin Hamilton Boys High          1:06:20
U19 Girls 750m swim, 21km bike, 4.8km run
1          Elise Salt                   St Cuthberts College           1:13:56
2          Steffie Holcroft         Hillcrest High School          1:15:52
3          Emily Pearce            Kristin School                       1:15:56

Image: Elise Salt

Credit: Mike Heydon/Tri NZ

Search