O'Grady and Lawn win in Taupo

Graham O’Grady thrilled the Taupo spectators giving them a local victory in the annual Nutri-Grain Taupo Half Ironman today. The 30 year old from Kinlock led throughout the 2km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run finishing on the Taupo Domain in 3h 58m 4s, just under two minutes outside the race record set by Callum Millward last year.

 

O’Grady extended a minute and a half lead after the swim to nearly five minutes as he set out on the run. He relished the run course and the solid support from the crowds lining the route to score a nine minute winning advantage over James Bowstead of Auckland. Jamie Whyte of Auckland was third for the second year in a row clocking 4h 10m 7s.

O’Grady said that he had an added incentive in the event with his father also taking part. Ross O’Grady (58) finished in 6h 51m 29s.

"The swim was quite choppy which makes it a lot tougher for everyone, but I go better in those kind of conditions. I would have liked a bit more of a lead after the swim but I put my head down on the bike and rode really strong and that gap opened up,” he said. "It is always pleasant when you hear a big time gap like that heading into the run. When you are at the top of your game it’s pretty hard to loose five minutes over 21 kilometres, you have to blow up big time to loose that,” he added.

Bowstead, eighth after the swim moved through to second on the bike, which he held on the run.

"It was a good hit out, I always struggle in the cold (swim). I am content with second. I pushed it hard on the first half of the run but when I realised Graham was edging away from me and I was running for second I just monitored Jamie and kept ahead of him,” said Bowstead.

Whyte was pleased with his swim and bike legs but an injury since January slowed him the run.

"I was really keen to get out there and have a good swim and bike but obviously with the injury my running is a bit behind where I wanted it and why I was going to struggle a bit on the run. I’ve got a bit of work to do on the running before the Wanaka Challenge in January,” said Whyte.

Ten times New Zealand Ironman champion Cameron Brown was unable to put a finger on his poor showing, fading to fifth in 4h 16m 13s after finishing second last year in 3h 56m 43s.

"I felt sort of alright on the swim, but after that just went backwards, I don’t know what’s going with me at the moment, it could be something still in me from Hawaii, I was sick for three weeks there.

"I’m just weak and got nothing left, something’s not going right otherwise I’m very unfit,” said Cameron.

Brown will now put in four weeks of quality training for the Tauranga Half Ironman.

It was an emotional Jo Lawn who crossed the finish line in 4h 36m 39s for the women’s honours. Lawn also led the entire race and was also nine minutes clear of second placed Melanie Burke. Lawn in her first Taupo half ironman wanted to bow out of racing in Taupo on a winning note.

"I wanted to come down to Taupo one last time to thank everyone for the past 13 years, I wanted to finish my time here in Taupo with this race,” said Lawn. "The swim was quite rough, but being choppy suits me. The run was a nice surprise doing only a half compared to the full ironman and the crowds were great, so many cheering for me,” she added.

After a background of rowing, cycling, running and duathlons Burke branched out to the triathlon for the first time.

"The swim was pretty slow I was 14 minutes behind out of the water. I only just learnt to swim in January so it’s been a tough year as I had a running injury,” said Burke.

Jessica Lawson of Tauranga was third in 4h 50m 2s.

Results: TRIATHLON Nutri-Grain Half Ironman Taupo Swim 2km, Cycle 90km, Run 21.1km

Men.- Graham O’Grady (Kinlock) 3h 58m 4s 1, James Bowstead (Akld) 4h 7m 24s 2, Jamie Whyte (Akld) 4h 10m 7s 3, Chris Sanson (Pal/Nth) 4h 14m 22s 4, Cameron Brown (Akld) 4h 16m 13s 5, Josh Harrison (Akld) 4h 19m 52s 6, Jacson Kluts (Akld) 4h 23m 10s 7, Thomas Hills (Akld) 4h 27m 41s 8, David Bowden (Cambridge) 4h 33m 1s 9, Brett Tingay (Chch) 4h 33m 4s 10.

Women.- Joanna Lawn (Akld) 4h 36m 39s 1, Melanie Burke (Akld) 4h 47m 44s 2, Jessica Lawson (Tauranga) 4h 50m 2s 3, Vanessa Murray (Akld) 4h 54m 7s 4, Hannah Lawrence 4h 54m 21s 5, Jo Carrel (Akld) 4h 58m 58s 6, Taryn Ryan (Lower Hutt) 5h 2m 11s 7, Terri Mann (Mt Maunganui) 5h 3m 23s 8, Gail Harvey-Heyward (Nth Cant) 5h 8m 14s 9, Sarah Walker (Ngaruawahia) 5h 12m 11s 10.