Allan, Williams score Peak hat-tricks

Wanaka's Joanna Williams on the Coronet Peak climb. Photos by Paul Taylor.
Wanaka's Joanna Williams on the Coronet Peak climb. Photos by Paul Taylor.
Wanaka multisport athletes Dougal Allan and Joanna Williams both made it a hat-trick of wins at Queenstown's classic Peak to Peak race.

The endurance specialists were among 400 competitors who lined up for New Zealand's longest-running multisport event on Saturday.

Celebrating its 21st year, the 44km race from The Remarkables skifield to Coronet Peak skifield featured past champions and weekend warriors mixing it with multisport stars.

''I had a really good race today and the conditions were near perfect,'' Allan said.

Three-time Peak to Peak winner Dougal Allan takes charge on the kayak leg of Queenstown's R & R...
Three-time Peak to Peak winner Dougal Allan takes charge on the kayak leg of Queenstown's R & R Sport Peak to Peak race on Saturday.
''I had thought of going to see if it was possible to break the two-hour barrier but realised during the run up the gorge that this was not going to be possible.

''Still I was happy with this win and really enjoy this winter race.''

Allan was quicker over the five stages by himself than whole teams of competitors, finishing in 2hr 5min 20sec.

He had trailed after the 2km ski and the foggy 17km mountain bike descent along The Remarkables skifield road. Allan, who won in 2011 and 2007, pulled into the lead on the 7km paddle from Frankton beach to Queenstown Bay.

He was then caught and passed during the 9km run by a runner for team Proactive Physio.

By the 3km mark on the 9km road bike ascent of Coronet Peak, Allan pulled away again and stayed ahead to the finish, with Brazilian Flavio Vianna and Wanaka's Hamish Fleming second and third respectively.

Williams, who won in 2012 and 2009, dominated the women's field from start to finish, winning by 23min in 2hr 28min 47sec.

Queenstowners Natalie Jakobs and Sarah Cairns were second and third respectively. In total, 36 individuals and 73 teams raced. Proactive Physio won the team's race comfortably (2hr 9min 20sec) from Carbon Health & Performance, with sponsors R&R Sport in third.

Dunstan High School was the fastest school team, finishing in 2hr 18min 53sec, while Wanaka veteran Bob Malachlan showed he can still mix it with the best, finishing fourth overall in 2hr 17min 21sec. Beth Masser was the fastest vet woman in 3hr 4min 9sec.

Queenstown's Mary Jowet Architects won the women's team section (2hr 39min 11sec), Mike Greer Wanaka won the mixed team (2hr 16min 37sec) and Wanaka's Leighs Construction won the business division (2hr 22min 43sec).

The last competitor finished 2 hours and 19 minutes behind Allan.

 

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