Multisport: Dominant final stage carries Creasy to first title

Rob Creasy lived up to his "Super Creasy" status when he won the Otago Triathlon title at Vauxhall yesterday.

Over a sprint distance course comprising a 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run, Creasy never gained full control until the run stage.

Bobby Douglas had a superb swim stage in flat-water conditions, and was first to the bike transition, in 8min 15sec, while Chris Bisley and Creasy were fourth and fifth through in 8min 53sec.

The three then came together on the bike stage with none able to gain an advantage.

Creasy took control in the run and opened a small but significant gap, leaving Douglas and Bisley to contest silver and bronze.

Creasy crossed to clinch the title in 56min 46sec, 12sec ahead of a fast-finishing Douglas, who got the better of Bisley in a sprint finish.

Both Douglas and Bisley were full of praise for Creasy, who claimed his first victory in four years of competitive triathlon.

The 28 year-old sports scientist has often featured in results, but had never managed a first.

He last competed in the Otago championship event four years ago, finishing fourth in 59min 47sec behind internationals Tony Dodds, Eddie Smith and Thijs Hubber.

Two weeks ago he finished 23rd in the elite men's section of the New Zealand championships in Wellington.

Creasy afterwards praised the event: "This is a great race. It's really awesome."

Taryn McLeod won her third consecutive Otago title as she recorded her best time on the course.

With efforts of 1hr 5min 15sec in 2007 and 1hr 1min 43sec last year, McLeod will take great encouragement from her time of 1hr 1min 13sec yesterday, following time away from the sport to assess her goals.

Her last serious race was the ITU points race in Poland last August, and since this she has only competed in the Blokefree Triathlon earlier this month and the Lake Dunstan event during the Christmas break.

"I just jumped into that [Dunstan] without any training," she said.

"I have found it harder to train and holding down a full-time job."

With this in mind she had a training programme devised that allows shorter, more demanding sessions, and, all going well, she hopes to get another gauge with the Noumea Triathlon in early May.

Rebecca Grant turned in an impressive performance to finish second to McLeod in 1hr 2min 20sec, with Johannah Jackson third in 1hr 4min.