The event was held over a 6km kayak, 11km run and 28km mountain biking course based around Knarston Park and any doubts Spencer had about making the switch were quickly forgotten as he reflected on his victory at the finish.
Spencer (22), a fourth-year medical student at Otago University, has had two top 10 finishes in the Godzone adventure race.
He admitted afterwards his lack of kayak training in recent times was reflected in his result on the water as he made the transition to the 11km run over the Millennium Track between Henly and Taieri Mouth in seventh place and
went into catch-up mode.He finally took the lead in the final 3km of the Millennium Track.
"This was a bit shorter. A bit faster. It was good fun," he said of his successful transition from adventure racing.
"Man, that run was epic. I was expecting more of a gravel trail, but didn’t expect so much mud. I think it suited me."
Heavy rain in the area over the past week saturated the Millennium Track, leaving parts of it a virtual bog.
"Pretty much from the top of the hill down it was just a mud bath. It was wicked."
Before that, Spencer had to overcome somewhat of a technical kayak stage.
"I kind of got roasted in the kayak," he said, after very little kayak training in recent times.
Digging deep to maintain his lead throughout the 28km mountain bike stage, Spencer crossed the finish thrilled at winning his first sojourn into multisport in 2hr 17min 36.5sec.
Jonah Belk finished second in 2hr 22min 58.4sec, while in third was Rikki Griffin, in 2hr 25min 33.8sec.
Sharon Lequeux made every post a winner, leading the women’s field throughout. Like Spencer, she had to negotiate a series of eddies on the kayak course. She then used her strength as a runner to open up a sizeable lead on the other women. But she was forced into survival mode on the bike stage.
"The last time I was on the bike was this race last year," she admitted.
"I just tried to hold on, because I knew the others would be right behind me."
Two-time Coast to Coast competitor Lequeux crossed the line in 2hr 57min 3.2sec. Second in the open women was Coast to Coast legend Simone Faulkner in 3hr 10min 36.4sec.
Sommer O’Shea was third in 3hr 20min 18.9sec.
An Otago half marathon champion 10 years ago, Dunedin youth aid officer Kerrin Williams led from start to finish to win the 11km run, 28km mountain bike duathlon section. Williams clocked 1hr 49min 58.2sec to hold off a strong challenge from Ken McDonald, who finished second in 1hr 50min 49.3sec, while Dunedin orthodontic assistant Kristy Eyles was third over all and first in the open women’s section in 1hr 58min 0.7sec.
- Wayne Parsons
