While Cavanagh (Wanaka) takes a handy lead into the final day beginning at Klondyke Corner this morning, it was a real case of guts and glory for Shallard (Riversdale).
With storm clouds gathering, Shallard, 22, lined up at the start on Kumara Beach yesterday morning, still suffering from tonsilitis and with an upset stomach from a course of antibiotics.
It was a gutsy effort from Shallard to stay in the game after vomiting on the 55km ride to Aickens.
Shallard opened up a small advantage on the first half of the road, trail and riverbed run to Klondyke, but Cavanagh took over the lead going up the Otira Viaduct when her rival was hit with severe cramping.
"I could see her in the distance for a while, but all I could do was power walk up that big hill, having a few chunnies on the way as well," Shallard said.
"I’ve chunnied like seven times. The first time was on the bike and some guy behind in the group wore it."
Shallard said she was probably redlining it a bit once she knew she held the lead in the women’s field but eventually had to succumb and race within her limitations on the day.
As for her prospects today, Shallard, who finished third in the two-day event last year, said she felt a lot better with nothing left in her stomach and was looking forward to smashing the kayak and bike stages to the finish.
Cavanagh, 22, said she held her own on the bike to Aickens but could not quite hold the pace early on in the run.
"I broke my shoelace ... but held on real good," Cavanagh said.
Cavanagh said it had been a hectic few days for her after several gear breakages.
"I didn’t think I’d lead day one. I’m so excited to kayak."
Cavanagh holds a 7min 2sec lead over Shallard. Bex Skinner, a further 4min 16sec back, sits in third place.
Dunedin’s Katie Smith lies in sixth place overall and is well placed to feature in the open women’s category.
The rain that abated for the 55km cycle stage to Aickens closed in on the back-up run stage that sent competitors over a gruelling road and trail stage over the Otira Viaduct and through Arthur’s Pass Village.
The course altered from the customary Deception Valley and Goat Pass alpine stage due to weather warnings.
International mountain running representative Dougal Shepherd (Nelson) holds a massive 15min 53sec lead in the men’s two-day event over Jack Davies (Taupo) and Sam Peat (Nelson).
"There were a few of us down from Nelson that were probably a bit stoked to see that it wasn’t Goat Pass. It handed us an advantage," Shepherd said.
Shepherd became involved early on, getting hooked into a leading group of 16 on the 55km ride to Aickens.
The forecast rain did not arrive until the midway stage of the run. But Shepherd thrived in the changing conditions over a mixture of terrain encompassing train, riverbed and tarseal to set up a massive 9min lead crossing over Arthur’s Pass, completing the first day stages in 4hr 13min 46sec.
The world championship Longest Day starts from Kumara Beach at 6am today.
