Multisport: Currie in hot form with Asia Pacific Xterra success in Australia

Braden Currie
Braden Currie
Wanaka multisporter Braden Currie has maintained his golden run, claiming the biggest international win of his career in Australia on Saturday.

Currie won the Asia Pacific Xterra (off road) title in a time of 2hr 23min 36sec.

Heading a field containing some of the best multisporters on the international scene has cemented his status as a serious contender for the world Xterra title in October.

''This season has started so strongly for me, winning my third consecutive Coast to Coast in February and then the New Zealand Xterra in Rotorua last Saturday,'' Currie said.

''I'm feeling pumped about what is still to come later in the year.''

Currie beat home two time Olympian Courtney Atkinson (Australia) by more than 1min 45sec. Third was South African Conrad Stoltz, a 15 year veteran of the sport and seven time world champion..

Currie's 1.5km swim at Callala Beach, in New South Wales, was interrupted by the athletes having to exit the ocean after one lap and re enter the surf to complete their second lap.

He managed to limit the damage and was out of the water at the same time as Stoltz, about 1min 20sec down on leader Atkinson.

Currie got on the bike and managed to find some rhythm, working hard to catch second placed Ben Allen about 5km into the 30km ride. The Australian stuck with Currie until they went into a testing section of single track and Currie dropped him.

Soon after, he caught Atkinson.

''I knew Courtney was a pretty phenomenal runner and that I would need to put some time on him so I took a few risks and had a few crashes trying to give myself a buffer,'' Currie said.

On the 10km trail run, when he was given a split time back to Atkinson, Currie learned that his rival was nearly four minutes behind, and he did not have to push hard to the end.

Currie will race in Chile, the United States and Canada before the world Xterra championships in Hawaii on October 31.

 

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