Running experience secures win

A week-long festival of triathlon wrapped up at the weekend with a big day of racing at Glendhu Bay.

The 16th Challenge Wanaka featured 800 to 900 competitors taking part in the festival, from pre-schoolers, schoolchildren and those wanting to give the sport a go through to professionals on their path to Olympic glory.

On Friday, the event returned to the centre of town for the first time since 2013 for the Twilight Challenge, the Oceania Triathlon Cup Wanaka.

More than 70 athletes from throughout New Zealand, Australia and Europe took to the street to compete in the elite sprint event which involved a 750m swim, 18 km bike ride and 5 km run.

Aucklander Jack Moody celebrates at the finish line after winning the men’s Challenge Wānaka Half...
Aucklander Jack Moody celebrates at the finish line after winning the men’s Challenge Wānaka Half title on Saturday. PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Commonwealth Games triathlete Nicole van der Kaay pulled out all the stops in the running leg to break away from the second pack and chase down the leaders, beating fellow New Zealander Brea Roderick and Australian Emma Jeffcoat, who had been in the lead for most of the event.

On Saturday, strong running performances again secured the wins in the Challenge Wanaka Half as Aucklander Jack Moody and Australian Grace Thek took home the titles.

Moody overcame a disappointing bike ride to power his way to victory in temperatures approaching 30 degC on a run course which is normally home to a mountain bike park and included nearly 400m of ascent.

It was his best result from four attempts in Wanaka, his previous best a third at the last event in 2021.

"I’m over the moon," Moody said.

"I keep coming back and it was almost getting to the point where there’s a few bogey races for me in New Zealand where I just keep getting close, but not close enough.

Australian Grace Thek celebrates at the finish line after winning the women’s Challenge Wānaka...
Australian Grace Thek celebrates at the finish line after winning the women’s Challenge Wānaka Half title on Saturday.

"To finally get the top step means everything, and to do it so late in the race is really special."

In the women’s event, Thek’s cross-country background proved the difference over the final 21.1 km run as she claimed her third professional victory.

The race was "absolutely beautiful, but absolutely brutal", Thek said.

"The whole course, there was no real time to ease off. It was just full gas the whole way.

"I come from a cross-country background so I like the trails. I’m stoked to take the win."

Challenge Wanaka race director Bill Roxburgh said the event had grown year on year with 13 events now in the schedule.

"[Athletes] come all over the world and the racing was brilliant."

More than 250 volunteers had helped to hold the event together, he said.

"It’s pretty extraordinary, the volunteers here in Wanaka."

shannon.thomson@odt.co.nz