Conditions were perfect for racing but road rage, punctures and calf muscles featured in the Otago triathlon championships at Macandrew Bay yesterday.
Chris Keogh set a solid early pace to lead the Olympic standard distance event (1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run) until just after midway through the cycle stage, when a puncture ended any opportunity he had of lifting the open men's title.
The race had been a three-way affair, with promising newcomer Geoff Williamson and international ironman Tamsyn Hayes in hot pursuit.
After Keogh's race ended 25km into the cycle stage, Williamson and and Hayes maintained a solid bike speed of just over 40kmh until two vehicles towing caravans impeded their passage.
''It was just crazy,'' Williamson said. He claimed the vehicles slowed, continually braked and swerved in and out of the cycle lane.
''All we could do was cruise it. They did everything not to let us get past.''
After retaining the open women's title, Hayes also appeared a little shaken at the encounter with the vehicles.
''It was dangerous and unnecessary,'' she said. 'All we could do was relax and chill out.''
The pair arrived back at the transition point for the 10km run together. Williamson quickly opened a 33sec lead over Hayes until he pulled a calf muscle. Hayes caught up and the two ran together until Williamson pulled away over the final stages.
Williamson broke the tape in 2hr 8min 28sec, and Hayes reclaimed the women's title just 4sec behind.
For Williamson (34), it was his first real action since finishing fifth in the men's 30-39 section of Challenge Wanaka in January. Yesterday was his first run, his second bike and his third swim since then because of recovery and work commitments.
Hayes (27) was using yesterday's event as a warm-up for the Asia Pacific ironman championships in Melbourne next weekend.
In May, she will return to contest Ironman Australia at Port Macquarie, and she will winter in Germany, targeting Challenge Roth, Challenge Copenhagen and Challenge Amsterdam.
She resigned her role as gym manager at Moana Pool in November to focus solely on ironman over the next two years.
''If I don't give myself a chance now, I will never know what I could have achieved,'' she said.
The associated sprint distance event (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run) on Saturday was keenly contested. Henry Sullivan won in 1hr 9min 11sec, and Hannah Sturmer won the open women's section just 28sec behind.
