The 2017 EVES Surfbreaker held at Mount Maunganui attracted NZ's best triathletes.
Double the action, double the drama and double the pain for the athletes.
The new look Eves Surfbreaker triathlon featuring a novel six-legged run, bike, swim, run, bike, swim format was held in ideal conditions at Mount Maunganui yesterday
The doubling up on the usual triathlon format over the sprint distance gives spectators the opportunity to see the athletes up close six times during the race.
Whether the new format will be trialled in other parts of New Zealand is yet to be seen but the initiative by the Tauranga Triathlon Club should be applauded.
The event, supported by Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust, attracted 171 athletes across four different races. The elite line-up of 24 was one of the strongest ever at the event, and included New Zealand Commonwealth Games reps Ryan Sissons, Tayler Reid and Nicole van der Kaay.
The lead changed numerous times in both the men's and women's races, with the new format causing more tactical work than normal, plus the unexpected shock of a second ocean swim after sprinting along Marine Parade's tarmac.
Gisborne's young gun Reid, 21, scored his first win over world top 10 rated Sissons, 29, to take the men's title, with Trent Dodds third and Tauranga's Hayden Wilde fourth.
"That was a lot of fun. I loved it. I spent my whole life growing up in the surf and with the path I have chosen it doesn't always pay dividends, so it was good to have a little bit of swell," Reid said.
"It was a great race and great to have such a good field. Well done to the organisers. It was well set up. I had to think tactically a lot because I have never raced like this before so it was exciting to think of where other people's strengths lie and use them to my advantage."
Swimming after the second run leg was the toughest part, Reid said.
"When I jumped into the water my legs were just jelly and my arms were jelly. We didn't hold back on that first race leg so to have to do it all again was really tough."
EVES Surfbreaker winner Tayler Reid in action during the race. PHOTO/JOHN BORREN
Cambridge-based Van der Kaay, 21, just got home in the women's race ahead of Teresa Adam, who led for much of the early part, with Ainsley Thorpe third.
"It was the first bit of speed work for the season so it hurt a little bit. This is the first hit out before Comm Games so it was good to win," Van der Kaay said.
She found the last swim leg "a real shock to the system".
"You don't really know what you are doing. It was quite tough but you have to find your rhythm on your stroke. I have done nothing like this (format) but it was great fun and was short and sharp, great for spectators and could be where the sport is heading."
New Zealand triathlon greats Cameron Brown and Sam Warriner won the earlier men's and women's sprint races.
Surfbreaker 2017
Men Tayler Reid 54.22 Ryan Sissons 54.24 Trent Dodds 54.34 Women Nicole van der Kaay 57.45 Teresa Adam 58.01 Ainsley Thorpe 59.07
