Marra Sprint Triathlon celebrates 30 years

WINNING STYLE: Marra Sprint Triathlon winner Kyle Smith, right, leads Peter Campbell out of transition on the final run leg at Mount Maunganui yesterday. PHOTO: GEORGE NOVAK

Even the threat of torrential rain could not curb the enthusiasm for the 30th Marra Sprint Triathlon held at Mount Maunganui today.

The traditional season finale lived up to expectations with Kyle Smith, 19, taking out the individual men's title in 57m 02s with Mikayla Nielsen, 22, the women's champion in 1h 04m 42s.

Cambridge-based Smith won by 46 seconds from Mount Maunganui's Peter Campbell, who was also second last year, with Kieran McPherson (58:04) third.

"I was happy to take the win. I just kept relaxed and knew my game plan. I knew the others were really strong cyclists so I knew if I could come off the bike close I would stand half a chance," Smith said.

"I had a really good swim and was first out of the water. I rode as hard as I could. I got into the run and felt pretty good but it was close and I was looking over my shoulder the whole time.

"I was just happy to hold on."

The section of the run leg around the Mauao base track has been the difference between winning and losing for so many athletes over the years.

Smith said it was hard to deal with at that final stage of the race.

"Every time you run it you think it is pretty undulating but you don't realise just how undulating it is and it really stings the legs, especially the racing I am used to which is flat on the roads."

Women's winner Nielson from Hamilton said it was her first victory "for quite a while".

"I have been trying to focus on my swimming a bit more because that is my weakness. I couldn't really see where I was going but it was an improvement," she said.

"I am just trying to qualify for the World Cup coming up in New Plymouth in about a month so this event was quite important.

"I really needed to practice my transitions into each leg and I have a few more races to do before New Plymouth. This was a positive step forward and was good."

Event director Wendy Boyce said reaching 30 years was a significant milestone for the sprint triathlon.

"The event is owned and run by Triathlon Tauranga and has had many different levels of support over the years from the local community and it is an event that people have really got behind.

"We are really proud of the history of it being here and that is one of the big things we push. It is one of the longest running sprint triathlons out there."

But it was not just about the elite runners with most participants enthusiastically taking part in the popular teams and junior divisions.

Beyond Fitness prevailed in the teams' race while in the under-16 Marra Monsters division Joep Lenoir won the male and Sacha McLeod the female titles. Benjamin Hulbert took out the male under-11 Marra Minis title with Caoilinn Gray first home in the female race.

"The Monsters and Minis categories have only been going for the last two years. We had 40 Minis aged 6-11 last year and today we have 98 which is huge for the club and for the sport of triathlon," Boyce said.