Triathlon: Visitor clears out for bonnie victory

Catriona Morrison from Scotland crosses the line to take the elite women's race at the Port of Tauranga Half. Photo/George Novak

Catriona Morrison will leave New Zealand with more than just fond memories of her short trip here from Scotland.

She will take home the 2014 Port of Tauranga Half elite women's title after her comprehensive victory by more than five minutes over Amelia Rose Watkinson (Auckland) and Candice Hammond (Cambridge), with her old friend Jo Lawn back in fourth.

Mount Maunganui's Michelle Bremer put in a top performance to finish fifth.

But it was the wee lassie from Scotland who took the kudos after her fine performance.

"It is a really special way to start the new triathlon season," Morrison said. "It is so early in the year so it is great to have a good, solid performance. It was a great crowd out there and it was really motivational.

"It is always a big unknown to race the first race of the season. It doesn't matter who you are, it gave me a few pointers and I think I can be very happy with the performance.

"The Mount was the toughest part because it is not even underfoot but you need to keep it steady and don't over exert yourself. The run was definitely the strongest leg for me. I am never very confident about my swim but I wasn't too far behind Sam [Warriner] and Jo [Lawn] so I have to take the positives from that."

Morrison, who used to live in Wellington, finished an agonising 34 seconds outside Sam Warriner's 2009 race record. Warriner had earlier withdrawn to protect her injured hamstring, having led out of the swim and for most of the bike.

Perhaps Morrison may have broken the course record if she had not taken so long through the second transition putting on socks for the run that takes the athletes twice around the base of the Mount.

"My feet are very comfortable - I definitely don't have blisters.

"I just wanted to take the run as comfortable as possible and build on it, the second time around the Mount I tried to push quite hard, I knew I was close to the course record because someone yelled it at me but I had no idea as to how close so I just pushed to the line."