Podium finish a 'massive boost'

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

TAYLER Reid says his third placing in the elite division of the ITU World Cup race in the Czech Republic at the weekend has given him a “massive boost” going into his next world championship event in Rotterdam.

“Up until this point my entire European campaign (training and competing) had just been frustrating,” said Reid, whose next race is in two weeks.

“I’d been working hard and had had the privilege of training with some of the highest-calibre athletes in the sport, in Jaime Turner’s Wollongong Wizards triathlon squad.

“I’ve learned so much from being able to train in this environment. But none of my other races paid dividends for all the work I’d been putting in.

“It was frustrating and hard to take — crossing the finish line on four occasions and not understanding why I was unable to perform to the level I believe I’m capable of.

“Finally the work paid off in Karlovy Vary.

“I put together one of my best races ever at the right end of the season, with the cup coming up in South Korea in October.”

“After a poor start to the swim, I worked my way through the bunches up to second when I exited the water.

“The start of the bike was a crucial part of the race. Four others and I hammered the start of the bike, which took us from the lake right into the centre of town and on to the toughest bike course I’ve ever done.

“The five of us worked well together. Everyone put in their fair share of the work to establish a strong lead on the rest of the field going into the run.

“I tried to tell myself, going into the run, to keep it controlled to begin with, which Stephen (Sheldrake, Reid’s coach) has told me to do.

“Too often in training and racing, I go out too hard and blow myself to pieces.

“It was hard to do when I was so close to the front and got a sniff of the possibility of winning. I was in the lead at one point in the early stages of the run.

“Around the seven-kilometre mark, with a kilometre to run, I dropped to fourth.

“I had to empty the tank and threw up three times. I was a mess, but looking back down the finishing straight and seeing that I had snatched my first world cup podium made it all worthwhile.

“It was such a rush to think that my family and everyone who supports me back home would probably be feeling the same.”

Reid said Sheldrake deserved credit for the podium finish.

“With the world champs having tough bike courses, Stephen has a put a lot of emphasis on bike sessions, without losing sight of continuing to work on my swim and run, and it paid off.

“Now it’s all about backing up with another good race in Rotterdam.”