Gisborne triathlete Tayler Reid played a significant role in the New Zealand triathlon team’s near-podium finish in the mixed-team relay at the World Triathlon Championship Series event in Montreal yesterday.
Reid, along with Hayden Wilde, Ainsley Thorpe and Nicole van der Kaay, were within striking distance of second or thirdas van der Kaay headed out on to the final run but ran a close fourth in a blistering and enthralling finale.
The race was won by France, with Great Britain second and the US third.
From the get-go, a podium finish looked a distinct possibility as Olympic medallist Wilde again demonstrated his top form, attacking from the front on the opening leg before handing to Thorpe. She held the team among the top four.
France went into a strong lead on the third leg, with Reid turning in a powerful and determined swim, cycle and run over the sprint course to give van der Kaay a chance to beat some of the sport’s top women athletes. Back in the sport after an injury absence, she was matching the top three until the world’s current top woman, UK’s Georgia Taylor-Brown swept past for a riveting finish.
