Triathlon: Triumphant return for Naomi Fergusson

TRIUMPHANT RETURN: Naomi Fergusson and her baby, Zara, after the weekend's triathlon. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Naomi Fergusson proved it is possible to be a mother and a triathlete at the weekend's Shed 2 Triathlon and Duathlon Series.

Five months after having her first child, Fergusson returned to the sport, winning the open women's age-group title in the Avanti Plus Hastings Triathlon (750m swim, 21km cycle, 4.5km run).

The former New Zealand representative completed the course in 1h 10m 12s.

The fastest woman on the course was Tri Hawke's Bay Youth squad member Eva Goodisson, 16, who continued her strong season with a time of 1h 7m 28s. That was almost a minute faster than she recorded last month.

Triathlon Hawke's Bay development manager Brendon Lodge said Goodisson had come a long way since starting out in the Ironkids Triathlon Series.

Women's team Cutta Time (Bridget Lodge and Ni'ia Hothersall) just beat Goodisson in 1h 6m 30s.

Veteran Jamie Campbell was the fastest man in 59m 51s with Brent Healy (Open) next in clocking 1h 2s.

Karen Toulmin is proving to be a natural with several wins in her first competitive season. She was the first woman home in the Courier Post Triathlon (1300m swim, 40km cycle, 9km run) in a time of 2h 17m 30s. Tracey Chatterton was second in 2h 20m 22s.

Mike Bond posted 2h 3m 5s to win the men's race. Former Hawke's Bay Magpies captain Michael Johnson was runner-up in 2h 8m 56s.

Jeremy Natusch did not let an injury slow him down. With the help of runner Michael Lasko, Natusch completed the course in a team in 2h 5m 24s.

The juniors were the strongest in the Swim Gym short-course triathlon (200m swim, 14km cycle, 2km run). Lachlan Cairns made short work of winning, in just 33m 27s while Sophie Hogan was the quickest woman home in 41m 33s.

Lodge said entries were the highest seen in five years.