Young Northlander prominent at finish

Northland's Simone Ackerman signalled her potential when she finished second in the elite under-23 age group at the ITU Oceania Triathlon Championships in Wellington on Saturday.
The event also doubled as the New Zealand Triathlon Championships.
With Auckland City hosting next year's Dextro Energy ITU World Champs Series Grand Final, this year is an all-important building year for the 21-year-old who is now living in Auckland and training under coach Steve Farrell at North Harbour Tri Club.
"That's the big goal for next year - what I will be aiming for. I was aiming to peak for nationals this season - and I have a World Cup race in Mooloolaba in two weeks time - and after that, I will play it be ear as to what events I will enter in," she said.
Although pleased with her effort at Saturday's nationals, Ackerman said there were parts of her race which did not go to plan, and she would be working to improve these before Mooloolaba.
"I wasn't thrilled but I wasn't disappointed either. I had a really good swim which I was happy with, but the bike let me down a bit - the run felt okay."
Ackerman crossed the finish line in 2h 11m 41s - three minutes behind Tirau's Rebecca Kingsford, and a minute in front of Southland's Penny Hayes.
The small Northland contingent who travelled to the event experienced success in their respective age groups. Mike Gowing won gold in the 50-54 year men, while Mike Hardiman was second in the 40-44 year men.
Brent Lewis was third in the 20-24 year men, racing in his first national event. In the elite men's race Palmerston North's Kris Gemmell went back to back at the ITU Oceania Triathlon Championships. But unlike last year when pipped by Frenchman Laurent Vidal (ineligible to win the Oceania title), the glory and the finish tape was all Gemmell's as he won outright from Australian Aaron Royle and Kiwi Ryan Sissons who claimed the under-23 title in coming home third overall.
Gemmell led virtually the entire way, making his break well before the finish line and cruising home to the cheers of the large crowd.
Royle was the best of the big Australian contingent in second followed home by Sissons who ran superbly but was left once again to rue a poor swim.
In the women's race, Great Britain's Vicky Holland continued her love affair with New Zealand this summer, taking out the final round of the Contact Tri Series in Wellington. The race also carried New Zealand championship status and ITU Oceania Championships but the British triathlete wasn't eligible for either honour.
She was up for the prize money and the prestige breaking away from doughty Czech Republic triathlete Vendula Frintova to win by eight seconds, backing up from her Takapuna victory last month.
Australian triathlete Ashleigh Gentle ran strongly for third place and the Oceania title. Best of the Kiwis was 20-year-old Kingsford as she upstaged her more experienced rivals - she placed sixth overall - along with winning the Under-23 Oceania title.