Silver laden day for Kiwis at ITU World Cup

Kiwi triathletes Sam Ward (left) and Nicole van der Kaay celebrate their second place finishes at the Quality Hotel Plymouth International Triathlon World Cup. Photo / Scotty Taylor/ITU

The next generation of Kiwi triathletes put their hands up in a big way at the Quality Hotel Plymouth International Triathlon World Cup, with Taupo's Nicole van der Kaay and Auckland's Sam Ward collecting silver medals.

While the gold medals went to American Kirsten Kasper and Australian Declan Wilson on Sunday, the biggest cheers were reserved for the young Kiwis, with 22-year-old van der Kaay well and truly stepping out of the shadow of Andrea Hewitt with her first World Cup podium while Ward backed up after a fourth place finish at the Mooloolaba World Cup a fortnight ago.

The women's race was played out to a background of rain showers which made the technical bike course dangerous to take risks on, with Australian Emma Jeffcoat the highest profile casualty, falling on the hairpin turn heading into transition, the Mooloolaba winner would soldier on but finish off the pace.

Kasper was first out of the water and often on the front during the bike leg, toying with a solo breakaway before being reeled in by a chase pack that included van der Kaay, Hewitt and fellow Kiwis Sophie Corbidge and Elise Salt.

Once on to the run it was a head to head battle between the American and the young Kiwi, with van der Kaay sticking to the heels of Kasper throughout, only fading in the final 200m as the experienced American powered to the win.

"It was awesome, the support on home soil, I can't thank them enough, the cheering the whole way around was amazing. This is an incredible breakthrough for me, this past year I have been around the fourth, fifth and sixth area so it is awesome to crack the podium and do it here on home soil," van der Kaay said.

The Taupo athlete credited her coach with instilling the belief in her ahead of the race, one that sees her head to the Commonwealth Games full of confidence.

"My coach gave me a few tips, said be aggressive and believe in myself, I just went for it, it was awesome to be able to run with her. It was an epic final hit out, 10 days now before the Commonwealth Games so this is a huge boost for sure," she said.

Wilson was a popular winner of the men's race, one that had numerous different scenarios playing out, with Kiwi Tayler Reid leading out of the water. The Gisborne athlete did not have sufficient support early in the bike however, and his lead group of four were quickly swallowed up by the chasers forming a large lead group.

Australia's Ryan Baillie then risked it all, clearing out on the final lap to establish a 15 second lead on to the run, but he was quickly reeled in by Wilson, before a huge scrap developed for the silver and bronze medals, with Ward spectacularly sprinting to silver, leaving American Matt McElroy with another bronze to add to the silver he collected here last year.

"I was super hungry after coming fourth two weeks ago in Mooloolaba, I think the crowd was the difference on a day like today and powered me home to second place," Ward said.

"I was just trying to save myself, I was hurting but just sticking to them and saving myself for that one sprint. That helped me out with the others being a bit indecisive with their attacks, but the home crowd got me home definitely.

"Conditions were perfect, couldn't have asked for better in the 'Naki, the bike was tough and technical, and the run was just awesome, a highlight of my career, second in a World Cup at home, there is nothing better so far for sure."

Quality Hotel Plymouth International ITU World Cup
Sprint 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run

Men:

Gold: Declan Wilson, Australia, 58m 20s
Silver: Sam Ward, New Zealand, 58m 22s
Bronze: Matt McElroy, USA, 58m 24s

Women:

Gold: Kirsten Kasper, USA, 1h 03m 20s
Silver: Nicole van der Kaay, New Zealand, 1h 03m 28s
Bronze: Claire Michel, Belgium, 1h 03m 37s