Xterra: Number proves lucky

Thirteen may be unlucky for some but not for Xterra athlete Renata Bucher.

Bucher dominated the elite women's division of this year's Paymark Xterra Rotorua Festival at Tikitapu (Blue Lake) at the weekend.

The Swiss athlete's race number was 13, it was raced on the 13th and it was also her 13th win in a xterra competition.

Bucher was too strong for her opponents finishing in a time of 2h 15m 27s almost 5 minutes ahead of the next finisher Australian Jacqui Slack 2h 20m 39s. Whakatane Olympian Karen Hanlen was third on 2h 23m 29s.

"I felt really good on the bike. I know I have to make time on the bike because all the girls run me down normally. So I tried to push [as] hard as possible."

The new champion said she no longer believed the myth about 13 being unlucky.

"Totally, today is the 13th of April, this is my 13th round win, it's a really good number."

Although it was Bucher's first time competing in Rotorua she was impressed with the event.

"For me it was always [a] big goal for me to come here, it was always on my list for a long, long time and I trained really hard to get here and peak for these races here. It's always really good when the hard work pays off and it's fantastic to win."

Bucher said she would love to return and defend her title.

"It's one of the best races in the world. I've raced already nine years and I can tell you it's a wonderful place."

Hanlen said she was happy to make the top three despite the fact she ran most of the run with blistered feet.

"I sort of had Oceania for mountain bikes so I had to put a bit of work in the swim and I was trying to survive it today," Hanlen said.

In the men's division, Australian Ben Allen became back to back champion, winning in a time of 2h 03m 25s ahead of Stuart Marais 2h 03m 44s and Rotorua's Oliy Shaw 2h 06m 14s.

"There was a lot of pressure on myself I suppose coming into this race being the defending champ. But I just tried to clear it out of my mind, resort back to the simple things and I think it paid off," Allen said.

Shaw who spent some time after the race vomiting said it had been a tough challenge and had been pushed hard by his cousin Sam Shaw who finished fourth in a time of 2h 08m 23s.

"I was pretty happy with my race, I had a pretty good bike ... I wasn't too far down like I was in Aussie last weekend.

"I had a good little battle with my cousin Sam and it was good to have him there as well."

One of the event stalwarts, Mark Leishman who was entered in the senior section decided the night before to enter the elite section and finished a creditable seventh.

Top five.-

Men: 1 Ben Allen 2h 03m 25s; 2 Stuart Marais 2h 03m 44s; 3 Oily Shaw 2h 06m 14s; 4 Sam Shaw 2h 08m 23s; 5 Joshua Kenyon.

Women: Renata Bucher 2h 15m 27s; 2 Jacqui Slack 2h 20m 39s; 3 Karen Hanlen 2h 23m 29s; 4 Carina Wasle 2h 24m 20s; 5 Sarah Backler 2h 24m 54s.