Currie out of Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman NZ

Defending champion Braden Currie is out of Kelloggs Nutri-Grain IRONMAN New Zealand, withdrawing early on the 180km bike leg as the effects of a the flu made it impossible for the Wanaka athlete to be competitive and he reluctantly got off his bike and headed back to the transition area in Taupo.

Meanwhile the Pro fields are through the halfway mark on the bike leg, with a bunch of men in close attention to each other, with Dylan McNeice, Terenzo Bozzone, Joe Skipper, Mike Phillips, Guy Crawford and Lachlan Kerin all within striking distance of the lead, with 12 time champion Cameron Brown also within touching distance of the front of the field as they made their way through Taupo township at the end of their first lap.

Jocelyn McCauley has taken the lead in the womens race, the defending champion moving ahead of swim leader Teresa Adam late in the first lap, with Adam in second and Laura Siddall in third. New Zealander Indy Kraal is riding in fourth place, with Alise Selsmark (AUS) in fifth.

The race is playing out in perfect conditions, with the swim on a calm and still lake Taupo this morning, and now the early clouds are clearing and the temperatures warming up on a beautiful Taupo day.

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- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Triathlon New Zealand