Multisport: Carter happy with early form

Olympic triathlon champion Hamish Carter was delighted with his second placing in the Escape from Alcatraz event in San Francisco today.

Carter finished 70m behind current ITU World No 1 Hunter Kemper (United States) who had broken clear on the bike with Australian Craig Walton.

Another New Zealander, Kris Gemmell, finished fourth while Ironman New Zealand champion Joanna Lawn was seventh in the women's race.

The Alcatraz triathlon consists 2.5km swim in the icy waters off the infamous prison island, a 2km transition run, 30km hilly bike leg and 13km run including a gruelling climb up 400 sand steps.

Carter, who said the race proved brutal, was delighted with his effort.

"It's just my second race of the season and I am far from race fit so that was really encouraging, much better than I expected," he said.

Carter and his family have based themselves in Canada so the Athens golf medallist can compete in some American triathlons to prepare for September's world championships in Japan.

"The water in the swim was so cold. I've been swimming really well and led for a while but Hunter came through with Craig Walton.

"I didn't really feel that comfortable on the bike because I was still so cold. It was hilly and quite technical although relatively short."

Carter was two minutes behind Kemper and Walton off the bike but quickly hauled in the Australian and had the American in his sights at the finish.

Another American, Andy Potts, caught Carter with 500m remaining but Carter produced a final spurt to hold him off for second place.

"It is such a different race to what I've been doing. It was a lot of fun but so brutally tough. My body is so sore now. I am pleased with my strength and really pleased that I've come over to do races like this.

"I know I am on the right track although I've got a lot of work to do in the next four weeks."

Carter's next race will be the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon, which pits women against men on a handicap basis for US$500,000 ($716,500) prizemoney.

Meanwhile, Taupo triathletes Bryan Rhodes and Fiona Docherty finished third and fourth respectively in the Blackwater Half Ironman in Maryland, US.

Rhodes was first out of the water but was passed on the bike in the half Ironman event through the Blackwater National Park, won by Australia's Luke Bell.

Docherty, in her comeback race after a stress fracture forced her out of the New Zealand Ironman in March, had a strong performance to finish fourth in a fine field won by Ironman world champion Natascha Badmann.

* Results

Alcatraz triathlon:

Men: Hunter Kemper (USA) 2hr 04min 53sec, 1; Hamish Carter (NZL) 2:05.05, 2; Andy Potts (USA) 2:05.08, 3; Kris Gemmell (NZL) 2:05.33, 4.

Women: Susan Williams (USA) 2:20.09, 1; Barb Lindquist (USA) 2:21.26, 2; Samantha McGlone (CAN) 2:22.18, 3. Joanna Lawn (NZL) 2:29.44, 7.

Blackwater Triathlon Half Ironman:

Men: Luke Bell (AUS) 3:53.55, 1; Victor Zyemtsev (USA) 4:01.22, 2; Bryan Rhodes (NZL) 4:04.07, 3.

Women: Natascha Badmann (SWI) 4:21.00, 1; Desiree Ficher (USA) 4:24.16, 2; Miranda Carfrae (AUS) 4:25.25, 3; Fiona Docherty (NZL) 4:29.15, 4.

- NZPA