Overseas competitors dominated the first day of the Coast to Coast multisport race that set off from Kumara on the West Coast yesterday.
Welshman Aled Rees led the men's individual two-day event, and record-setting Danish brothers Preben and Carsten Jorgensen led the two-day teams.
Roxburgh orchardist Rowena Jeffrey repeated her effort of
last year to lead the women's two-day individuals following the 2.8km run from Kumara beach, 58km bike to Deception Footbridge and 26km mountain run over Goat Pass and the Mingha-Deception valley.
Rees handled the heat better than in his previous attempt at the event two years ago.
The 29-year-old teacher from Cardiff fought his way through the pack to lead by nine minutes from Christchurch's Alistair Cory-Wright and Neil Seales.
Rees, who did not know he was in front until near the end of the run, said paddling was his weakest discipline, so today would be a test.
Carsten Jorgensen, who has been living in Christchurch this summer, took three minutes off Hamish Hamilton's 1994 mountain-run record with a strong performance.
The Danish pair lead the Canterbury pairing of Mike Walker and Dougal Thorburn by more than 18 minutes.
Walker, 36, is an accomplished paddler and likely to haul in the Danish team, but the veteran pairing of Canterbury's Russell Prince and Bob Foster are only seven minutes behind.
Jeffrey has a 16-minute advantage over Wellington's Jan Hales. Rotorua policewoman Leonie Smith is third, a further six minutes behind.
Most attention will focus on today's one-day event, featuring six-time winner Steve Gurney, three-time champion John Jacoby, of Australia, and record-holder Keith Murray.
- NZPA
