State Beach Series: Kent wins again

Stephen Kent won his fifth race of the series on Tuesday night. Photo Scott Taylor / Scottie T Photography

Flat, warm conditions greeted competitors in Race 9 of the State Beach Series on Takapuna Beach on Tuesday night.

The first race of the 2012 season saw the competition resume between Olympic hopeful Steven Kent and Shore youngster Jackson Cropp in the 1km ocean swim.

It was Kent who made short work of the calm conditions, despite the sun strike on the homeward leg, stroking out the distance in 10m:41s, ten seconds ahead of Cropp with Sean Newcombe nine seconds back in third. While Kent has a perfect record in the event (five from five), it's Cropp who leads overall.

Triathlete Terenzo Bozzone was home in sixth place as he builds up for the NZ Ironman in Taupo , the event he finished second in last year. Kirsty Wannan was a clear winner in the women's race.

Another Olympic hopeful Steven Ferguson was in good form as he comfortably headed home the field in the 5km Surf Ski race, 30s ahead of Oskar Stielau and Simon McLarin back in third. In the women's race Dene Simpson turned the tables on overall series leader Rachael Dodwell winning by over 30 seconds.

Tara La Grange, fresh from the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman took out the Women's 5km beach run to make it 9 from 9 while Nick Sutherland led the men's field home.

There was nothing in the 3km Stand Up Paddle where the intensively competitive Troy's, Huston and McAsey fought out first place, but it was Huston who held on to win by the smallest of margins, one second.

RESULTS:

Ocean Swim 1000/1500m - Male
1 KENT, Steven
2 CROPP, Jackson
3 NEWCOMBE, Sean

Ocean Swim 1000/1500m - Female
1 WANNAN, Kirsty
2 ROSEWARNE, Nicole
3 MCKENZIE, Danielle

Beach Run 5km - Male
1 SUTHERLAND, Nick
2 BENNETTS, Cam
3 EICHMANN, Adrian

Beach Run 5km - Female
1 LA GRANGE, Tara
2 RYAN, Lesley
3 BARBOUR, Geraldine

Surf Ski Paddle 5km - Male
1 FERGUSON, Steven
2 STIELAU, Oskar
3 MCLARIN, Simon

Surf Ski Paddle 5km - Female
1 SIMPSON, Dene
2 DODWELL, Rachael
3 MARK, Louise

Stand-Up Paddle 3km - Male
1 HUSTON, Troy
2 MCASEY, Troy
3 GOOCH, Bevan

Stand-Up Paddle 3km - Female
1 ALEH, Jo
2 SMITH, Stacey
3 STUART, Victoria

Board Paddle 3km - Male
1 MCKENZIE, Ben
2 DONNELL-BROWN, Nico
3 BRODERICK, Miles

Board Paddle 3km - Female
1 BORER, Jacinta

Junior Beach Run 2.5km - Male
1 ELLIOT, Luke
2 COYNE, Jackson
3 MUNNIK, Matthew

Junior Beach Run 2.5km - Female
1 CUNDY, Olivia
2 POPE, Symantha
3 HANRAHAN, Jaime

Junior Swim 300m - Male
1 ELLIOT, Aidan
2 GRIMWOOD, Will
3 BRAMLEY, Jackson

Junior Swim 300m - Female
1 BROOKE, Elle
2 HARROWER, Lauren
3 GAZE, Maddison