Triathlon: Samuels and Millward victorious in Rotorua

Callum Millward went back-to-back in Rotorua and Nicky Samuels won on her first appearance at the first round of the Contact Triathlon Series at Blue Lake today (Sat).

The day dawned chilly and breezy but dry for competitors at the picturesque Blue Lake location but that didn't dampen the enthusiasm for the first of the seven-event nationwide series.

Interest in the race was heightened with its timing, coming just two weeks out from the ITU World Cup event in Auckland, with many participants looking for a solid hit-out to start their season.

ITU World Cup winner Samuels was one of them, racing Rotorua for the first time. The world No 29 led out of the water but only by the narrowest of margins from visiting American Rebecca Witnok-Huber, also tuning up for Auckland, with two-time Rotorua winner Maddy Brunton a minute further back.

But Samuels took charge of the race on the bike leg, clearing out to win by a large margin with Brunton coming through into second 8 minutes 28 seconds behind.

"I pushed it quite hard in training but, somehow, I managed to find my legs," Samuels said. "I didn't know how I would go this week after pushing it quite hard from the week before but, hopefully, this is a good sign that I have some form back for the start of the new season."

Samuels enjoyed the course, too - one she had never raced before.

"This is a fabulous course. It was amazing, especially the cycle loop which goes really fast with the descent and all the corners, it's a lot of fun. Then coming home on the run around the lake was fun. The hill was a grind but, once you get to the top, you can treat it like you are on a mountain bike and take a few jumps, look to miss the trees and tree roots. It's something we miss a bit in triathlon. It is good to have a little off-road stuff."

The men's race was a battle between Millward and Mark Bowstead throughout. The two exited the water side-by-side and headed out on to the run leg with Bowstead leading by just five seconds as the two half ironman experts pulled away from the rest of the field.

It was only on the second of the two laps around Blue Lake that Millward finally shook Bowstead from his tail, winning by 50 seconds.

"I knew I had to bust a gut to stay with Mark in the swim and on the bike," Millward said. "That is the race right there and last year he rode away from me, so I am stoked. Mark is a great swimmer.

"I'm working towards Tauranga [half ironman] again. My shift has been up to the half from the ITU distance events. These races are always a gauge to see where you are at and take on people like Mark. He is a class athlete with a lot of speed and intensity."

Promising local junior Sam Osborne made a late decision to race the shorter distance, winning the sprint distance race with ease. He finished 59 seconds ahead of Sam Ward with Josh Kenyon a further two seconds back in third.

Former Olympic and world championship rower Nathan Twaddle was another racing Rotorua as a teaser for Auckland. The 35-year-old finished 36th overall and third in his age group after a preparation affected by injuries to his shoulder and ankle.

The next race in the Contact Series is Whangamata on January 3 but the next big event on the calendar is the ITU World Cup meet in Auckland on November 20.