Hammond wins race at fourth attempt

Candice Hammond passes a team competitor during the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Taupo Half Ironman on Saturday. Photo/Supplied

Former Wanganui professional ironwoman Candice Hammond made it fourth time lucky at the fourth annual Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Taupo Half Ironman on Saturday.

The Cambridge-domiciled Hammond won the elite women's division in a time of 4h 25m 40s, finishing just one minute outside the record set by Whangarei's Samantha Warriner in 2011, who withdrew from competing on the day this year.

It still proved a comfortable winning margin as Hammond was over 12 minutes ahead of Auckland competitors Hannah Lawrence and Amelia Watkinson.

Watched by proud mum Barb Hammond, stalwart of Aramoho Wanganui Rowing Club, Candice Hammond was sitting in sixth spot out of the seven elite athletes after the 2km swim, completed in 32.47 minutes. However, she clocked a great 2h 26m 2s time on a Trek Bike during the 90km ride to move up to second behind Watkinson.

Hammond then transitioned well onto the 21km run to the finish along the water front passing the Aucklander to complete the last section in 1h 21m 51s.

A former New Zealand representative rower like her brother Ben Hammond, the 29-year-old Candice Hammond said she had remained focused despite being three minutes behind coming out of the water.

"I'm trying to work quite hard on my swimming but it is taking me a long time to get it right.

"I try to keep it positive in my mind and just focus on the bike and the run," she said. "It is the fourth time I've raced here and I really wanted to win one so I'm really stoked, it means a lot to me."

The part-time sheep farm worker in Cambridge has a full schedule of racing ahead as she will enter the Tauranga Half Ironman, Challenge Wanaka, Wells New Plymouth, Ironman NZ and then Cairns.

Lawrence, who was also runnerup in 2010, had made a good comeback after being fifth in the Taupo event in 2012.

"It was a little rough on the first lap of the run but I kept it under control and I tried to bring it home a lot stronger on the last lap and thankfully the legs came around."

Having led through two sections before being run down, Watkinson congratulated both Hammond and Lawrence.

"I had a good swim, I managed to get my own space at the start right through to the end.

"I possibly biked a little bit hard and I cramped in the bum muscles by the time I got to the run."

The men's section was won by Hamilton's Graham O'Grady in 4:00.28, defending his title from 2012.

Barb Hammond said her daughter was not the only Wanganui person to enjoy success. "Allan Luff, a master cyclist and team event participant, missed in trying to chase Candice down but came away with a spot prize instead."