Hodges win Waverley Triathlon

THAT'S GOLD: The winners at the Waverley Triathlon. From left, Jack Hodges with son Fletcher, 1, Devon Kelly, Ben Plumtree, Ashton Mitchell and Piper Neil. PHOTOS/JARED SMITH 210215WCJSTRI03

THE Waverley Triathlon will be back for another year after the numbers competing at the weekend were larger than the inaugural race in 2014.

There were 65 competitors for the swim of Waverley Pool, bike ride through the township and then jog around the Dallison Park grounds on Saturday morning, compared to 58 last year. It even included a couple of 5-year-olds given permission to take part in the 8-12 year category.

The free-entry multisport race is the brainchild of local teenager Abbey Luff, who told the gathered crowd at the finish as they gave out spot prizes that she will keep running the event so long as the demand was there.

Starting at 9am, the competitors swam 1-2 lengths of the pool, depending on their age group, then transitioned over to the park to get on their bikes and ride out to one of the three course boundaries on Fookes St, Gloag St or Swinbourne St.

They then returned to the home of the Border Rugby Club to run around the outskirts of the field to the finish line.

Steelform Wanganui representative prop Kamipeli Latu was one of five Border players taking part.

"It's good pre-season training for the boys," he said.

For the second year in a row, the Hodges team took out the teams race with Jack Hodges and Devon Kelly the first combined group home.

Hawera's Ben Plumtree won the Open individual race, while Ashton Mitchell, 9, won the 8-12 year section and Piper Neil, 13, took out the 13-17 year grade.