Podium spot a fine show by Hammond

For the second year in a row ex-pat Wanganui athlete Candice Hammond, seen here competing last year, was third at the Ironman New Zealand in Taupo on Saturday. Photo/File

For former Wanganui ironwoman Candice Hammond, there is no shame in finishing behind the best in the world.

On Saturday Hammond came third in the women's division of the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand in Taupo, behind record-shattering American Meredith Kessler and top New Zealand competitor Gina Crawford in an identical one-two-three placing to the 2013 event.

Kessler's time of 9h 08m 45s took nearly six minutes off the women's course record to clinch her third straight New Zealand title.

Crawford came home just over seven minutes later, with the now-Cambridge based Hammond finishing in 9h 30m 03s.

Both the winner and runner-up had improved their times by more than five minutes from last year.

Hammond had been pleased with her swim but wanted a slightly better effort during the bike leg.

During the running section, she had hit the wall and while delighted to complete the event by 10 minutes above the three-hour mark, she was also content to realise Kessler and Crawford could not be caught by that stage.

"My goal is always to make the top five and in ironman if you're off just a little bit, it can be a chunk of time at the end of the day.

"On the run ... I was already at my limit and I think [Kessler] was 12 minutes ahead of me then.

"I watch these girls compete all the time and they're supposed to have top tens at the world championships ... I'm so lucky to have the chance to race them in New Zealand. Gina is such a giving athlete."

Hammond felt her legs were not quite as strong as she needed after the swim, the result of having entered two events in the buildup to Taupo including winning the women's section of the Challenge Wanaka Half Ironman in mid-January, where she defeated Crawford for the first time at that event.

Although normally opposed to the concept of "drafting" on the bike where riders group together and take turns leading for wind resistance on Saturday Hammond did team up with Australian-based triathlete Michelle Bremer.

On her Ron and Bevan Cheatley-provided Trek bike, she and Bremer covered the first 90km together to give themselves a chance of catching Kessler and Crawford.

"It was so much fun to work with another athlete."

However, none were likely to run down Kessler, who had seized control from the outset after a brilliant swim where she had the ninth fastest time of the day - including the male entrants.

Despite a brief mishap with her bike chain costing her a couple of minutes, a very strong run had her home 5m 50s under the old record.

"The bike was tough but the main goal of the day was not to come home in the run feeling like I was in a coffin," she said.

"It was my best marathon for two years and I can use this as a stepping stone for Kona [world championships].

"To put together this performance on the 30th anniversary of the race, I'm really grateful."

Crawford's 9h 15m 52s time was still the third fastest by a woman in the history of the race.

"Sometimes you do well and it is only good enough for second and today was one of those days," she said.

Having trained for and competed in five half ironmans and two ironman-distance events since November, Hammond is taking a well earned break this month. She will begin preparations for Ironman Cairns,in mid-year.

In the men's race at Taupo, Estonia's Marko Albert improved on his 2013 runner-up placing to win the title in an impressive 8h 17m 32s second fastest time in the event's history ahead of 10-time champion Cameron Brown.