Teen star makes great escape

Palmerston North schoolboy triathlete Jake Jackson-Grammer continues to find Wanganui courses to his liking - even the brand new ones - after winning the inaugural Escape from Kaitoke on Sunday.

Held in the looming shadow of Wanganui Prison, the triathlon was held in brisk morning conditions at the end of daylight saving, with around 31 individual competitors and 11 teams of two to three people.

Hitting the water at Pauri Lake, the athletes on the short course had the option of either a 400m swim or 1km kayak leg, followed by 7km on the mountain bike and a 2.5km run through Harakeke Forest to the finish line.

Those on the ultimate long course did double going around the lake twice for a 750m swim, followed by 14km on the bike and a 5km run.

Wanganui Multisport and Triathlon Club spokeswoman Melina Holmes predicted the fastest competitors would be finishing close to the one hour mark, with a number of members from the co-organising Wanganui Mountain Bike Club in the team's event.

In the end, the men's race could not have been closer as the top three all finished within two minutes of each other.

Jackson-Grammer took out line honours in one hour, 18.33 minutes.

The 17-year-old New Zealand junior representative, who won the AFFCO triathlon in Wanganui last month, is continuing his buildup to the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in London in September.

Ironically for an event whose name is a pun on a prison break, it was Wanganui policeman Jason Page who was the first local home finishing a close second to Jackson-Grammer in 1 hour, 18.48 minutes. Ross Rainham chased home third behind the two front-runners, with a time of 1 hour, 20.33 minutes.

First woman home was Rosie Rochester (1.46:34) while "Team Jimmy Hildreth" took out their event in a respectable 1.11:24.

The first home from the multisport athletes who chose the kayak option with the bike and run was Ashley Christie in 1.22:40.

For the short course competitors, winner Adam Martin put in a very smart time of 34.36 minutes, while Phoebe Cromar (39.54) was the first woman home and "Team Lockie" (37.31) won their race.

Organisers hope to make the Escape an annual event.