NEWS

Australia sweeps gold at Oceania Championships

By Erin Greene | 09 Mar, 2013

Australia took top honours at the 2013 Oceania Championships in Wellington when Felicity Abram scored gold and Peter Kerr earned his second Oceania title of the year.

Maddison Allen (AUS) gained an early advantage on the swim, but her lead ended quickly when she crashed just passed the transition exit. Though Allen was ready to race on, her bike was damaged in the fall forcing her to withdrawal from the race.

Kate Mcllroy (NZL) took advantage of the opportunity to make a move on the bike, securing nearly a minute lead midway through the 40km bike. But with no help at the front, Mcllroy slowed to join the chase group by the end of the bike.

With McIllroy in her sites at the second transition, Abram quickly put a plan in place to power ahead on the run, leaving the Kiwi and fellow Aussie Grace Musgrove to claim the win. Mcllroy secured silver and her first national title on home soil in 2:05:07. Musgrove rounded out the top three 12 seconds later.

“I guess I quietly put some pressure on myself today, I was racing for my Uncle (Peter Abram) who is back home very sick with lung and brain cancer and I said I would race and do my best to win for him today, I said I would do anything to spur him on back home. I wasn’t planning on racing this early in the season though so to blow the cobwebs out I am quite satisfied,” Abram said.

A similar fate to Allen befell Ryan Sissons (NZL), as he too was forced to pull out of the race. But the race for the home country favourite was over before it began when he cut his foot during warm-up and headed for stitches in lieu of the start line.

With Sissons missing, Kerr seized the opportunity to claim his second Oceania Championship title, becoming both the sprint and Olympic-distance king with a stellar final kilometer on the run.

Tony Dodds (NZL) and Aaron Royle (AUS) were in the lead pack challenging Kerr for the continental title, but it was Royle who took silver, leaving Dodds with bronze as well as a national title.

“I love it, when you win it is satisfying, I am going into races with a different attitude to be at the pointy end and then that isn’t good enough, I want to be top five and take out races which isn’t as easy as it sounds but at the moment I am in great form and proud to be Oceania Champion,” said Kerr.

With files from New Zealand Triathlon

Related Event: 2013 Wellington OTU Triathlon Oceania Championships
09 Mar, 2013 • event pageall results
Results: U23 Women
1. Simone Ackermann RSA 02:05:59
2. Sophie Corbidge NZL 02:06:36
3. Gillian Backhouse AUS 02:08:06
4. Rebecca Kingsford NZL 02:08:28
5. Laura Wood NZL 02:15:28
6. Deborah Lynch NZL 02:16:24
7. Nicole Mitchell NZL 02:16:34
8. India Kraal NZL 02:20:22
9. Martina Fellmann NZL 02:24:31
10. Danielle Parkinson NZL 02:27:18
Results: U23 Men
1. Robert Huisman NZL 01:55:07
2. Harrison Dean NZL 01:55:30
3. Cameron Todd NZL 01:55:39
4. Mike Phillips NZL 01:56:11
5. Sam Osborne NZL 01:56:14
6. Sascha Bondarenko-Edwards AUS 01:56:50
7. Sam Franklin NZL 01:56:53
8. Cooper Rand NZL 01:57:10
9. Aaron Barclay NZL 01:57:16
10. Matt Franklin NZL 01:59:24
Results: Elite Women
1. Felicity Abram AUS 02:04:56
2. Kate Mcilroy NZL 02:05:08
3. Grace Musgrove AUS 02:05:20
4. Natalie Van Coevorden AUS 02:05:59
5. Charlotte McShane AUS 02:07:13
6. Samantha Warriner NZL 02:07:52
7. Anneke Jenkins NZL 02:11:21
8. Ellie Salthouse AUS 02:12:13
9. Rebecca Clarke NZL 02:12:57
10. Chloe Turner AUS 02:14:38
Results: Elite Men
1. Peter Kerr AUS 01:51:28
2. Aaron Royle AUS 01:51:32
3. Tony Dodds NZL 01:52:01
4. Bryce Mcmaster AUS 01:52:06
5. Ryan Bailie AUS 01:52:32
6. Clark Ellice NZL 01:52:52
7. Martin Van Barneveld NZL 01:52:57
8. Taylor Cecil AUS 01:53:06
9. Nick Kastelein AUS 01:53:22
10. Mitchell Kealey AUS 01:53:35
Results: Para Triathlon Female TRI-5
1. Kate Horan NZL 01:35:56
Results: Para Triathlon Male TRI-3
1. Nick Ruane NZL 01:39:36