KERRS HOUR OF FUN AND EXCITEMENT EARNS NATIONAL TITLE

Posted in Other News

Triathlon, February 10, 2013: Local hero Peter Kerr turned “an hour of fun and excitement” into one of his proudest moments when he was crowned the Australian champion in the URBAN Geelong ITU Sprint Triathlon Oceania Cup events yesterday.

The 24-year-old is enjoying a turnaround in his career and the fruits of a lot of hard work as he sets himself for the best season of his career.

And for last year’s Noosa Triathlon winner there was no better way to start than with a stirring performance in front of his home town crowd.

Kerr crossed the line in third place overall behind internationals Gregory Rouault (France) and two-time New Zealand champion Tony Dodds over the picturesque 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run course in and around the streets he rides every day.

But being the first Australian rewarded him with his first National Championship gold medal ahead of the fast finishing Cameron Good and rising star Jacob Birtwhistle.

“I would have liked to win the race overall but the two guys ahead of me are absolute talents so I am wrapped to have come third up against them,” said Kerr.

“My race went to plan. I would have liked to stuck with the leaders for a bit longer but I am happy with my result - sprint racing is fantastic, it is one of the absolute ultimates of the sport. It is an hour of fun and excitement.

“I was a bit flat in the swim. I probably would have liked to start a bit better but it did roll and got a good position by coming third out of the water.

“My strength is going to be where it wants to be in the running so it’s all about conserving so to be in that lead group, minus the breakaway, that’s where I wanted to be.

“On the bike, the guys up ahead were riding super. It was a challenge, for me it was all about conserving, making sure anyone that was clipping wheels I am away from. I did have someone in the first two kilometers clip my wheel and he went straight into the fence and thankfully I didn’t go with him.”

Kerr said his current form is testament to the hard work he has put in. “It’s payback for hard work, it never tastes sweeter. I am very happy to have the title.

“It was amazing to be racing in front of my home crowd too. It was amazing. I have never had the support before, coming down to the turn just near the finish, it was just phenomenal. It doesn’t feel better."

Rouault, Dodds and Kerr were happy to play the waiting game after brave Victorian youngster Marcel Walkington tried to steal the race off the front in the early stages of the run.

Walkington and fellow Australians Troy Main and Ben Anderson came together for the final stages of the bike after Walkington powered away in the early laps.

But when it came to the business end of the helter-skelter five kilometre run it was experience that told with the internationals powering away with Kerr in hot pursuit.

Rouault, from Poissy on the outskirts of Paris, admitted he is not a fantastic swimmer but with the pressure on he came out alongside the leaders after the 750m swim.

“I just joined the Darren Smith group in Canberra and we have been working on lots of different things so this race was good to check in and see how everything was going,” said Rouault.

“Obviously the swim is moving forward so I am happy with that and I haven’t worked much on the bike and run so I am excited about that.

“I just sat there on the bike and waited for the run and controlled a bit of the run and picked it up and I knew Tony (Dodds) would be part of the chase group so I pulled back a bit before I made my move.

“Peter (Kerr) was behind too so I had to watch out but I am happy with today’s result.”

In the end it was Rouault in 55 minutes 33 seconds who held on to beat Dodds (55.46) and Kerr (55.54) just holding on down the long Geelong straight to take third and the Australian Championship.

But his floundering legs only just managed to get the popular local boy across the line ahead of fast-finishing fellow Australians, Good (55.55) and Launceston’s Jacob Birtwhistle (55.55), who were awarded the silver and bronze medals respectively in the Australian Championships.

Birtwhistle, 17, the recently crowned Australian Youth Olympic Festival champion, looked to be spent with a lap to go on the run but dug deep to surge home.

“I felt like I was gone with a lap to run and then I found something in the final sprint to the line although I probably went a little too soon, not realising just how long the straight was – but they’re the things you learn,” said Birtwhistle, who was also crowned the Australian under 23 champion.

“But to come here and get on the podium in my first open elite race is pretty awesome,” said Birtwhistle.

Issued on behalf of Triathlon Australia by

Ian Hanson

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