AUSSIES PETER KERR AND FELICITY ABRAM STRIKE OCEANIA TRIATHLON GOLD

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Triathlon Australia, March 9, 2013: “man of the moment” Peter Kerr and a rejuvenated and determined Felicity Abram have taken major honours for Australia at the 2013 ITU Oceania Triathlon championships in Wellington today winning the elite categories in cool, overcast and blustery conditions.

Abram, at 26, who has her sights set on a four-year plan to make a long-awaited Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, dedicated her victory to her sick uncle in Australia.

“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,” said Abram, one of the most experienced racers in the field,” Abram said.

“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.”

And for Kerr it is another notch in what has been an impressive and consistent break through since his big win at the Noosa Triathlon late last year.

He went to Geelong where he was crowned Australian Sprint Champion and then he added another victory a fortnight ago, chalking up another win for the new generation of Australian men at the OTU Oceania Sprint Championship in Devonport.

“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 (when) 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.

In the women’s race, just like in Devonport, it was Queenslander Maddison Allen who led a large group out of the 1500m swim, only to crash on making her exit from transition.

Allen picked herself up and was ready to continue; only to discover that the derailleur on her bike had smashed, leaving her distraught on the sidelines as the field rushed by.

New Zealander Kate McIlroy (Wellington) was the only one to mix it up on the bike, establishing a lead of close to one minute midway through the 40km, with no one prepared to go with the world number 10 however, she was forced to sit up and wait for the chase group to catch.

The lead group then settled in to their work, with all the pre-race favourites amongst it, including former world champion Sam Warriner, making her first appearance at elite level since the birth of her first child.

Once on to the run however it was Abram who had the greater desire, pulling clear of McIlroy with Grace Musgrove (Aus) early and maintaining that advantage through to the finish line.

It was another step forward for Musgrove from Jamie Turner’s young Wollongong squad who emerged in Geelong, where she won the Australian Sprint title, who is going places, with her training partners Natalie van Coevorden (AUS) and Charlotte McShane (AUS) who were fourth and fifth respectively.

But it was Abram who was impressed with the organisational skills of one of the more experienced athletes in the field.

“Sam (Warriner) was playing ‘Aunty Sam’ on the bike which was good, keeping everyone in line and taking their turn. It is hard in a season opening race to go hard so I ran my own race and built into it. It is great to be Oceania Champion and to start the season so well,” said Abram

McIlroy reflected on a mixed day for her.

“It was a physical swim, I almost had my wetsuit pulled own and had to stop to sort it out, but ended up with a good swim. I tried to go on the bike, it was a shame no one went with me so I sat up and rode with the group which was a bit frustrating but I gave it a shot. On the run I paid a price for going out on the bike as I did but I tweaked my ankle a few weeks ago and had missed some running in training so to be honest I am happy with my race today.

“It is nice to be first Kiwi and pick up my first national triathlon title over the standard distance, so yeah, it is pretty special.”

In the men’s race disaster struck favourite and 2012 Olympian Ryan Sissons (Auckland) as he exited the water from his warm up as the world number 19 stood on glass in the shallow water and cut his foot, removing him immediately from the action as he headed for stitches and at least a week off running, not what the doctor ordered a month out from the opening ITU World Championship Series race in Auckland.

That opened the race for the others and it was Kerr who took the opportunity, running away from ITU World Under 23 champion Aaron Royle (AUS) and Kiwi Tony Dodds (Wanaka) in the final kilometre to pick up an Oceania title.

“There was cat and mouse on the run, the pace was up and down, I knew it would be a tough ten kilometres today and it was a case of reading those attacks and surges and when I went at the end I had to stay focused, listen to the crowd to gauge where they were behind me and not look back. It paid off knowing I had a couple of attacks left in me at the end, I am thrilled, really happy,” said Kerr.

Dodds was not sure whether to be happy with a national title, knowing that he was behind a couple of Aussies.

“The swim felt alright but I am just not quite strong enough in all three disciplines and we will work on that before Auckland next month,” said Dodds.

“I am pleased with my mental strength today to bridge back up to the leaders when they dropped me on the run. I’m stoked to become national champion for sure, there is stuff to work on obviously but today wasn’t too bad.

“I felt for Ryan today not starting today, he is great form and I know he will show that in Auckland. We will train together at Snow Farm now before Auckland, we saw today what happens when a couple of Aussies work together, it is now up to Ryan and I to do the same, work hard and bring some of that to Auckland.”

ITU Oceania Triathlon Championships, Olympic Distance (1.5km; 40km; 10km):
Elite Men
1 Peter Kerr (AUS) 1:51:27
2 Aaron Royle (AUS) 1:51:31
3 Tony Dodds (NZL) 1:52:00
4 Bryce McMaster (NZL) 1:52:05
5 Ryan Bailie (AUS) 1:52:31

Elite Women
1 Felicity Abram (AUS) 2:05:55
2 Kate McIlroy (NZL) 2:05:07
3 Grace Musgrove (AUS) 2:05:19
4 Natalie van Coevorden (AUS) 2:05:58
5 Charlotte McShane (AUS) 2:07:12

U19 Women (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run)
1 Mikayla Nielsen (NZL) 1:04:56
2 Jaz Hedgeland (AUS) 1:06:15
3 Jaimee Leader (NZL) 1:06:24
4 Nicole van Der Kaay(NZL) 1:06:39
5 Holly Grice (AUS) 1:06.47

U19 Men
1 Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 58:46
2 Luke Willian (AUS) 58:49
3 Joel Tobin White (AUS) 59:26
4 Matt Baker (AUS) 59.42
5 Daniel Coleman (AUS) 59.45

U23 Women (1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run)
1 Simone Ackermann (NZL) 2:05:58
2 Sophie Corbidge (NZL) 2:06:35
3 Gillian Backhouse (AUS) 2:08:05
4 Rebecca Kingsford (NZL) 2:08:27
5 Laura Wood (NZL) 2:15:27

U23 Men
1 Robert Huisman (NZL) 1:55:06
2 Harrison Dean (NZL) 1:55:29
3 Cameron Todd (NZL) 1:55:38
4 Mike Phillips (NZL) 1:56:10
5 Sam Osborne (NZL) 1:56:13

Issued on behalf of Triathlon Australia
with thanks to Andrew Dewhurst (Tri New Zealand) for supplying OTU Media Release and results.
Photo Credit: Mike Heydon/Tri NZ

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Ian Hanson