Emma Moffatt Donates $2000 Nepean Triathlon bonus to NSW Bushfire Appeal

Posted in Other News

Triathlon Australia, October 11, 2013: Holding off the boys in today’s Gulf Western Oil Nepean Triathlon at the Sydney International Regatta Centre netted dual Olympian Emma Moffatt a $2000 bonus but the money was quick to slip through her hands for a good cause.

Gentle-and-Moffatt-Nepean

The 29-year-old from the Gold Coast immediately donated the bonus payment to the NSW Bushfire Appeal.

A week ago Sydney’s bushfires threatened to cancel Australia’s oldest surviving triathlon staged at the foot of the Blue Mountains but the relentless work by the NSW emergency services teams not only saved hundreds of houses and properties but also allowed today’s race to go on for the 32^nd consecutive year.

Moffatt kept the cream of Australia’s male triathletes boys at bay in the unique “handicap” non-drafting format which saw the Elite men leave 10 minutes 59 seconds behind the women over the 1 kilometre swim, 30km bike, 10km run course.

In the end it was Moffatt who hung on to take Australia’s No 1 male ITU triathlete Aaron Royle by 2 minutes 55 seconds on handicap system which netted Moffatt a $2000 bonus from sponsor Gulf Western Oil.

“I’m from Queensland and watching the bush fires on the television was just devastating and to see the work the fire fighters did was just amazing,” said the Dual Olympian and former two-timeITU World Champion.

“The least I can do is donate my $2000 bonus to the NSW Bushfire Appeal to help out those people who lost everything in the fires.”

Moffatt charged to line to take the $14,000 winners cheque in the Elite Women’s race, managing to hold off the swift advances of Australia’s number one male Aaron Royle, who also collected the men’s $14,000 cheque.

Add the $1000 bonuses for the swim, bike and run and it was a $19,000 pay day for Moffatt with Royle pocketing $15,000 with his $1000 run bonus.

Both Moffatt and Royle are Australia’s first nominations to the Australian Commonwealth Games Association for next year’s Glasgow Games after their outstanding performances at this year’s ITU World Championships Grand Final in London.

“It was a bit of a different race for us, obviously not used to this style with the boys chasing you the whole time even if the girls aren’t right there you’ve got to keep going….racing scared the whole day,” said Moffatt.

“I’ve never done this race and when I found out it was the week before the Noosa Triathlon, which I’d planned to do all year, it was perfect to come to the Nepean race…you don’t often get the chance to race in Australia so when you can you like to make the most of it.

“The handicap system has an appeal to it – a race between the girls and the boys – it’s nice finishing relatively close – to enjoy the same race at the same time.”

When asked if Aaron had any words to say after the race, Moffatt was quick to say: “No…I think he was too puffed trying to catch us. The prizemoney bonus was a nice little incentive to keep going.”

Moffatt’s run leg roved too strong for fellow Australian team member and another Gold Coaster, Ashleigh Gentle who has only just started full running training after recovering from Iliotibal Band Friction Syndrome which affects the outside of the knee and lower thigh.

Australia’s Under 23 ITU World Championship representative Natalie Van Coevorden was third ahead training partner and Under 23 ITU World Champion Charlotte McShane.

Royle showed why he is Australia’s number one ITU male with an outstanding Nepean Triathlon debut to attack the bike and then consolidate himself on the run to win by almost a minute from Sam Appleton with dual Olympian Brad Kahlefeldt holding off Australian team members Cameron Good and Ryan Bailie with Peter Kerr sixth.

“This is a race I’ve always wanted to do it but normally I’ve got to the end of the season and thought I’m really tired but to be honest I’ve never really backed myself in the non-drafting scene,” said Royle.

“It wasn’t until this year that I thought I could actually go alright in these races despite some people saying ‘you can’t ride a bike’ and you’re not strong enough for these non-drafting races.

“And in previous years I kind of believed I wasn’t strong enough but I thought this year I’d give it a crack and in the end I was really quite shocked to be honest.

“I was expecting a lot more company on the bike and I thought it would come down to a good hard running race.

“I was actually practicing a few 30 seconds sprints …I honestly thought it was going to come down to a sprint finish.”

Moffatt and Royle will now headline a who’s who for next weekend’s annual Noosa Triathlon Multi-Sport Festival.

About The Nepean Triathlon:

February 1982 saw a group of mates (after seeing the Hawaii Ironman’s TV coverage) put on the first Triathlon in Sydney’s west. There had been events held before in Australia (1981 Elouera endurathon), but the Nepean event was to continue on. The event was held in the Nepean River with no bike racks and a “handler” essential to hold your gear and bike. The race winner over the distance of 800/40/14 was a 34 year old Freshwater Lifesaver Greg Reddan, who was to go onto set the standard in triathlon becoming the first Aussie to crack the top ten in the Hawaii Ironman in 1982 (7th). Reddan went on to devote his life to fitness, teaching for 39 years in PE and has released numerous papers and articles directly related to his triathlon background and still competes today. The 1982 women’s champ was Gabrielle Howard, who after a couple of years in the sport stepped away.

Nepean Triathlon

Men’s Top Ten

Pos	Name (#)	Time	Swim	T1	Cycle	T2	Run
1	Aaron ROYLE (34)	01:26:35	00:12:02	00:01:07	00:41:39	00:00:31	00:31:15
2	Sam APPLETON (15)	01:27:28	00:12:18	00:01:13	00:41:09	00:00:30	00:32:16
3	Brad KAHLEFELDT (10)	01:28:30	00:12:35	00:01:20	00:42:35	00:00:32	00:31:26
4	Cameron GOOD (23)	01:28:37	00:12:20	00:01:12	00:42:58	00:00:31	00:31:34
5	Ryan BAILIE (17)	01:28:41	00:12:18	00:01:12	00:43:00	00:00:32	00:31:37
6	Peter KERR (27)	01:29:08	00:12:24	00:01:13	00:43:40	00:00:32	00:31:18
7	David MAINWARING (29)	01:29:19	00:13:07	00:01:07	00:43:01	00:00:38	00:31:24
8	Tim REED (11)	01:29:55	00:12:43	00:01:16	00:42:29	00:00:35	00:32:50
9	Nuru SOMI (35)	01:30:12	00:12:36	00:01:08	00:42:47	00:00:34	00:33:06
10	Shane BARRIE (19)	01:31:57	00:11:41	00:01:20	00:43:31	00:00:31	00:34:51

Nepean Triathlon

Women’s Top Ten

Pos	Name (#)	Time	Categ (Pos)		Swim	T1	Cycle	T2	Run
1	Emma MOFFATT (1)	01:34:39	Open (1)	00:12:58		00:01:12	00:45:52	00:00:32	00:34:02
2	Ashleigh GENTLE (2)	01:35:58	Open (2)	00:13:29		00:01:08	00:45:22	00:00:36	00:35:21
3	Natalie VAN COEVORDEN (4)	01:39:14	Open (3)	00:13:24		00:01:08	00:48:07	00:00:45	00:35:47
4	Charlotte MCSHANE (3)	01:40:18	Open (4)	00:13:27		00:01:19	00:48:31	00:00:31	00:36:28
5	Melinda VERNON (6)	01:40:51	Open (5)	00:13:28		00:01:11	00:50:36	00:00:44	00:34:49
6	Andrea ORACKI (5)	01:43:50	Open (6)	00:14:25		00:01:23	00:48:18	00:00:43	00:38:58
7	Steph AUSTON (52)	01:44:50	20-24 (1)	00:14:26		00:01:31	00:51:12	00:00:43	00:36:55
8	Laura COOK (80)	01:45:31	U19 (1)	00:12:29		00:01:26	00:48:50	00:00:48	00:41:56
9	Carrie BARRETT (54)	01:46:53	30-34 (1)	00:16:24		00:01:31	00:46:59	00:00:38	00:41:18
10	Ainslie BAKKER (53)	01:46:57	U19 (2)	00:14:29		00:01:48	00:50:05	00:00:41	00:39:52

Issued on behalf of Triathlon Australia

Ian Hanson
Hanson Media Group

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