Women's multisport event a success

The Fresh Choice Southern Lakes Women's Triathlon and Duathlon continues to attract both dedicated multisport athletes, newcomers to the sport and women who like to compete together as a team in an all female environment, organisers say.

A total of 105 individuals and 26 teams competed in the field at Lake Hayes on Saturday, the 16th annual event.

The triathlon course included a 300m swim or 2km kayak on Lake Hayes, followed by a 15km bike ride on the Lake Hayes-Arrowtown road into Speargrass Flat Rd and return, concluding with a 5km run/walk on the Lake Hayes track.

The duathlon, which is a non-swimming event, began with a 1.5km run on Lake Hayes Track, then followed the triathlon's 15km biking section and 5km run to the finish.

Results in the triathlon were calculated on a time differential, depending on whether competitors chose to kayak or swim Lake Hayes.

The open triathlon was won by Joanna Williams, of Wanaka, who beat second placegetter Jordan Davignon, of Queenstown, by 54sec, winning in a time of 51min 12sec.

The veterans winner was Fiona Reid, of Wanaka, in 58min 23sec, with Lucy Sellick finishing second in 1hr 6sec.

The teams event, which is always hotly contested, was won in the open category by Team Jess, Clair and Scooby, of Queenstown, in 58min 30sec.

The veteran section was won by Team 40 and Below, of Queenstown, in 1hr 1min and 13sec, while top honours in the business teams section went to Wanaka Physiotherapy, which finished in 54min and 19sec, 3sec ahead of Pulse Fitness.

Erin Williams, of Dunedin, won the open duathlon in 56min 43sec, followed by Kirsty Tennant, of Queenstown, in 59min 39 sec.

The veterans section was won by Anne Scanlan, of Wanaka, in 57min and 54 sec, with Evette Connolly, of Queenstown, second in 59min 2sec.

The open duathlon teams event title went to The Flyers, of Queenstown, in 56min 21sec.

The veterans' section was won by Team It's Not the Way We're Drinking, Queenstown, in 1hr, 4min 20sec; and fastest team in the business house section was The Hawea Girls, of Hawea, in a time of 59min and 12sec.

Two bikes, signed by Sarah Ulmer and donated by Fresh Choice, were won on a number draw.

Kelera Nacewa, of Queenstown, won the road bike, and the winner of the mountain bike was Liz Brown, of Franz Josef Glacier.

Ms Nacewa had competed in the event on a borrowed bike.

"What an awesome prize to win. I just can't believe it," she said.