Wanaka triathlete Simone Maier won the women's 25-29 age group race at the Bonita New Zealand Ironman in Taupo on Saturday, qualifying her to compete in October's world championships at Kona, Hawaii.
Maier's achievement was completed in 10hr 19min 44sec and saw her placed 15th overall in the women's race won by Gina Ferguson of Christchurch. Other Otago athletes also qualified for the world championships on Saturday after finishing in the top 10 of their respective age groups.
Maier was the top-placed female Otago athlete. Maier is originally from Germany and has lived in Wanaka for several years. She works at Soul Food Cafe and trains between 15 and 20 hours a week. She began competing in triathlons in 2004 in Ravensburg, Germany, as a member of Team Name.
She races 5 to 8 times a year and completed her first iron-distance race in Frankfurt, Germany in 2006, finishing 24th. Now coached by Val Burke, of Wanaka, Maier said on her website her ability was improving and she could now "swim faster, bike harder and run longer".
Her splits on Saturday were 1hr 8min 28sec (3.8km swim), 5hr 33min 22sec (180km bike), and 3hr 30min 12sec (42.2 run). Her main goal has been to qualify for Hawaii.
