The “Sprint the Bay” competition is presently being held in New Zealand – from Jan 15-17^th.

Based in the Hawkes Bay area, this year the event involves 6 races, with 2 being held each day.

The fields have been buoyed by the presence of quite a few of the elite internationals who have chosen to stay on in sunny New Zealand following the World Cups.    The men’s elite has 75 starters and the women 42.

The addition of age classes also has meant that many junior and veteran Aussies have decided to stay on as well for the extra competition.   Overall there are 333 entrants – quite a big sprint!

Day 1 included an amazing venue – Splash Planet, as the afternoon event site.   This is NZ’s biggest water park and there was even a control in the middle of the toddler’s pool!     This venue also saw a lot of mispunches – in fact 8 of the elite women’s field suffered that fate, including NZ favourite, Lizzie Ingham and Aussie Heather Muir, who had been our leading elite in race 1.

Swiss Matthais Muller leads the men after day 1, but only by a 6 second margin.   Julian Dent is sitting nicely in 4^th, just 80 seconds down, while Olle Poland’s 14^th in race 2 was our next best result.    Another Swis, in Judith Wyder has a big 2 minute lead, while Felicity Brown ‘s 8^th in the afternoon moved her up to 9^th overall, after an 18^th place in race 1.

The morning race at “Woodford” was a World Ranking Event, so some of the internationals decided to just compete on day 1 of Sprint the Bay.   More detailed results are below.

The Australian veteran women have been outstanding.

Su Yan Tay (W40), Anthea Feavor (W50) and Jan Hardy (W60) all lead their class after having won both races.

Tasmanian Debbie Gale (W60) has taken 2^nd place in both races while ACT’s Toni Brown (W50) has been 3^rd in both events.

Jemery Day has been our stand-out veteran man with two wins in M50, while Grant McDonald  sits in second in that class.   Steve Doyle has been Mr consistent with two 4ths in M40 and sits in 4^th overall too.   Nick Dent leads M60 with one win and a second.

In the junior classes Asha Steer is placed 3^rd overall and Noah Poland is the best Aussie in 7^th.  Jarrah Day is 4^th and Lanita Steer 8^th in the senior class.

 

Men’s Elite – 2 event result summary

1 Matthias Müller  SUI        18:17 2                 16:17 2 34:34

2 Tim Robertson NZL         17:34 1                 17:06 5 34:40      +0:06

3 Matt Ogden t NZL             18:42 6                 17:02 4 35:44      +1:10

4 Julian Dent                       18:30 3                 17:24 7 35:54     +1:20

16 Oliver Poland                  19:53 16                18:18 14 38:11     +3:37

17 Ian Lawford                     19:47 15                18:28 18 38:15     +3:41

19 Oscar McNulty                20:14 19                18:33 19 38:47     +4:13

21 Bruce Arthur                    20:30 22                18:50 22 39:20     +4:46

24 Henry McNulty                22:01 30                18:49 21 40:50     +6:16

25 Christopher Naunton    21:54 29                18:59 24 40:53     +6:19

27 Kasimir Gregory             22:24 34                18:50 22 41:14     +6:40

32 Matthew Parton               23:07 47               19:30 29 42:37     +8:03

 

Womens Elite – 2 event result summary

1 Judith Wyder     SUI         17:35 1                  14:18 1 31:53

2 Venla Niemi      FIN          18:47 7                  15:01 2 33:48       +1:55

3 Lena Eliasson   SWE         18:14 2                  15:54 5 34:08       +2:15

9 Felicity Brown                  21:54 18                16:59 8 38:53      +7:00

10 Bridget Anderson            22:06 19                16:49 7 38:55       +7:02

11 Aislinn Prendergast         22:10 20                17:50 12 40:00     +8:07

14 Belinda Lawford              23:11 28                17:44 10 40:55     +9:02

16 Susanne Casanova            21:40 17                19:34 22 41:14     +9:21

17 Mary Fleming                  22:42 24                18:45 15 41:27     +9:34

21 Lauren Gillis                   23:08 27                18:46 16 41:54     +10:01

 

 

Day 1 – all classes – main Aussie results

Mens Elite

1 Tim Robertson                  NZL        17:34

2 Matthias Müller                SUI         18:17

3 Julian Dent                       AUS        18:30    

15 Ian Lawford                     AUS        19:47

16 Oliver Poland                  AUS        19:53

19 Oscar McNulty                AUS        20:14

22 Bruce Arthur                    AUS        20:30

29 Christopher Naunton    AUS           21:54

30 Henry McNulty               AUS        22:01

31 Joshua Blatchford         AUS        22:21

32 Lachlan Hallett               AUS        22:22

34 Kasimir Gregory             AUS        22:24

 

 

Womens Elite

1 Judith Wyder                     SUI         17:35

2 Lena Eliasson                   SWE       18:14

3 Lizzie Ingham                    NZL       18:15 3

16 Heather Muir                  AUS       21:36

17 Susanne Casanova           AUS        21:40

18 Felicity Brown               AUS          21:54

19 Bridget Anderson           AUS         22:06

20 Aislinn Prendergast       AUS          22:10

24 Mary Fleming                AUS        22:42

25 Clare Brownridge          AUS        22:44

27 Lauren Gillis                   AUS        23:08

28 Belinda Lawford            AUS        23:11

 

 

Senior Boys

1 Devon Beckman              NZL 16:31

7 Jarrah Day                              20:18

8 Kelly Bertei                               20:25

9 Stephen Melhuish                      20:59

 

 

Senior Girls

1 Alice Tilley         NZL        16:27

5 Anna Dowling                   18:59

10 Lanita Steer                      21:08

14 Lucy Fleming                   22:33

 

 

Junior Boys

1 Stephen Harding NZL     13:56

8 Aidan Tay                       19:07

9 Noah Poland                     19:24

 

Junior Girls

1 Lara Molloy  NZL              13:42 1

3 Asha Steer                         15:48