Mixed Results for Kiwis in Europe

Gina Ferguson (Christchurch) has had a race she would rather forget on her European campaign, finishing 7th in a 70.3 half Ironman in Austria. The Christchurch triathlete admits to some frustration over the ‘shorter’ distance.

“I don't like to come 7th, I like to win but I can't seem to put it together over the half distance. Of course I felt nice and comfortable at my Ironman speed and I can keep going like that all day it seems but I just don't have any speed to go faster. I want to do better over this distance but maybe I just have to realise that my strength is my endurance and my ability to go a decent speed for a long time.

"But I will try again at this distance in 2 weeks time, this time in France. We are heading there tomorrow. A little place called Niederbronn-Les Bains in Alcace and it looks like it will be really good training there, nice quiet roads and the Race Director has organised for us to train in the pool in the morning, as the pools in France are seldom open (only from midday and usually no lane ropes with children everywhere)."

For more details about the race visit www.ginaferguson.blogspot.com

Dodds and Elvery in Top Ten
Sunday night NZT saw the opening round of the German Triathlon Bundesliga in Gladbeck, with 3 kiwis competing in the men’s racing. The day's racing is split into two events. The morning sees a 250m pool swim, 5.5km bike and 2.5km run, with athletes racing in 5 heats.

In the afternoon the times for each team are added together resulting in a Team's General Classification. Teams then set off based on their time gap to the lead team over a sprint course triathlon working together in a team time trial situation, with the first team to the finish being the winner.

The morning's race saw impressive results for Tony Dodds (21) and James Elvery (25), finishing 6th and 9th respectively out of 75 overall. The race was dominated by Australia's Brad Kahlefeldt, with Germans Steffen Justus and Maik Paetzold close behind. Kiwi Dylan McNeice was 36th. Every second mattered with positions 5th to 10th separated by just 6 seconds.

For Dodds it was his first race competing in the Bundesliga for his new Startnet Team DSW Darmstadt.

“It was great racing with those top guys in such a fast race. Everyone who beat me was either a world champion, Olympian or had a world cup podium. I've just got a start in the Madrid World Champs Series Race next weekend so will be keen to have a good one there after missing my flight to a European Cup race in Spain last week!”

Elvery, competing for the ALZ Sigmaringen Club for the 5th year was also pleased with his top 10 result.

"It was a good day for Doddsy and myself today, but I was really gutted he beat me by 2 seconds. I got caught towards the back of the bunch coming off the bike, then ran the first 1500m a bit hard to catch the leaders, cracked and Doddsy mowed me down in the last 300."

Elvery heads to Boulder, Colorado today (Monday) to meet the NZ 2012 Potential Squad for 7 weeks of altitude training, and will look for some good performances on returning to Europe in July.

In the afternoon team race Dodds and McNeice's Darmstadt team finished 10th, and Elvery's Sigmaringen Team struggled home in 12th. Team Buschhutten took the win.

Results - individual
1st Brad Kahlefeldt AUS
2nd Steffen Justus GER
3rd Maik Paetzold GER
4th Daniel Unger GER
5th Christian Procnow GER
6th Tony Dodds NZL
7th Sebastian Rank GER
8th Nils Frommhold GER
9th James Elvery NZL
Also 36th Dylan McNeice NZL

Davison in impressive debut

Meanwhile in other news, young Christchurch triathlete Tom Davison experienced his first professional race in Europe over the weekend, in Obernai in northern France. The race was the Obernai Regio Cup, a race including French and German club teams.

Given it was the teenager’s first experience at this level, it was one he excelled in, coming home in second place.

“This was my first big French race for the season, and the first European season of my career so I was a little nervous as to how I might go. The race was a mix of distances, a 1500m swim, 48km bike and a 10km run. It was tough though with a 15km hill on the bike and 4km hill on the run it was one of the hardest events I have raced. The 37 degrees didn’t make it any easier either.

“I was first out of the swim with a pack of 8 and got to work on the bike straight away. Others in the race included Axel Zeebroek, Christophe Moreo, and eventual winner Mike Aigroz (he got 6th at French Ironman).

With a prime at the top of the hill I put the hammer down and rolled over the top 2 minutes clear of the field, but descending back into town the bigger guys took a minute out of my lead. Onto the run I was struggling with the heat up the hills and was caught in the first 5km but somehow managed to hold onto second. I’m really happy with the race as I am still junior and to be pushing the older guys around at this early stage was a great buzz.”