Wellington triathlete continues her stunning rise

Wellington triathlete Kate McIlroy has continued her stunning debut season in the sport with victory at the ITU Triathlon World Cup race in Hungary on Sunday night New Zealand time.

The former track and mountain running star has yet to complete her first year in Triathlon after her dodgy Achilles tendons led her to a change of sport, but already she has finished in the top ten in an ITU World Championship event in Kitzbuhel and now has gone one better with a career first World Cup win at Tiszaujvaros.

McIIroy set up the victory with a strong swim, emerging from the 1500m in tenth place as they headed out on the 40km bike. Some aggressive riding alongside fellow Kiwi Rebecca Spence saw the two catch the leaders, forming a group of nine that included Nicky Samuels. This group then worked well to establish a lead of 53 seconds heading into the run.

As expected the run would prove to be the strength of the former mountain running world champion and Olympic hopeful in the steeplechase before injury curtailed her athletics ambition.

McIlroy is delighted with a first World Cup win but not getting carried away with the victory coming so early in her career.

“I had an alright swim I guess and came out of the water in the top ten but behind a lead group so Rebecca and I worked hard to bridge the gap, caught them and then worked well together in the lead group. I maybe did more work than I should have but I was aware of the big chase group behind us, they were gaining at one point so we had to keep working.

“I eased into the run and felt better as I went, working with the Russian girl and we soon gapped everyone else. Suddenly it came down to the last few hundred metres and it was only close to the line that I knew I had it.”

McIlroy is not getting carried away though in a season that by her own admission is all about learning her new craft.

“The field was nowhere near as strong as Kitzbuhel when I went top ten but it is nice to come across the line first, all the more so in a World Cup. But really this is just another race for me to experience and learn, I got quite bolshie in the swim and then kept making contact with the Russian on the run. I’ve still got so much to learn in this sport but yes, it feels great to win.

“Another good race next week in London would be good, another top ten if at all possible and then plan for a good race on the Gold Coast. This season is about experience to improve my swim and bike, even the run is not as good as it needs to be yet, the key is to put it all together on the big day.”

Samuels and Spence were in the lead group of nine off the bike but couldn’t stay with the pace set by McIlroy and Abysoya, dropping back to finish in 12th and 22nd respectively.

ITU Triathlon World Cup

Tiszaujvaros, Hungary

Elite Women

Gold Kate McIlroy NZL 2:00:48.78.1

Silver Irina Abysova RUS 2:00:52.70

Bronze Felicity Sheedy-Ryan AUS 2:01:24.

4 Erin Densham AUS 2:01:35.

5 Yuliya Sapunova UKR 2:01:53. 6.

Plus NZers

12 Nicky Samuels NZL 2:03:24.

22 Rebecca Spence NZL 2:05:02.

Meanwhile young Christchurch triathlete Tom Davison made an impressive debut on the international stage today, finishing 4th in an ITU Junior European Cup race, also at Tiszaujvaros in Hungary.

Tri NZ National Coach Greg Fraine said Davison handled the pressure well.

“The format was somewhat different with a run, bike, swim, bike and run. Tom was solid in the first run and came off the bike in the lead pack before hitting the lead in the swim.

“A bunch of 8 formed on the second bike leg and Tom was quick out of transition to lead into the final run but slipped back slightly to finish fourth, 20 seconds behind the winner. It was a very fast and aggressive race dominated by the strong Russian junior team but Tom handled it all well and will have learned a great deal.”

The elite men race at 11.30pm NZT with a strong contingent of six Kiwis taking part.