Images: World Triathlon
By Kent Gray/Triathlon.kiwi
Brea Roderick has come off an extended period on the bench to produce a career best World Cup performance in the Czech Republic.
Following nearly two months on the sidelines after serving as New Zealand’s female reserve at the Paris Olympic Games, Roderick has again underlined her potential with 8th in Karlovy Vary overnight.
The 22-year-old Cantabrian was the best of the Kiwi quartet at what is widely regarded as the toughest course on the World Cup circuit. Eva Goodisson was 17th following an unfortunate mechanical during the tough bike leg while Tayler Reid and Saxon Morgan (pictured below) were off the pace in 15th and 22nd place in the later men’s race respectively.
Few people know just how close Roderick came to an unexpected Olympic Games debut in Paris after a River Seine gastro problem put Ainsley Thorpe in doubt for the mixed relay.
Roderick was more than ready to step up but was forced to cool her jets with Thorpe recovering just in time. It meant Sunday’s race in the Czech Republic was her first start since finishing 29th at WTCS Hamburg on July 13.
As expected, Roderick unleashed all the pent-up energy, fighting on the bike and run after an early swim break of five blew the race apart and ultimately led to Dutchwoman Maya Kingma’s runaway victory.
“It’s my best World Cup result and to get top eight on the hardest course in the World Cup circuit is something I’m really proud of,” Roderick told Triathlon.kiwi afterwards.
“I had been targeting this race as it was a brutal course that suited me as there was nowhere for anyone to hide and we all had to be on the pedals the whole time.”
Roderick closed out the race with a 37:52 10km split. It bodes well for the upcoming U-23 World Championships in Torremolinos-Andalusia next month.
“I’ve had a really good month of training leading into this post Paris and felt as if I have made some good progression in my run in training so I was wanting to put it to practice in the race. So to run into the top eight, I’m stoked with that.”
Before the World Triathlon finals in Spain, Roderick is looking forward to a French detour.
“Next up I’m off to Saint Jean de Monts next week for my first time doing a French Grand Prix race. I’m really excited about it as I’ve been wanting to experience racing on the French circuit for a while and it will be really cool to experience a ‘team’ aspect to racing.”
Goodisson had been in the same chasing bike pack with Roderick and on target for a potential top 10 herself before disaster struck on the foot of Karlovy Vary’s climb the fifth (of seven) time around.
“Yeah, a bad course to drop a chain on that’s for sure,” Goodisson said.
“Pretty guttered as this course really suited me with my swim-bike strengths so I was looking forward to a good performance. It took a lot of mental strength to keep going but happy I did. Didn’t do all this work and come all this way to stop.
“Positives included the swim start…I was top three to the first buoy but we let a gap form in front of the girl in front of me which lost the top 4 girls.
“I’ve also had gastro from Istanbul this week so that has taken a bit out of me too. Didn’t feel my usual self on the bike but was able to still push through – until my chain dropped on lap 5 up the 20 percent gradient. From there it took everything to keep going but I was able to get the chain on and get back up.”
Goodisson had been 8th at European Triathlon Cup Istanbul the previous Sunday and was looking forward to the step up in class. She clocked a 39:06 to finish her race overnight. “I felt better on the run than Istanbul [a 10km split of 38:40] so that’s a plus. But some good recovery is needed before the next race block after two back to back standards.”
Goodisson is scheduled to spend two months racing and training in Europe, including three weeks in Banyoles. She’ll also race the French Grand Prix final, World Cup Rome (Oct. 5-6) and, hopefully, the World Triathlon Finals in Torremolinos-Andalucia (Oct. 17-20) before finishing with World Cup Tongyeong (Oct. 26) in South Korea on the way home.
“Guttered, happy with the fight but left wanting a lot more. Guess I’ll have to come back here for [Karlovy Vary] redemption.”
Reid had been second out of the water with Hungarian human fish Márk Dévay but the heat took its toll thereafter with the Gisborne 27-year-old coming home in 34:06. Morgan stopped the clock in 34:44.
Asia Triathlon Cup Yilan
Henry McMecking has produced the best of a bunch of eye-catching results from NZ’s next gen in Chinese Taipei, just missing the podium at Asia Triathlon Cup Yilan.
McMecking was 4th in 1:42:54 with Oliver Larcombe 11th in 1:44:13 and Gus Marfell 23rd in 1:51:03.
Olivia Cummings and Sarah McClure, meanwhile, were 5th and 8th in the women’s race in 1:09:17 and 1:10:27 respectively.
