By Kent Gray/Triathlon.kiwi in Townsville
Team NZL scripted its own version of ‘The Young & the Restless’ show, minus the soap opera, to open the World Triathlon Multisport Championships with 15 sprint duathlon medals in Townsville.
The 16-year-old Christie twins of Whakatane, Oliver and Xavier, began Friday’s medal rush in the first race out, claiming gold and bronze respectively either side of Canterbury Triathlon Club’s Ryan Marfell in a memorable 16-19 age group Kiwi trifecta.
Lulu Johnson (Triathlon Tauranga), Charlotte Brown (Auckland City Triathlon Club) and Abe O’Donnell (Canterbury Triathlon Club) continued the young gun theme with gold medal performances in the elite junior women’s and 20-24 female and male races respectively.
At the opposite end of the age spectrum was John Wood, the Lower Hutt 84-year-old whose second half of the year birth date (December) enabled him to age up to the 85-89 age group.
Wood took full advantage, knocking out the 5km run (4790m to be exact), 20km bike (19.4km) and 2.5km run in 1:33:12 to claim New Zealand’s fifth world title. In a canter.
Australians Heiko Scaefer (1:53:47) and Lachlan Lewis (2:55:16) rounded out the octogenarian podium but were still running long after Wood had wandered off to find proud wife Beth, and a Triathlon.kiwi camera poked under his nose.
The Kapiti Running and Triathlon Club member’s interview earned him the ‘restless’ reference in New Zealand’s impressive opening day in sunny North Queensland.
This is your 10th World Triathlon Championships. What is it that keeps you coming back for more, John?
“I just like to compete and also it’s just good to keep active and have a motivation. You know, why die obese if you can keep fit and active?” said Wood who is also an active member of Hutt Valley Harriers and the Wellington Masters Cycling Club.
“I’ve always enjoyed competing, I mean, I run and I used to sail small centreboard yachts and have competed ever since I was 10 years old. It helps my health, I’m sure it does.”
Those competitive embers continue to burn bright, evidenced by his decision to race on Friday when his main focus had been on this Sunday’s standard distance duathlon.
“I’m entered in the standard duathlon which is my preference but I’m the only competitor in the 85-89, so I thought that would be a hollow victory. So, I decided I better do the sprint because there were two other Aussie guys entered,” Wood said.
“If I recover a bit in the next day or two, I might attempt to do it [the standard duathlon] but it’ll be just a trudge, and try to finish rather than going flat tack I guess.”
The Christie twins also have their sights set on further medals in next Friday’s aquathlon (swim-run) championships.
The Trident High School year 12 students, who represent the Eastern BOP Triathlon & Multisport Club, have been coached in the lead-up to Townsville by Craig Kirkwood who helped guide Hayden Wilde to Olympic silver in Paris.
Oliver Christie won Friday’s duathlon sprint in 55:31, with Marfell home in 56:08 and Xaiver Christie stopping the clock in 58:58 to complete the Kiwi podium sweep. Xaiver’s swim prowess could well come to the fore next Friday.
Monique Spedding (Triathlon Tauranga/ 16-19), Matt Hutchison (Offshore Kiwi/30-34) and the irrepressible Shirley Rolston (Canterbury Triathlon Club/75-79) won silver medals for Team NZL on Friday.
Bronze medals went to Caleb Wagener (Auckland City Triathlon Club/junior men), Dan Hunt (Tri Wellington/30-34), Heath Packard (Auckland City Triathlon Club) and Tim Pearce (North Harbour Triathlon Club) in the 40-44 men’s division and Kristine Reid (Triathlon Tauranga/ 50-54).
Wagener’s 3rd came despite a spill on the bike that left him with some nasty road rash on his face. The youngster took a bit too much speed into a hairpin turn at the far end of the course and came off when his pedal scrapped the ground. A post-race tub of gelato on The Strand helped soothe the initial aches and pains.
After a rest day on Saturday, the action resumes Sunday with age group standard distance duathlon before Fiona Southorn (PTS5), Bruce Jordan (PTS5) and Kurt Peterson (PTS4) open their campaigns in the para duathlon races.
