TRIATHLON

Currie claims a valiant fifth in Challenge Wanaka

By Braden Currie Multisport



Demonstrating his phenomenal dexterity and determination as an athlete, Braden Currie claimed fifth in Challenge Wanaka today, a week after winning his third consecutive Speight’s Coast to Coast.

It was the Wanaka-based Red Bull endurance athlete’s debut attempt at a full-distance triathlon (226km) and he finished in an impressive 8 hours: 56 minutes.

Currie, who is the 2015 New Zealand long distance triathlon champion (after coming home first Kiwi in the Port of Tauranga half ironman) says it was “really cool to tick off my first full ironman and I enjoyed the experience. Mostly I felt good throughout the race but just could not find my usual pace.”

Currie can be forgiven for finding Challenge Wanaka tough after the gruelling 243km Coast to Coast last weekend, but instead he had a stunning 3.8km swim, exiting the water third.

“I was stoked with my swim. I didn’t know what to expect and I saw [eventual winner] Dylan [McNeice] take off so I just tried to stick close to the second-placed swimmer,” Currie says.

The 180km bike was a supreme test of his willpower as the longest rides Currie had been doing for his Coast to Coast preparation were around 100km.

“My dream plan was to hit the hills hard and although I felt comfortable I just couldn’t find any power and couldn’t go any faster.

Currie hit his favourite section, the 42.2km run, with a vengeance and stormed out from the bike transition. For about 6km he was closely tailing third-place athlete Courtney Ogden – only 20 seconds behind - waiting to pounce when the Australian broke.

“He didn’t falter and then the fatigue definitely set in at the 25km mark and after that the gap started opening up,” Currie says.

He was stoked to have achieved his top five goal and would love to attempt another full-distance triathlon with the benefit of specific training.

In the meantime, Currie will make a switch back to off-road racing when he competes in the OTU Cross Triathlon Oceania Championships in Australia this coming weekend.