MULTISPORT

Currie eyes world title after Asia Pacific Xterra win

By Braden Currie

Backing up last weekend’s win in New Zealand, Braden Currie dominated the Australia-hosted XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship race to claim the biggest international victory of his star-studded career today.

Finishing the off-road triathlon in 2hours: 23mins: 36secs, well ahead of some of the biggest names in multisport, cements the Wanaka-based Red Bull endurance athlete as a serious title contender ahead of the World Xterra Championships in October.








“This season has started so strongly for me, winning my third consecutive Coast to Coast in February and then the New Zealand Xterra in Rotorua last Saturday. I’m feeling pumped about what is still to come later in the year,” Currie, who will race in the United States, Canada, Australia and Bahrain, says.

Whatever lies ahead, today will always be one to remember as Currie beat home two-time Olympian Courtney Atkinson, of Australia, by more than 1min:45secs. In third was 15-year-veteran of the sport and seven-time world champion. Conrad Stoltz from South Africa.

Currie’s 1.5km swim at Callala Beach in New South Wales felt interrupted by the athletes having to exit the ocean after one lap and re-enter the surf to complete their second lap.

“Courtney [Atkinson] and Ben [Allen] kind of gapped me there,” Currie admitted.

He still managed to limit the damage and was out of the water at the same time as Stoltz, about 1min:20secs down on Atkinson, who was in the lead. Currie got on the bike and managed to find some rhythm quickly, working hard to catch second-placed Allen about 5km into the 30km ride. The Australian stuck with him until around half way through, when they went into a testing section of single track and Currie dropped him. Soon after he caught Atkinson.

“I knew Courtney was a pretty phenomenal runner and that I would need to put some time on him so I took a few risks and had a few crashes trying to give myself a buffer,” Currie says.

On the 10km trail run when he was given a split time back to Atkinson, Currie learned that his rival was nearly four minutes behind and he then knew he didn’t need to flog himself too hard to cross the line first.

He credits his string of recent successes to consistency across the three disciplines. Currie can certainly hold his own in the water and although traditionally it is his remarkable run talent that sees him shine at the end, today he won the race on the bike.

“It really suited my style as I was always pedaling hard and kept a high cadence,” Currie says.

With the field racing today comparable to what he can expect to line up against at in Hawaii for the worlds in October, Currie has every reason to feel confident of adding the ultimate Xterra victory to his impressive portfolio.

Photos 1.  Red Bull endurance athlete Braden Currie, of Wanaka, wins the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship race in Australia today. Photo credit XTERRA

2. Red Bull endurance athlete Braden Currie, of Wanaka, had a strong bike today, helping him on his way to winning the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship race in Australia today. Photo credit XTERRA.


Braden Currie’s upcoming event calendar

April 11 - Paymark Xterra Rotorua Festival.
April 18 – Asia-Pacific Xterra Championship, Australia
May 3 – Wings for Life, Santiago, Chile
May 17 USA Southwest Xterra Championship Alabama, United States.
June 14 – 15 USA Northwest Xterra Championship, VA, United States.
July 12 - Vineman 70.3, California, United States
July 19, 20 - USA Northeast Xterra Championship Calgary, Canada.
September 19 - USA Xterra Championship.
October 31 – World Xterra Championship, Hawaii.
November 8 – WA Adventure Fest, Augusta, Australia.
November 15 – Shepparton Challenge, Victoria, Australia.
December 5 – Bahrain Challenge half ironman, Bahrain.
January 23 and 24 2016, Red Bull Defiance, Wanaka, NZ.


Follow Braden at

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/multisportbradencurrie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradenCurrie
Web: www.bradencurrie.com