Gruelling race, from mts to sea

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 21, 28 October 1987, Page 16

Gruelling race, from mts to sea

Despite earlier predictions of rain, Day One of the three day Norsca Mountains to the Sea Triathlon dawned overcast and! cool - perfect conditions for competitors in the gruelling 287km event. One hundred and filty runners, 92 individuals included, left Iwikau shelter on the Whakapapa side of Mt Ruapehu at 7 am on Saturday morning on the first 20km leg of the journey. Over 250 competitors took part in the event which traversed New Zealand's oldest and newest National Parks and finished in Wanganui. The first runner to reach the cycle changeover point just north of National Park township was teamster Murray Grant around 10 minutes ahead of schedule.

Individual competitor and hot favourite Terry Newlands came in close behind. The leader at the end of, the 61km cycling leg from National Park to Ohinepa, was team member Graeme Pearson, who set a cracking pace in the event. Individual competitor Terry Newlands overtook Pearson on the 35km canoeing stretch on the Wanganui River to the overnight stop of Whakahoro. Newlands reached Whakahoro mid-afternoon on Day One with a time of 5.50.22sec. He was followed closely by another individual, NZ canoe triathlete champion Roger Nevatt who completed the distance in 5.55.1'0sec. Individual competitor Brian Sanders was third. Competitors had a 6.30am start on Sunday,

Day Two of the competition. The 87km canoeing stretch from Whakahoro to Pipiriki was deemed by officials to be the 'make-or-break' part of the event. Some fast paddle times were recorded on Day Two, the fastest time by teamster Andrew Martin of 6.01.l5sec. Leading at the end of Day Two was Paul de Rijk, a NZ representative canoeist and individual competitor. He arrived at the second overnight stop just 32 seconds ahead of Roger Nevatt who had been determined to maintam his leading position. Former dual Coast-to-Coast champion Brian Sanders finished third. The first finishing team member was Mike Bassett with an overall time of 11.27.57sec. First woman individual was favourite Clare Parkes, in a time of 14.25.28sec. Local lady, Corrina Dingle of Turangi was third. The first women's team member was Denise Higginson in 13.31 .27sec. The first veteran home at the end of Day Two was individual Ian Titter, in 13.26. 27sec. Canoeists continued to arrive at Pipiriki throughout the afternoon, the last arriving around 5pm. A hangi was provided by the people of Pipiriki, for all competitiors and their supporters, who numbered around 400. The third and final day of the Triathlon involved a 30km road run from Pipiriki downriver to Koroniti; 21 km cycling, along the outskirts of Wanganui and a final 50 metre sprint along the sand of Castlecliff Beach to the finish. Allrounder Roger Nevatt proved too good for his closest contender Paul de Rijk who dropped back into fourth place. Nevatt breezed over the finish line a full 16 minutes before the second competitor home, Terry Newlands. Results

Individual mens 1st Roger Nevatt 16.09.56sec, 2nd Terry Newlands 16.26.24sec, 3rd Brian Sanders 16.28.46sec, 4th Paul de Rijk 16.45.32sec, 5th Russell Prince 16.51.29sec. Womens 1st Claire Parkes 19.06.40sec, 2nd Janet Brown 20.56.23, 3rd Corrina Dingle (no time).

Veterans Ian Titter 17.36.05sec, Jeff Wells 18.29.37sec, Tony Gazley 19.14.03sec. Teams Men Mark Trotman, Graeme Pearson, Mike Bassett 14.43.21; Tony Green, Jamie Martin, Grant Adlam 15.08.55; Alan Courtney, Ross Ogden, Andrew Martin 15.20.07.

Womens Denise Higginson, Brenda Schultz, Lyn Matuka 18.09.19; Ruth Highet, Christine Carmine, Celia Wright 18.42.56; Alison Turner, Bernie Portenski, Arthur 19.26.14. Mixed Marty Loughman, Tony Jackson, Sue Libby 17136.34; Vicky Eastwood, Vicky Adams, Alan Gardner 18.11.45.