Nicky Samuels Wins World Championship

28 October 2013

For immediate release from Tri NZ, for further information, visit www.triathlon.org.nz

Nicky Samuels Wins World Championship – Bozzone Wins 70.3 (see Below)

New Zealand triathlete Nicky Samuels has today won the XTERRA World Championship Off-Road Triathlon on Maui in Hawaii.

After a busy triathlon campaign on the ITU circuit this season, the world number 14 ITU triathlete took out the title on the back of a superb mountain bike ride, that despite not spending much time on that discipline in training.

“I was second out of the water but took the lead in the first couple of kilometres on the bike and was able to concentrate and get into my work. It was a tough day on a tough course but I thought if I come off the bike with a reasonable lead then I might possibly win.

“I haven’t done much mountain biking through and as a result I was getting cramp in my hamstrings while on the run, which wasn’t pleasant to say the least! But I had a good time buffer so was okay to cruise the last couple of kilometres in the run for a great day and a great result.”

Samuels beat a top class field dominated by American’s and including many off-road experts but including fellow ITU athlete Barbara Riveros (Chile). Second place went to two time defending champion Lesley Patterson (USA) but she was no match for the Kiwi today, with Samuels able to ease home despite struggling with those hamstrings in the final kilometres on the tough and undulating trail run.

Samuels becomes the second New Zealander to win a Pro division, after Hamish Carter took out the men’s XTERRA world title in 2006.

Results:
XTERRA World Championship Off-Road Triathlon
Maui, Hawaii
Pro Women
1 Nicky Samuels                  NZL                2:57:49
2 Lesley Patterson               USA                3:00:15
3 Flora Duffy                         USA                3:00:20
4 Barbara Riveros                CHI                 3:01:44
5 Emma Garrard                   USA                3:01:50

ENDS

Further information on XTERRA:
WHAT IS XTERRA:  The world’s premier off-road triathlon, combining a 1.5-kilometer (1-mile) rough water swim, a 30.4-kilometer (18.89-miles) mountain bike and a 9.5-kilometer (5.9 miles) trail run best described as a tropical roller-coaster ride through pineapple fields and forests.
WHO RACES IN MAUI:  A capacity field of 800 athletes from 28 countries and 42 U.S. states including professionals and amateurs.
WHEN:  The XTERRA World Championship starts at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 27, 2013. 
WHERE: The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii, USA
WHY:  The XTERRA World Championship race is the last in a series of nearly 100 off-road triathlon races held in 16 countries and 30+ U.S. States.  The concept is to provide a bona-fide off-road world championship for amateur and pro athletes. For pros there is $105,000 in prize money at stake. Amateurs race for the title of XTERRA World Champion. Also, the fastest male and female age group swim time (from start to timing station between beach exit and T1) receive a XTERRA Vortex Full wetsuit.

Meanwhile, relay courtesy of Ian Heppenstall

BOZZONE CONTINUES STRONG FORM IN USA

New Zealand’s Terenzo Bozzone waited until the run to stamp his authority on the IRONMAN 70.3 Miami today.

Bozzone, who was runner-up in the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships recently, was with the bunch that trailed Australian Todd Skipworth (AUS) out of the water.

American Ben Collins inched his way to the front to build a 90-second lead over a large pack midway through the 90km bike but by the end Bozzone and German Nils Frommhold had reeled in all but 40 seconds of Collins' lead, with the chase pack then two minutes back.

Unleashing his run prowess early, Bozzone grabbed the lead within the first 2kms of the run. The New Zealander managed to keen Filip Ospaly (CZE) and Frommhold in check throughout the run, never allowing the pair to get closer than 20 seconds through the first half. Over the closing kilometres, Bozzone stretched out his lead and Ospaly and Frommhold were left to fight for second.

Bozzone closed out the race with the fastest run of the day (1:11:16) to take the title in 3:41:17 from Ospaly and Frommhold.

It was the Kiwi’s race in the USA, returning to compete in two IRONMAN 70.3 races in Australia next month.

For details: www.ap.ironman.com

ENDS

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