Stroke And Stride Race Report

Stroke And Stride Race Report

RACE REPORT
It would be being charitable and also highly accurate to describe the spring weather in Auckland as changeable.  The forecast for Race #2 in the 2XU Stroke & Stride Series was extreme with three figure wind speeds, thunder storms and downpours all lining up to unleash on those considering a day at the beach.  In the preceding hours we did indeed get hefty doses of the undesirable stuff however by race time conditions could not have been better.
 
The swim was over 750 metres of placid water with the earlier rollicking seas now settled completely. This calm sea state encouraged all the men’s field to move pretty much as one around the buoys and it was only on the return to the shore that a trio of guys pulled clear.  They were Brent Foster going 8 minutes 34 seconds, Dylan McNeice 8minutes 37 seconds and Sam Franklin 8 minutes 51 seconds. What came next in a time of 9 minutes 15 seconds was more like a swarm than a pack as umpteen swimmers hit the beach and hurdled towards the transition removing goggles and shedding wetsuits on the fly; we’ll have to assume all the remaining contenders were mixed in with this lot.
 
The women’s field followed the men 10 minutes later and this time one swimmer did go clear and gain a substantial lead.  Teresa Adam’s sizzling 9 minute 20 second swim gave her 40 seconds advantage over fine swimmers including Simone Ackermann, Rebecca Clarke and Samantha Warriner now trailing in her wake.
 
The 4 kilometre run took the action out as far as St Heliers Bay before returning to the finish on the soft sands of Mission Bay.  There may have been a slight tailwind to be enjoyed at times on the outward journey.  Dylan McNeice and Brent Foster were hard charging at the front of the field doing their utmost to deal to each other and at the same time working together to prevent any of the fleet footed chasers catching them.  By the time they rounded the point and came back into view, two had become three as the flying Ryan Sissons had once again accelerated up to the lead on the run leg.  Positioning for the final drive to the finish line would be critical as there was 100 metres of soft sand to be negotiated before the line was crossed. An enthralling three way sprint finish ensued with Ryan Sissons getting clear and holding his form to the line to claim his second win for the season, Brent Foster’s vast experience got himself into second just ahead of the hard working Dylan McNeice.  The strong running Liam Scopes secured fourth spot ahead of ahead of a delighted Michael Poole in his first race of the summer.
 
The swim was all she wrote for Teresa Adam as she left it to Samantha Warriner, Simone Ackermann and Carmel Hanly to take charge out on the run course.  Samantha Warriner grabbed an early lead and Carmel Hanly got in front of Simone Ackermann but as they closed on the beach it was still anyone’s race with no more than a couple of metres of separation.  All three athletes have stellar records at Stroke & Stride with numerous wins and Series Championships over the years.  On this occasion it was to be Samantha Warriner who claimed her 23rd Stroke & Stride victory with one of her closest finishes in years.  Simone Ackermann counterpunched and got herself into second and the winner from Race #1 Carmel Hanly was this time left in third.  Behind this high quality podium came the juniors with Maddie Dillon holding out Stroke & Stride debutant Emily Pearce.
 
Grand Prix points are very close for the women with just one point the difference between Carmel Hanly and Simone Ackermann.  Looking slightly ominous for the guys however with defending Series Champ Ryan Sissons already 8 points clear but stay tuned as we still have six more races to be swum and run.
 
The next event is on Wednesday, December 2nd and full results, points and more is on the official website at swimrun.org
 
RESULTS

Male
1       Ryan Sissons                                                  22m  29s                                                
2       Brent Foster                                                    22m  31s
3       Dylan McNeice                                                 22m  34s
4       Liam Scopes                                                   22m  53s
5       Michael Poole                                                  23m  10s
6       Sam Morreau                                                 23m  56s
7       Sam Franklin          AUS                                24m   08s
8       Bruce Hunter                                                   24m  33s
9       Sam Ward                                                    24m 46s
10     Jacob Ackermann     GER                               25m  03s
 
Female
1         Samantha Warriner                                         24m  55s                                                
2         Simone Ackermann                                            24m  56s
3         Carmel Hanly                                                 24m  59s                                                
4         Maddie Dillon                                                 26m  58s
5         Emily Pearce                                                    27m  21s
6         Megan Roper                                                  27m  56s
7         Anna Ross                                                           28m    02s
8         Rebecca Clarke                                                28m  06s
9         Lizzie Orchard                                                  28m  12s
10       Georgia Lloyd                                                  28m  25s

 
    
GRAND PRIX POINTS
 
Female
1        Carmel Hanly                                                     35                                                          
2        Simone Ackermann                                             34
3        Maddie Dillon                                                   26
4       Samantha Warriner                                                20
5       Anna Ross                                                           19
6T     Teresa Adam                                                      15
6T      Megan Roper                                                  15
8       Georgia Lloyd                                                  14
9T     Belinda Harper                                                    11
9T     Emily Pearce                                                    11

Male
1       Ryan Sissons                                                  40
2       Brent Foster                                                    32
3       Liam Scopes                                                   30
4       Sam Franklin          AUS                                 22
5       Sam Morreau                                                 21
6       Bruce Hunter                                                   17
7       Dylan McNeice                                                 15
8       Sam Ward                                                         13
9T     Alexi Petrie                                                     11
9T     Michael Poole                                                  11

ends

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