INDEPENDENT NEWS

World Champion claims top honours at multisport race

Published: Mon 24 Feb 2014 02:16 PM
23 February 2014
World Champion returns to claim top honours at Kururau Krusher multisport race
Taumarunui turned on a stunning day to welcome back a World Champion and two times previous winner at its annual Kururau Krusher multisport race yesterday Saturday 22 February.
Individual winner Stuart Lynch (Auckland) crossed the finish line in 04:51:12, with nine times Earthwise Kaimai Classic winner Dwarne Farley just over three and a half minutes behind in second with a time of 04:54:53. Jason Derecourt (Tauranga) claimed third place honours in 05:11:15 plus the day’s fastest kayak time of 1:33:27.
Lynch recently returned to New Zealand after five years overseas adventure racing, with the title of 2013 Adventure Racing World Champion. The Kururau Krusher remains firmly in his calendar when in New Zealand having won the event twice before; it was the last race he entered before leaving New Zealand and now the first race since he’s been back.
Individual and team place-getters all held their own at the front of the large leading bunch on the competitive and fast first 44km cycle leg lead by Lynch.
Sixteen year old Whakatane school boy Hayden Wilde blazed past four competitors on the run leg to take the lead and posted the fastest run time of 0:57:23, and an impressive 5th overall individual.
Lynch overtook Wilde in transition to the 23km paddle to be first out on the water for some respite after a tough run behind the teenager. “I probably went out too hard on the run, I was hurting” admits Lynch. “But I knew Dwarne would have a good mountain bike so needed to get some distance on the river.”
Farley had a great paddle and made ground on Lynch in the water. Lynch held a slim 23 second lead on Farley but managed to stretch that to three and a half minutes over the notorious final 26km mountain bike leg.
Team Aaron and Brad (Aaron Mallett and Bradley Jones, Whakatane) was the first team home and overall fastest time of 4:49:29. Second placed Waikato Regional Council Collaborators (5:23:03) had to work hard to stay clear of the young guns on their heels from Whakatane’s Trident High School, first secondary school team and third overall Team Trident Troops at 5:25:00.
An individual women’s field of two participants saw previous winner and local Rachel Cashin win in06:19:12, and the afternoon capped off with the arrival of second place Leanne Willis with the tail end marshal mid-way through prize-giving.
The Jilesen Contractors Kururau Krusher is organised by the Taumarunui Multisport Club. Full results available online at www.kururaukrusher.co.nz. Race day photos posted on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EventDayNZ
ENDS

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