Kiwi’s Dougal Allan and Paties Alizue took the top spots at the XTERRA Motatapu off-road triathlon on Saturday with winning times of 3:22:47 and 3:59:54, respectively.
It’s the third win in four years for Allan at Motatapu, and the first for Alizue.
The XTERRA Motatapu course, which combines a 2km swim with a 47km mountain bike, and 8.5km trail run is one of the longest and most difficult courses on the entire XTERRA World Tour.
The race was the third of 41 events where amateur athletes from around the world could qualify to race at the 23rd annual XTERRA World Championship at Kapalua, Maui on October 28. Here's a look at the 17 athletes who punched their ticket to paradise on Saturday:
Female 18-24: Paties Alizue 25-29: Florence Van Dyke 30-34: Emily Harper 35-39: Andie Lowry 40-44: Penny Wilson 45-49: Bridget Leonard 50-54: Bridget Grafton 55-59: Josie Sinclair 60+: Louise O’Connell 60-64: Male 18-24: Sam Coupland 25-29: Pete Smallfield 30-34: Dougal Allan 35-39: Mark Prutton 40-44: Craig Nieper 45-49: Hamish Pepper 50-54: Chris Gordon 55-59: Martyn Reesby 60-64: Bruce Law 65+: Alan Pattle.
More than 4,000 competitors were treated to a brisk autumn morning in the Queenstown Lakes District day for the 14th hosting of the Macpac Motatapu, New Zealand’s iconic one day multi-sport race with walkers, runners, triathletes and mountain bikers competing in a variety of races from the 15km Miners Trail, to the 51km Ultra-Run.
In the men’s race the expected battle between Allan and Braden Currie didn’t eventuate, with Currie not making the start line, leaving Allan to dominate the race and add another title to his 2015 and 2017 victories.
With the course changing from previous editions to this time include the 8.5km Sawpit Trail instead of the 15km Miners Trail, Allan established a benchmark of 3:22:47 over the new distance.
“My biggest competition was the terrain,” said Allan. “It is a tough honest course and that is the first time I have done that run, it is shorter but no less difficult than the previous run and there is no let up to the finish line, anyone that can do that swim bike run today deserves their medal.
“Macpac Motatapu has a huge profile, and rightly so, it is one of the biggest races in the country and what I love about it is the finish line where people of all ages and backgrounds come together having gone through different journeys to get here, it is one of the races I look forward to most each year.”
After a mechanical took Allan out of last week’s IM New Zealand, he admits to being on edge through most of the bike ride today.
“Anytime I heard a little squeak or a hiss I had a little panic, worried that my bike might be doing it to me again, but no, I had no issues today, everything went smoothly, and it was great to see the finish line.”
Top 3 Men
1 Dougal Allan, 3:22:47
2 Pete Smallfield, 3:35:28
3 Jason Hall, 3:37:03
Top 3 Women
1 Paties Alizue, 3:59:54
2 Emily Harper, 4:11:24
3 Florence van Dyke, 4:24:36