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Otago Secondary Schools’ Triathlon Championships and Challenge Wanaka Schools Event

By Andrew Willmott | Posted: Thursday February 14, 2019

In its second year in Wanaka, and on the back of a successful debut event, the Otago Secondary Schools’ Triathlon Championships and Challenge Wanaka Schools’ event drew a huge turnout, especially from Dunedin Schools.

While the weather was not as perfect this year, the conditions were still conducive to fast racing and apart from a small shower at the start of the event, it was largely fine and mild during the races.

Otago Boys’ High School had 11 boys competing, two as individuals and nine in teams. The teams’ event is a fun and safe introduction to triathlon and is easily the most contested category at the event. With that said, the individual categories are super competitive with generally only the best competing.

This year the performances of our boys were outstanding with only the U-16 team not making the podium. In his first year competing for Otago Boys’, Harry Summers set the bar high with a second placing in the U-14 Boys individual race. Harry looks likely for future successes in the sport and worthy of taking the baton from team captain, Jack Divers.

Jack, and the U-19s kicked off the event and in his final year he led from the front, part of a group of three after the swim and bike. Unfortunately, tired legs from competing in the NZ Sprint Champs in Taupo the previous weekend slowed his run. A substantial lead though meant he was able to hold on for third.

In the teams, our U-14 boys of Eddie Wright, James Gardner and Ronan Melville took out the title. After a solid swim, James continued his recent form on the bike to cement the team’s lead. Ronan, in his first school triathlon, running strong to bring it home. Just in front of them was the U-16 boys (James Howard, Cole Gibbons and Rohan Leckie-Zaharic) who raced strongly but were up against some bigger and older opposition and finished outside of the top three. The shock result though was the U-19 boys. With limited training and experience the team took out their category too. Jack McDowall swam well, with Tyler Summers consolidating in the cycle leg and passing the transponder on to Lucas Govaerts to guts out the win.

A fantastic effort from the boys. Thanks to Michelle Summers for her support and Sarah Saunderson-Warner of the Dunedin Triathlon Club for encouraging and feeding our boys with race snacks.

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