Duffy, Currie prevail in Asia-Pacific XTERRA mudfest
Flora Duffy must be a formidable presence both on the starting line of an XTERRA race, and in the baggage check line at the airport. The 2-time Olympian from Bermuda is equally at home on- or off-road in a triathlon, and if you're going to race ITU and XTERRA races on alternate weekends you've got to travel with two bikes. Ms. Duffy spent last week roaming the front of the WTS race in the Gold Coast before finishing 5th. Next week it's back on the roads. But as for this weekend…
While she's a top ITU racer she's just better yet at XTERRA. The reigning world champ again demonstrated she's nearly unbeatable, throttling the field from the gun in a wire-to-wire win.
Barbara Riveros could not overcome the 2-minute disadvantage out of the water, but she was the clear runner-up, well in front of third.
Back in 7th was a happy Caroline Steffen, making her debut in an XTERRA event.
“It was a tough day out there,” said Duffy. “I really wanted to defend this title, and it’s a lot harder defending. I seem to be the favorite no matter what. I wanted to attack the swim and nail the bike, ride the technical bits as best I could. I had a few issues out there, though, with a couple mechanicals and a little crash. It was super muddy. Then I just tried to run steady, and not push too hard. I’m really happy with how it went.”
Braden Currie and the rest of the men looked just like the women, which is to say they looked as if they'd just finished a rainy Belgian cyclocross race.
The Kiwi was strong in the swim, exiting with XTERRA legend Conrad Stoltz, and these two made mince meat of the rest of the field during the bike ride. The 2-time Olympian Courtney Atkinson was the early leader after a terrific swim, but was no match for the offroad prowess of Currie and Stoltz.
Currie was just a bit better on the run than Stoltz and that got him the win. Atkinson was too fleet afoot for Stoltz, repassing him for 2nd. Stoltz settled for a strong third.
“It was awesome, it was wet, it was muddy, it was actually quite technical because it was so loose but it’s stuff that you don’t get hurt on so you can hit it as hard as you can and if you crash you jump back up and go again,” said Currie.
XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championships
Callala Beach, NSW, Australia
April 18, 2015
Results
Women
1. Flora Duffy (BER) 2:36:40
2. Barbara Riveros (CHI) 2:39:47
3. Jacqie Slack (GBR) 2:47:06
4. Suzie Snyder (USA) 2:47:53
5. Lizzie Orchard (NZL) 2:48:08
Men
1. Braden Currie (NZL) 2:23:37
2. Courtney Atkinson (AUS) 2:26:33
3. Conrad Stoltz (RSA) 2:27:12
4. Olly Shaw (NZL) 2:52:50
5. Ben Allen (AUS) 2:27:52
(Images courtesy of and copyright XTERRA)
