firstoffthebike.com - Races

Portarlington fires!

The day dawned overcast for the athletes which would have been a relief to many as earlier in the week temps in the low 30's were already being recorded by the time the race would have been started. The day was warm though. Ideal conditions for the athletes. The water temperature was also high meaning the elites had to go it without the use of their trusty wetsuits. This must have been music to ears of both Peter Kerr and Adam Beckworth. Beckworth, could almost be considered a local living just up the road, would have been punching the air at the prospect of 800m swimming whereas Kerr feels more at home churning through the water than anywhere else.

The women's race was always going to be a hotly contested affair with Madeleine Oldfield and Fiona Turner setting up for battle. But as always, Portarlington throws up all sorts of challenges and surprises and was about to throw another one out there.

The gun went off sending the elites off in search of victory. The usual suspects were doing the job up front as the swim wound it's way around the back of the jetty and into the cauldron of T2. There is one thing that is a certainty in triathlon and that is when Leon Griffin is in any field the bike will be red hot. True to form Leon waved a jaunty farewell to the rest of the filed as he set about testing the injury that has seen him below his best after a stellar first up Ironman performance. The question now starts to rear it's head as to whether he will be right to go at Geelong 70.3 this month.

But injury talk aside Griffin was destroying them on the bike. He is a changed man when he races now. The confidence of a brilliant season in the U.S last year and the Ironman effort that cemented his promise must now give him a different perspective on life in triathlon. When he reached T2 he was in no mood to run with a change that saw him leave well ater the other guys had blown through. The 'tell' was definitely when Leon put socks on! A clear signal he was not in a hurry. Following him was a pack all keen to get some time on the top of the dais. The key protagonists were Brent Schuster, Jesse Featonby and Peter Kerr. This trio went about getting their own back on the run.

In the women's race it was becoming clear that Oldfield and Turner were in trouble. Ladies and gentlemen meet Jaimi Chisholm. The 19 year old from the Triathlon Victoria Development Program (TVDP) was turning the screw at the head of the field. She was establishing a lead that would not get mowed down. So with said screw turned she went off to claim victory over some girls who have been in good form all season long.

The men's race was becoming a slogfest with Brent Schuster the last man standing. Leaving a very talented bunch behind Schuster cruised in with a 20 second buffer. Behind him were some very big names in the Gatorade world including Beckworth, McCartney and Griffin.

Elite men

1. Brent Schuster 1.15.36
2. Jesse Featonby 1.15.57
3. Peter Kerr 1.16.18

Elite Women

1. Jaimi Chisholm 1.32.43
2. Madaleine Oldfield 1.33.24
3. Fiona Turner 1.34.12

We couldn't leave this article without mentioning the stairs! For those who have not raced at Portarlington before the race organisers have a great surprise out of T2. A set of stairs that lead out onto the run course that burn the legs and put the heart rate through the roof. The elites hared up it this morning but as the day went on they become almost the fourth leg! If you got up intact firstoffthebike.com salutes you!