Half-marathon win a step for Ironman bid

WARWICK SMITH/Manawatu Standard

HARD-EARNED FINISH: Feilding Moa runner Wendy Cottrell-Teahan was the first woman home on Sunday in the half marathon.

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Winning yesterday's Manawatu Striders half marathon was just part of Chris Sanson's long-term plan on his way to the ironman world championships in Hawaii next year.

The Levin-based athlete stormed to the finish line at Massey University in 1hr 13min 5sec to cap off a running training block as he builds towards competing in a half ironman at the end of the year and the ironman national championships in March.

He was pleased with his time, but won't have much time to celebrate.

"Now it's back into cycling and swimming on Tuesday and building up to December," he said and noted it was a fast race.

"In previous years the times haven't been that quick.

"We took off at an okay pace, but the middle half was really quick.

"The conditions were good, there was a little bit of wind, but it's always good; you lose a few people."

The 23-year-old former Horowhenua College pupil, who is a member of the Manawatu Triathlon Club, will also race some cycling events during the summer.

"The end product is to win world champs in October next year, Sanson said.

"You just have to get the stepping stones along the way to get there."

Feilding Moa runner Wendy Cottrell-Teahan was the first woman home in the half marathon in 1hr 25min 38sec after only deciding on Saturday to compete in the race because she had struggled with a cold during the week.

"I wanted to do about one hour 25 minutes," she said.

"I wanted to do the first 10 kilometres easy and see if I could hold on."

Cottrell-Teahan keeps fit during the week with her job as a postie in Feilding and is heading to Christchurch in three weeks to compete in the national road-running championships.

She has done marathons in the past and races track events during the summer, but said the 5km was her preferred distance.

Palmerston North's Andrus Lei was the first male home in the half-marathon walk in 2hr 5min, more than a minute ahead of Peter Zwart.

Feilding's Lisa McDonald was the first woman home in the walk in 2hr 16min 7sec, nearly two minutes before Palmerston North's Lynne Kroll crossed the line in second.

More than 1000 people took part in the event, with 531 taking on the half marathon and the rest did either the 5km or 10km run or walk.

Top three finishers for the half marathon: Men: 1. Chris Sanson 1hr 13min 5sec, Levin, 2. Stephen Smith 1hr 13min 6sec, PN, 3. Kieran McPherson 1hr 13min 21sec, PN

Women: 1. Wendy Cottrell-Teahan 1hr 25min 38sec, Feilding, 2. Samantha Blanch 1hr 26min 21sec, South Auckland, 3. Natalie Turner 1hr 25min 52sec, PN

Walkers: Men: 1. Andrus Lei 2hr 5min PN, 2. Peter Zwart 2hr 6min 16sec, PN, 3. David Wackrow 2hr 12min 44sec, NP

Women: 1. Lisa McDonald 2hr 16min 7sec Feilding, 2. Lynne Kroll 2hr 18min 4sec, PN, 3. Denise Brunskill 2hr 19min 37sec, PN.

- © Fairfax NZ News