Race Reports

Hannah M's Race Report My race recap would probably simply be that I’ve wanted to experience this race for a while and when I decided to try and qualify for Worlds again, I saw an opportunity to do that with that! I’d done the prep for the tough course but it was still tough, and in unexpected ways, and I didn’t manage to deliver what I was capable of. But I / we all problem solved our way to the finish line and had a wonderful week in Taupo. The volunteers here and town vibe was one of the best for sure!

Max T's Race Report - Classic After hearing nothing but great reviews about the Husky Tri festival since joining CTC late last year, I decided it would make a great training event in the build-up to my first full ironman at Cairns in June. After settling the nerves with a short hit out on the bike and run with some of the Coogee team on Saturday, we then settled into support mode for all the awesome CTC members racing the sprint that afternoon. It was great to see everyone out there giving it a go and tackling the rough sea in the swim. That evening, after realising I had left my homemade pesto pasta in Sydney, I settled for a carb heavy and nutritious microwave rice and canned tuna for dinner. Sunday morning quickly approached, and I dragged my carcass out of my swag at the campsite with the feeling of razorblades in my throat; unfortunately the flu had got to me, but a coffee, electrolytes, and throat lozenges did the job. I headed for the start line with the Coogee contingent, and we were ready to go. The swim leg was stunning and felt like a swimming pool, I’d made it through the first leg and was happy to feel dry land. The bike course was fairly brutal with rolling hills and potholes that made me question my frame's integrity, I managed to climb a few places and get close to the eventual winner of my age group. The first 8km of the run I felt strong, and I was pushed along with the high fives from the Coogee team doing the ultimate and classic events, I managed to pass my age group eventual winner and put some distance into him, but it wasn’t enough with him besting me by just 16 sec! This was my first-time competing as part of the Coogee Tri Club at an event, and it didn’t disappoint! It was an absolutely epic event, and I will definitely be back next year.

Tash W's Race Report CTC had a super strong set of athletes lining up for the full distance race at Taupo on 1st March and the results did not disappoint. Our resident pro Dany Eberle came in 9th in a hugely competitive pro field, flying down the red carpet with a time of 9 hours 43 mins. Hannah Morgan, who declared this was her hardest ever Ironman build and was coming in undercooked, achieved a sub 11 hour, 3rd in age group and ticket to the World Champs. If that’s what undercooked looks like, we can’t wait to see Hannah storming it in Kona later in the year. Despite Lydia Frazer moving to Melbourne last year, we still claim her as one of our own. She was on a mission from the very beginning with a 58 minute swim (yes she is a fish) and a crazy strong ride, she took a tumble on the run and still pulled off a 3rd place age group finish and another CTC World Champs qualifier. Moving on to the 70.3 group, we had seasoned CTCer Anna Willis in it for fun and showing us all how to encompass the spirit of triathlon. Eric Poulin gave it his all finishing with a top 10 in a huge and competitive age group field. Of all the crazy achievements from the Coogee crew over the weekend, I could not be more proud of or inspired by Ali Cole and Rachel Evans. The girls only recently joined the club having bought bikes last year and challenged each other to complete their first triathlon. Despite this challenge feeling totally crazy to them not that long ago, they committed themselves to the early alarms, the body aches and pains, the hunger pangs and training sessions whole heartedly. They have consistently come to Tuesday track and Thursday centennial rides for the last couple of months and all the hard work and dedication hugely paid off on race day. Finally, I also lined up for the full Ironman distance race, my third and FINAL! Suffering from illness I knew it was going to be a long day out for me but wasn’t prepared for quite how hard it was about to get. There is one thing I absolutely do know for certain and that is I would not have finished that race without the unwavering support from the 70.3 racers who came straight back out to the course post their own races to cheer us all through our runs. After falling into the arms of my Fiancé for a mid marathon cry, Anna walked 5kms of the course alongside me getting me back mentally strong enough to finish the race. I can’t thank team support crew enough for staying out late into the evening on exhausted legs of their own waiting for me to get to the red carpet. The entire CTC family, including the totally wrecked full distance athletes, were waiting for me when I did finally make it to the finish line and that is what being in this club is all about ❤️

Eric P's Race Report - 70.3 Goal: Sub 5 hours Confidence booster: My run was feeling solid after a year of focus. Worry factor: That “year of focus” didn't include much swimming or biking… minor details. Result: 4h53, PB on the run (1h33), and punched my ticket to the World Championships! Race Recap Swim: Beautiful, clear, and calm… but still 4 minutes slower than my best. Tried drafting but ended up just swimming alone, questioning my life choices. Finished in 36 min—happy just to get out of the water and into T1. T1: Longer than expected (note to self: check course maps next time). Otherwise, smooth. Bike: Rain started early, and I was still disappointed about the swim. Told myself to smile and enjoy the ride. Legs felt a bit heavy from last week's Husky, so I dropped power to 180 instead of 190. Finished in 2h35 and actually felt stronger toward the end—ready to run! T2: Quick in and out. No complaints. Run: Started too fast (4:15/km—oops), then settled into a 4:30 pace. Didn’t know the course (shame on me, again), but the crowd energy was great. Pushed hard in the last 2K (4:10-4:15/km) and finished with a PB run of 1h33. Straight to the massage table after, and honestly, I’ve never felt better post-race. Nutrition: All mapleROO, all day. Waffle 30 min pre-race, gel 2 min before start, two drink bottles + two waffles on the bike, and two gels on the run. No gut issues, felt strong—mission accomplished. Final Thoughts: Perfect weather, decent roads (despite the warnings), and a great atmosphere on the run. Highly recommend the race—just plan your travel better than I did unless you enjoy arriving at your hotel at 6 AM the day before. See you in Spain 🇪🇸!