‘Gutsy’ Ironman effort

Triathlete Roland Neururer

35th among 1200 athletes

Local triathlete veteran Roland Neururer is the talk of the triathlon community after his gutsy performance at the Challenge Wanaka full Ironman on Saturday in an impressive time of 11:18:39 to place 10th overall in his age grade and 35th overall.

Challenge Wanaka is New Zealand’s largest triathlon festival and the world’s most scenic iron distance triathlon which attracted a field of 1200 athletes from across the globe to take up the challenge at the weekend.

The race is not for the faint hearted and includes a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle leg and a final 42.2km run leg to the finish.

Racing in the men’s 40-49 category, Neururer began strongly on the swim completing the leg in 1:10:56.

According to Cook Islands Triathlon Association president Geoff Stoddart who was in Wanaka to support Neururer, the 180km cycle leg turned hellish with northerly winds.

“I went out in the car and watched him off and on over the last 80km and he was doing well,” reports Stoddart.

“He was passing people all the time near the end.”

At the end of the swim leg Neururer was in 17th place in his age grade field of 85 racers and 65th in the men’s division.

Neururer clocked a time of 2:49:26 at the halfway point of the 180km cycle leg and clocked a faster time of 2:32:54 after the last 90km before the final 42.2km run leg.

“He went out on to the run at about 7 hours 30 minutes. He was looking okay – this is one gutsy effort so far by him.”

Neururer completed the first half of the run leg in 1:49:35 and the second 21km leg in 2:01:38 for a total race time of 11:18:39 and to finish 10th overall in his division, 31st in the men’s division and 35th overall.

Winner of the race and rising New Zealand professional triathlete Jamie Whyte won the race in 9:03:53.