It was a tough day at the office for winning Team bioSPORT in the gruelling but iconic multisport Motu Challenge in Opotiki this Saturday.
Runner James Kuegler, mountain-biker Tim Wilding, road cyclist Alex Ray and Tim Grammer lined up in the green, black and white kit amongst a determined field for the action-packed racing weekend.
Team bioSPORT: Grammer, Kuegler, Wilding and Ray
(Photo: bioSPORT; click to enlarge) |
Wilding, winner of the mountain biking 2010 Karapoti Classic, headed out first on the 65km mountain bike. He was working in the lead bunch of 4, dropping riders at each of the hills until him and Ussher were left alone at the front and starting to work well together. Unfortunately a puncture for Ussher destroyed hopes of a record breaking leg but Wilding finished the leg well ahead of the bunch with a time of 02:19:07.
The start line
(Photo: bioSPORT; click to enlarge) |
Kuegler, runner-up at the 2010 Coast to Coast 2 Day event, took over at transition and increased the lead. It was head down for Kuegler all the way. Settling into a good pace early on, Kuegler made the most of the gravel before the sloppy off-road section. Kuegler finished strong with 01:08:03.
On the ground it was all hands on deck for Greg Pain in the bioSPORT support crew who was also crewing for defending champions Richard and Elina Ussher. Pain commented “What a great weekend, so great to see such efforts from everybody. Big kudos to the organisers for such a well run event.”
Ray, sponsored by bioSPORT for the last two years and winner of a series of elite criteriums in NZ and Australia was next on the track at Motu Town. Despite not having a TT bike Ray rode 01:23:59, within 8 seconds of the fastest bike leg. The climb over Traffords Road will be remembered in years to come as wind gusts were coming through so strong that they were literally blowing riders off their bikes as they climbed.
Ray at transition
(Photo: bioSPORT; click to enlarge) |
Coming out of the road cycle Grammer, 2nd in the recent Cambridge to Hamilton kayak race launched himself into the river well ahead of the rest of the field. In extreme contrast to last year’s high river and a dangerously strong tailwind this year a constant head-wind made the paddle tough with a low 1.7m river.
Grammer paddles out
(Photo: bioSPORT; click to enlarge) |
Grammer left the boat and transitioned with no problems for the last 8km road cycle and run to finish for a comfortable win of 14:17:09 overall for Team bioSPORT.
Wilding and Kuegler both part of the 2009 and 2008 winning teams were also both winners for their stage wins. Kuegler was stoked with the day commenting, ”it was great to clock a third win in the race and it made the day all the more enjoyable helping out Richard and Elina.”
