Nelson husband and wife multisport athletes Elina and Richard Ussher won the Motu Challenge multisport event in Opotiki on Saturday 12 October.
Elina led the race from start to finish and was never seriously threatened, while husband Richard had to overcome a 6 minute deficit after the first stage mountain bike section.
Whakatane's Sam Clark put the hammer down on the opening 65 kilometre mountain bike stage posting a very slick 2 hours and 11 minute time, faster than all riders including several top class cyclists who competed as part of the relay teams race.
 Sam Clark(Photo: Cheeky Rooster; click to enlarge) |
Clark hung on and Richard Ussher had to work hard to catch him in the next 3 stages including a 17 kilometre run, 52 kilometre road cycle and a final stage consisting of a 27 kilometre kayak, 7 kilometre cycle and 3 kilometre run.
Ussher managed to overtake Clark near the end of the kayak stage, but the race was far from over.
Clark fought back on the road cycle but Ussher the experienced athlete managed to hold him off. The tight racing meant the pace was hot and both athletes went under the 5 year old race record.
The gap between the two ended up being 1 minute and 49 seconds.
Interviewed at the end of the race Ussher was impressed with Clark's incredible effort but thought that Clark had gone out too fast and was confident of catching him.
The fact that he caught him in the last half hour of the race is testament to the improvement in Clark's racing.
Clark has been focussing on improving his cycling ability and hopes to complete the arduous cycling tour of Southland in 3 weeks time. "I've only been paddling once a week which is obviously not enough to match Richard's prowess in the kayak."
Another record to fall in the partner event the Motu 160 – a 65km mountain bike and 95 kilometre road cycle was the individual men's record set by Shem Roger In 2010. Stephen Sheldrake bettered Roger's mark of 4 hours 42 minutes and 39 seconds, by 9 minutes and 24 seconds.
The conditions on the day were considered reasonably favourable by race Director Marty Madsen, but he didn't think they were ideal with blustery southwest winds playing havoc with all the cycling and kayaking legs. Madsen was surprised that the records were broken by such large amounts and attributed this to the close racing between the athletes at the front of the field.
After several years of declining entries in the Horizon Energy Motu Challenge, Madsen is delighted with the 20% increase in participation. "This event has been going for twenty years and has great community support, it is heartening to see the event growing, and our sponsors Horizon Energy are also chuffed. We put the increase down to improved marketing and possibly improved economic conditions."
