Blistering performance sees Kirralee take title
A LAST-MINUTE decision at the transition delivered a major win for Sunshine Coast triathlete Kirralee Seidel, but it has left her with the scars of Townsville.
Competing in the standard distance event at the Townsville Triathlon and Multisport Festival, Seidel, 33, decided against pulling on the socks after coming out of the water.
It saved her crucial seconds on the course, which she extended to a two-and-a-half minute gap on the running leg as she stormed to the finish line ahead of the women’s field in 02.00.45 hours.
But it also left her feet covered in blisters, and the athlete feeling the pain after the race.
“I feel pretty good apart from my feet are a bit busted up from wearing no socks,” she said.
“I think in these shorter course races, there is some speedy girls so I just wanted to get in and get out as quick as I could. I chose not to wear socks. I guess you could say it (worked in my favour), until now when I regret it. But it was the right decision at the time.”
A former triathlon champion, Seidel spent two years in the sport’s wilderness due to a doping ban in 2013.
The Sunshine Coast athlete, who has maintained her innocence over the charge, has instead turned her attention to the long course since her return competing in the 70.3 Ironman World Championships in South Africa last year. With her sights set on further ironman championships later this season, Seidel used the shorter distance (1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run) as a “tune up”.
“I was here quite a few years ago, I have a few friends who live up here. I loved the race then so I decided to come back up,” she said.
“I also have quite a big end to the season … so I just wanted to have a little hitout up here.
“(The course) was actually a bit technical, that is probably not my strong suit. It was a little bit hard to get going through the twists and turns, but I loved it.
“The swim was absolutely beautiful, and the run was quite a bit hillier than I expected but a good challenge.”
Former Youth Olympic champion Brittany Dutton, 21, finished second in the standard distance event in 02.03.04 hours while Ellen Guiney was almost a further four minutes behind in third.