Phillips, Kahlefeldt dominant

WELLINGTON: New Zealander Mike Phillips and Czech athlete Radka Kahlefeldt have posted commanding wins in the Taupo halfironman.

Phillips backed up his victory of 12 months ago, when the event was run as a duathlon after the waters of Lake Taupo were ruled offlimits through an algal bloom.

He clocked 3hr 52min 56sec, with Casey Munro (Australia) second nearly 3min behind and former halfironman world champion Tim Reed third in 3hr 56min 12sec.

Mark Bowstead (New Zealand) joined Munro, Reed and Phillips in setting a torrid pace over the 90km cycle leg, leaving Phillips to make his decisive move with 7km of the 21.1km run remaining.

‘‘We got away early in the swim and we were all similar ability. On the bike Mark was strong but not quite strong enough to shake us off,’’ Phillips said.

‘‘To do it on the run is special. That has been a weakness of mine for a few years, so it is pleasing to see it is still improving.’’

In the women’s race, Radka Kahlefeldt smashed the field, emerging from the water to ride the 90km in close attendance with eventual third placegetter Rebecca Clarke (New Zealand), before running away to the title.

The win came less than a year after Kahlefeldt gave birth to daughter Ruby in January. She took first in 4hr 20min 27sec, just over 6min clear of Jocelyn McCauley (USA). Clarke took third in 4hr 30min 35sec.

Kahlefeldt struggled to find power on the bike leg.

‘‘I pushed hard but couldn’t find it as my legs were frozen and it took me some time to warm up. I think I wasted a lot of energy for the first 30km riding just to warm up and after that I couldn’t push any more watts.

‘‘I was lucky I had the running legs today, though, so that was good.’’ — RNZ