Favourites take out first tri-skate title in Timaru

Timaru skater Nicole Begg and Christchurch’s Ollie Jones have won the maiden South Island triskate event at Timaru International Motor Raceway.

The race saw competitors skate, cycle and run around the Levels circuit as the penultimate leg of speedskating’s Southern Endurance series.

Speedskating world silver medallist Jones won the men’s race in 1hr 12min 17ssec.

Begg showed her class among women, crossing the finish line in 1:19.37.

Ariana Snook took second after clearing out from Leah McDonald and Boudine Brown on the bike and run.

Snook now has unbeatable lead in the endurance series, with only the South Island marathon left on September 27.

Temuka’s Michael Clarkson, back after on injury, won the masters men’s half marathon from Simon McAuley and Bruce Begg.

Clarkson then lined up in the tri-skate event and finished third behind Jonathan Swindells.

Juniors Jazmyn McAuley and Kaylum McAuley took out the Begg trophies after winning the half marathon titles. McAuley won from Keaton Swindells, with Hayden Teixeira third.

The junior girls was a real tussle with Ella Benson, Charlotte Clarke and McAuley putting a threeminute margin over Erin Hall after the skating transition.

McAuley held the margin to the end, with Benson second while Hall finished strongly to grab third.

Series leader Charlotte Clarke had a poor bike transition and had to settle for fourth.