There was ultimate success for the international contingent at the Batemans Bay Triathlon Festival on Sunday, with Charles Legget from Great Britain taking out the main race.
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Legget’s time 4.29.06 meant he came in more than five minutes ahead of his nearest challenger.
Having raced in the Bay for the first time last year, the Scottish-born triathlete was happy to once again test his skills on the course.
“I won my age group last year, and this time I thought I would enter the opens,” he said.
“There were some last minute changes to the bike course this year, which were a bit tough, but I love a challenge.
“I think the run leg is one of the nicest courses in Australia, especially when the conditions are as good as they were.”
I think the run leg is one of the nicest courses in Australia
- Charles Legget
Nearly 700 athletes took part in the festival, which acts as the tenth stop of the NSW Tri Series.
The Batemans Bay leg of this 12-stop tour consisted of five different distances including the Ultimate course of a 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride and 21.1km run.
Considered one of the more challenging courses in the series, the Bay Triathlon starts with a swim at Corrigans Beach, before competitors embark on a bike ride that takes on the rolling hills out to Broulee, and finish with a scenic run along parts of the Clyde River.
Legget stamped his authority on the Batemans Bay course with a solid 88-minute run off a very testing bike leg.
James Viles and Wayne Corlis (Gordon, ACT) made use of strong run legs to come through the field and take the minor placings in times of 4.34.47 and 4.39.31 respectively.
In the Women’s Ultimate Distance race, Kristy Hallet of South Melbourne dominated the opening leg, with a 36 second lead out of the water.
She held the lead on the bike before taking a further seven minutes out of Natalie Wood on the run, eventually winning in a time of 5.03.50.
Hallet finished more than 10 minutes of Wood (5.14.38) and Angela Ballerini (5.20.58).
A spokesperson from the organising company, Elite Energy, said Sunday’s event was “made possible by droves of volunteers who gave up their time to support a great community event and to raise funds for their local community groups and charities.”
Elite Energy is expected to donate more than $4000 to community groups and charities who supplied 50 volunteers who manned drink stations, athlete safety and other various roles across the event.