Team Kiwami’s Nicky Samuels, won the prestigious Escape from Alatraz triathon this Sunday.
Racing in jher favourite Amphibian Openback in Kiwi black and white colors, Samuels took control of the race mid way through the hilly bike course. At T2 she had a 1min 4sec lead over 2006 Alcatraz champ Becky Lavelle (USA) and 2min 2sec over 3-Time Alcatraz Champ and former World Champ Leanda Cave (GBR). Nicky extended the lead on the demanding run course, finishing the race in 2:13:13, a whopping 4min 21sec in front of 2nd place Cave and 6min 8sec up on 3rd place Lavelle.
Well done Nicky, what an effort!
In the men’s race, Team Kiwami’s Canadian youngster Andrew McCartney finished a strong 8th place behind winner Andy Potts (USA).
Here's a little video to "celebrate" the club of the year in Quebec.
http://www.trimes.org/2011/04/13/thanks-to-rouge-et-or-tri-club-club-of-the-year/
Team Kiwami's Nicky Samuels (NZL) was a deserved winner of the ITU World Cup race in front of a lage crowd at Mooloolaba, Australia this weekend.
Up against a world class field, Nicky wearing her Amphibian Openback in kiwi colors, broke away on the bike along with Daniella Ryf (SUI). The pair, both noted cyclists, worked on estabilshing a gap ahead of the chase pack containing most of the pre-race favourites including 2009 & 2010 world champ Emma Moffat (AUS) and feared runner Barbara Riveros-Diaz (CHI). The pair lead into lead into T2 with a 1min30sec advantage. Onto the run Samuels moved ahead of Ryf who was quickly caught by the chasers. Nicky held on throughout the 10k with sheer determination to take a very well deserved victory, 20 sec ahead of Moffat and 30 sec ahead of Riveros.
Well done Nicky - many fans are pleased to see that ITU races can still be won on the bike ;-)
Amongst other team Kiwami athletes in the race were the talented young trio of Rachel Klaamer of the Netherlands (14th) and Maaike Caelers of the Netherlands (17th), and Russia's Alexandra Razarenova (22nd).
Kiwami is the racewear choice of the national teams of Russia, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Poland, South Africa, Kazakstan, Slovenia, Slovakia and Hong Kong for thier athletes raceing the 2011 ITU World Champoionship Series. These teams choose to race in Kiwami Amphibian 008 and Amphibian Prima and Amphibian Openback products.
Team Kiwami’s Graham O’Grady kicks off 2011 in fine style by winning the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman – New Zeland’s second biggest race after IMNZ.
The race boasted one of the most competitive fields in recent history wit past winners Cameron Brown, Kieran Doe and Michael Poole all toeing the start line along with the in-form Callum Millward.
O’Grady lead out for the swim with Doe, 1min40sec ahead of the
chases. The two then put everything into the flat and fast 90km bike,
coming into the run with a 4min 30secf lead on the chase group. O’Grady
then worked into the run, building his pace over the first 7km lap. On
lap 2 of the run he pulled away from Doe and just managed to hold off a
fast finishing Millward by only 10sec! Brown was third, a further 35sec
back.
Way to go GOG!
Results:
1. Graham O’Grady 3:49.45
2. Callum Millward 3:49.55
3. Cameron Brown 3:50.30
Team Kiwami’s Morslav Vrastil (CZE) has set a new
Ironman world record for the number of IM distance races completed in 12
months! Miroslav clocked up IM N°21 for 2011 last weekend at IM
Cozumel, Mexico. And if that’s not enough he has travelled to
Bussleton, Western Australia to finish his 22nd (and final – phew!) IM
distance race this weekend.
The 58 year old and Czech, a
three-time Olympic rower, and cancer survivor says ”I cannot say
exactly what is behind my decision to do this,” says Vrastil. ”It was
last year that I said to my wife, “I will do 22 Ironmans in one year.”
She answered, “I’ll keep my fingers crossed!”
Miroslav uses either the Kiwami Kaiman XClub or Konami suits in his IM races. A detailed account of the amazing Miroslav Vrastil story will be posted after IM Bussleton.
Team Kiwami’s Jordan Rapp (USA) showed he is back to
his near best form just 8 months after a life threatening hit-and-run
accident while training on his bike. Rapp stormed to the front of the
race early in the bike and stayed there until the end of the bike, with
Timo Bracht (GER) and Rasmus Henning (DEN) in tow. Onto the run Jordan
settled into his own rhythm running a 2:58:02 marathon to finish in 4th
place behind Bracht, Henning and Tom Lowe (GBR) . After the race Bracht
said "Rapp rode the bike really well and in the end I had to give
everything to get the win." Jordan's 4:22:38 bike was only 7 seconds
slower than the course record he rode in 2009, and his 2:58:02 run just
2:17 than his run when he won the race in 8:13:35 Welocome back
Rappstar. J
Meanwhile Team Kiwami team-mate Matty Reed (USA) showed a promising IM debut with a valiant 6th place finish.
Reed, an Olympian and one of America’s most decorated short distance
athletes, lead out of the water in a group of 6 and immediately took the
lead on the bike. When Rapp took the lead Reed paced himself to the
finish in 8:33:08 and 6th place. Well done Matty!
Also to note Team Kiwami's Miroslav Vrastil,
an age grouper from Czech Republic, who finished his 20th IM or the
year at Arizona - in doing so equaling the World Record for the number
of Ironman distance races completed in one year!! Miroslav will race IM
Cozomul, Mexico this weekend and IM Busselton, Australia on 5 December
to clock up 22 IM's for 2010 !!! Good luck Miroslav!
Tail: for a great interveiw with Jordan Rapp about his comeback click here: http://www.slowtwitch.com/Interview/Here_Comes_Mr._Jordan_Rapp_1812.html
