Weekend results: Pucon 70.3 & Port of Tauranga Half

By Wires January 11, 2016

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Port of Tauranga Half (New Zealand)

The traditional Port Tauranga Half marks half of the season in Oceania and saw locals Kiwis Braden Currie and Amelia Watkinson taking home the titles on Saturday at Mount Maunganui.

Braden Curri positioned himself among the leaders during all day, and his splits were a 24:09 swim ( 6th-best), 2:09:57 bike (3rd-best) and a 1:12:57 half marathon run (3rd-best to finish in 3:52:26. Mark Bowstead also from New Zealand was his closest competitor 1:34 back and 10-time Port of Tauranga winner Cameron Brown made it an all-New Zealand podium, finishing 3rd, 2:40 behind the winner.

Pre-race favorite Amelia Watkinson led was 2nd out of the swim in 26:24, then one the bike Watkinson made her move with the day’s best split in 2:22:07 and even while leading the event, managed to open the gap on the run with the day’s best run split of 1:23:06 to finish in 4:16:26, the runner-up Candice Hammond also from New Zealand was 12:51 behind while 3rd place also from New Zealand was Rebecca Fogarty 14:20 back from the winner.

Port of Tauranga Half
Mount Maunganui, New Zealand
1.9km swim / 90k bike / 21k run

Results

Men
1. Braden Currie (NZL) 3:52:26
2. Mark Bowstead (NZL) 3:54:00
3. Cameron Brown (NZL) 3:55:06
4. Daniel Plews (GBR) 3:57:47
5. Simon Cochrane (NZL) 4:03:05

Women
1. Amelia Watkinson (NZL) 4:16:26
2. Candice Hammond (NZL) 4:29:17
3. Rebecca Fogarty (NZL) 4:30:46
4. Julia Grant (NZL) 4:34:12
5. Larisa Cochrane (NZL) 4:39:27

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Ironman 70.3 Pucon (Chile)

Meanwhile, in South America, Ironman 70.3 Pucon was the opening event of the Ironman series. Chilean and ITU athlete Felipe Barraza led the wetsuit legal swim in 24:24, followed closely by Barrett Brandon of the U.S. (24:27), Luciano Taccone of Argentina (24:29), Daniel Fontana of Italy (24:32), Ben Collins of the U.S. (24:34), and Igor Amorelli of Brazil (24:35) with Ironman Fortaleza champion Guilherme Manocchio of Brazil another 75 seconds behind.

With the challenge bike course taking place in the foothills of the Villarica Volcano, uber-bikers Collins and Amorelli broke away from the main group and had over 5 minutes lead into transition two.

Collins made the most out of the lead and cruised for the win, while Brazilian Guilherme Manocchio had the day’s best run in 1:17:52 moving up to second place and local Felipe Barraza secured the final spot on the podium.

The women’s race saw USA’s Lauren Brandon leading the swim in 30:33, 2:54 ahead of a strong pack with Chilean ITU superstars Valentina Carvalho, Barbara Riveros and former Kona runner-up Rachel Joyce.

Lauren managed to increase her lead on the bike the day’s best bike split in 2:30:40, which was over two minutes quicker than the Chilean dup and 9 minutes faster than Joyce.
puconriveros

Once on the run Riveros, former world’s #2, and one of the best runners in triathlon ran a 1:29:55 half marathon split to overtake Lauren and secure the win and defend her title, Joyce was 2rd with the day’s best run and Valentina came in 3rd place

Herbalife Ironman 70.3 Pucon
Pucon, Chile
1.9km swim / 90k bike / 21k run

Results

Men

1. Ben Collins (USA) 3:59:02
2. Guilherme Manocchio (BRA) 4:03:26
3. Felipe Barraza (CHL) 4:04:48
4. Daniela Fontana (ITA) 4:06:24
5. Igor Amorelli (BRA) 4:07:00

Women

1. Barbara Riveros (CHL) 4:42:10
2. Rachel Joyce (GBR) 4:46:28
3. Valentina Carvallo (CHL) 4:47:46
4. Lauren Brandon (USA) 4:49:28
5. Pamela Tastets (CHL) 4:53:46