Goulburn triathletes impress in Australia Day Aquathon in Wollongong

The event has become an annual drawcard for international triathletes to kick off their racing calendar, with many training there as part of the Wollongong Wizards triathlon squad.

Past winners have included world champions Gwen Jorgenson, Ryan Baillee and Craig Alexander.

While the Goulburn Athletes didn't match those lofty heights, they did record some pleasing results.

Olivia Stutchbury was the standout performer in the long aqua (1150m swim/7km run)claiming seventh place in the 20-29 year age group and 24th female outright, while her sister Claire was 25th in the same age group.

In the 20-29 yr men Jack Corkill managed 35th up against a field of many elite performers.

Mark Stutchbury and Rod Smith both fared well in the 50-59 year age group with solid ninth and 14^th placings in a field of over 35 competitors.

Fiona and David Banham contested the short aqua which comprised a 500m swim coupled with a 3km run. In his first attempt at the sport, David completed the course in 40 minutes with Fiona recording a consistently paced 50-minute result.

Former Goulburn Triathlon Club juniors Bonnie and Jack Young excelled with Bonnie third in the 10-12 yr kids aqua (200m/2km) and Jack an outstanding third outright in the short aqua (500m/3km).

Meanwhile racing continued on Tuesday night with round 11 of the Aquathon series with the largest field to date taking part despite temperatures in excess of 30 degrees.

A large field of 14 opened proceedings in the novice distance race with Charlie Moss overcoming the McIntyre twins Ava and Stella, who were first into the run thanks to the two fastest swim splits.

Jacqui Holland, Lachlan Karooz and Arlene Dorsett also showed good form.

Kelly McKellar and Violet Ottley both recorded solid times in the Sprint distance race (200m/ 4km) with Kelly taking the win.

In the intermediate distance race (400m/4km) a massive field of 20 took part and times were slick with nine racers coming in under 30 minutes.

Mitch Drapalski stepped up from the sprint distance race and almost grabbed a podium courtesy of a very quick 17-minute 4km run. Others to impress were Ryan Croker, who broke through the 30 minute barrier, Brody McKellar, with a season best, and Keagan Mitchell, who missed out on the fastest females' run split by only nine seconds.

Jaemin Frazer returned to racing in the long distance race and immediately took up where he left off, a lightning sub 24 minute 6km run defying the dry and hot conditions.

Kurt Warn with his usual consistent pace cruised into second with Mark Stutchbury third. Corey Petersen was not far back after breaking through the 40 minute barrier and in the process pushed ageing veteran Kerry Baxter into fifth.

For the ladies, Olivia Stutchbury backed up an impressive swim leg with an evenly paced run to claim first ahead of the consistent Nik Christen.

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