Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Middle-distance specialists Sam Tanner and Brigid Dennehy made history by becoming the inaugural winners of the New Zealand road mile championships in Rotorua.
In the men's race, Tanner, added the road mile title to his national track mile crown claimed in January to secure a convincing win from his two training partners; Julian Oakley and Hayden Wilde as the Craig Kirkwood coached trio swept the podium.
Tanner established control from the outset and despite world class triathlete Wilde mounting a strong challenge during the first half of the race - the 3min 51sec miler proved too strong to strike gold in 4:10.69 - a little over four seconds clear of Oakley.
Wilde, the Olympic triathlon bronze medallist, was rewarded for a typically aggressive run by pocketing bronze in 4:15.16.
Tanner was delighted with his win.
"It was pretty cool to win in such hectic conditions and it is awesome to win another national title, especially one as exhilarating as this," he said.
"We got out pretty hard before I relaxed a little bit. Then Hayden came up to my shoulder, and he stepped on the gas, and it was, okay, I guess we are going.
"I made my move 800m in and took control of the rest of the race. It was hectic out in about 20 knots of wind and a headwind coming toward the home straight. But the whole experience superseded my expectations. The event created lots of excitement, and everyone enjoyed it."
WOMEN'S UPSET
The women's race witnessed a major upset as Dennehy claimed her maiden national title thanks to a smart tactical execution.
In wet and windy weather conditions more akin to her native West of Ireland, the New Zealand resident since June last year outfoxed the opposition to deliver a narrow win from reigning national track mile champion Rebekah Greene.
Bronze went to national track mile champion and Tokyo Olympian Camille French.
Auckland-based Dennehy, who is coached by Paul Hamblyn, came into the race with few expectations particularly after suffering a medical scare four weeks earlier.
She contracted the condition Rhabdomyolysis - in which damaged muscle tissue releases proteins and electrolytes into the blood w- and and spent a night in hospital and was put on an IV drip.
"I wouldn't have believed when I was in hospital that four weeks later I would become national champion," Dennehy said.
"Thankfully, I recovered quickly (from the hospital stint) but I had no real expectation coming in and I wouldn't have been disappointed with a top six."
- RNZ