Kathmandu Crazyman

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Ussher Too Classy At Kathmandu Crazyman

Michael Jaques / 09.05.2006

Adventure racing world champion Richard Ussher confirmed his world class with a dominant win in Wellington's Kathmandu Crazyman on Saturday.

Almost 600 entrants turned out for the 16th annual Kathmandu Crazyman, a 66k kayak, running and mountain bike event around the icon outdoor elements of Wellington's Hutt City. As a round of the Sportzhub.com New Zealand Multisport Series the record field included several of the country's top multisporters. But none could match two-time Coast-to-Coast champion Richard Ussher.

The 26 year old hit the front from the first stride, although he was kept honest all the way by his adventure racing teammate Marcel Hagener, who hovered just a few minutes behind all the way.

Ussher clocked 1hr 22min 48secs through the run. But Hagener, a former professional cyclist in his German homeland, followed just 1min 35secs behind. Five minutes further back Hamish Robb, national series leader Gordon Walker and defending Kathmandu Crazyman champion Dwarne Farley were staging their own battle for third place.

Hagener illustrated his strength on the bike on the following 34k mountain bike along the Hutt Hills Skyline and down the Hutt River Trail. At one stage he closed Ussher down to less than 1 minute, but the leader pulled out all the stops on the flat final stages of the ride to start the kayak with 69 seconds in hand.

Hagener, however, refused to give in to Ussher. Six months ago they were racing side by side when winning the adventure racing world title. But in Wellington they gave each other no quarter.

Hagener surprised even Ussher by picking up 30 seconds early in the final 12k kayak on the Hutt River. But Ussher once again responded to the challenge and held on to win by exactly one minute. Behind them Gordon Walker, who won the Kathmandu Crazyman in 2003, had come through on the mountain bike and kayak to claim third place while Dwarne Farley held of Hamish Robb on the kayak for fourth place.

Ussher, a former Olympic skier who was born in Wellington and won the Kathmandu Crazyman in 2000 during what was his first season in multisport, was pleased with his win and pleasantly surprised by the size and competition in the event.

"The last time I raced here the event was tiny. I was really surprised today to see how much the event has grown and it was great to have so many top guys here to push you."

Ussher now heads to the USA and Europe for the international adventure racing season. "Racing here was a good test of my fitness and good training for the adventure races overseas," he said. Ussher's partner, Finnish adventure racing star Elina Rautila, had similar sentiments after dominating the women's race to win by more than 15 minutes ahead of Amanda Peake and Wellingtonian Fleur Pawsey.See All Event Posts