Kathmandu Crazyman

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Ussher and Ussher Race Ahead

Michael Jaques / 08.05.2007

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

Almost 500 entrants turned out for the 17th annual Kathmandu Crazyman, a 66k kayak, running and mountain bike event around the icon outdoor elements of Wellington’s Hutt City. As well as a record field organisers assembled several of the country’s top multisporters. But none could match the husband and wife pairing of Richard and Elina Ussher.

The newly-weds lined up as co-favourites and defending champions, and lived up to their billing to lead from start to finish. Richard, the two-time adventure racing world champion, opened up a 4min lead during the opening 12k kayak leg from Petone Foreshore, across Wellington harbour to Eastbourne.

Ussher hit Eastbourne Beach in 1:02.33, with Ohakune’s Marcel Hagener chasing hard through transition. In last years Kathmandu Crazyman Hagener had pushed Ussher all the way only to fall short by just one minute at the finish line. But this year the defending champion was undeniable.

Ussher extended his lead by another four minutes on the 18k run over the Eastern Harbour Regional Park and Mt Lowry. Ussher is one of the best runners in the multisport and adventure racing world, so this was expected. But what wasn’t expected was the way he continued to pull away from Hagener, a former professional cyclist in his German homeland before moving to New Zealand, on the final mountain bike leg.

Ussher added eight minutes to his lead on the 34k ride along the Hutt Skyline and Hutt River Trail, eventually crossing the line more than 16min clear of the disappointed Hagener. His winning time of 4hrs 09min 24secs smashed his own record for the Kathmandu Crazyman course by a massive 20min and gave warning to the rest of the multisport and adventure racing world as Ussher heads to the adventure racing world championships in Scotland next month.

In Scotland Ussher will team with his wife Elina, but on Saturday at the Kathmandu Crazyman she was racing for her own reasons. After a disappointing Coast to Coast last February, Elina Ussher (nee Rautila) had come to Wellington chasing Fleur Pawsey, who had been the surprise winner of the Coast to Coast. Like her husband, Ussher proved undeniable, although the competition didn’t quite turn out as planned.See All Event Posts