Ussher's win in Trinidad

Janine Mendes-Franco & Heather-Gem Ible / 11.10.2007

Mixed weather conditions persisted on Day 2 of the Tropical Power Coast to Coast race but could not stop New Zealander Richard Ussher and his wife Elina dominating the race.

Richard crossed the Finish Line at Williams Bay, Chaguaramas in a new course time of 11 hours and 17 minutes, smashing his previous – 2006 - course record by 1 hour and 10 minutes. He noted ‘the drastic changes in the weather made it very difficult at times, especially during the running phases of the race’.

Stage 3 of the two-day event began at 5:30 am yesterday morning with a 58 km ride to Diego Martin’s North Post, followed by an 8 km run to Macqueripe. The final stage of the course was very tough because of a fast moving weather system that passed through the area just as most of the participants hit this stage of the race - choppy seas and large swells in the Bocas and beyond made the 30 km paddle to Williams Bay very challenging, but most of the athletes persevered and completed the course.

The first female to finish, Elina Ussher again was challenged on the kayak leg and was lost for a short time during the Patna Village to Macqueripe run, but toughed it out and crossed the line in 13 hours, 19 minutes.

The relay teams all made very good time, all three teams completed the course minutes after each other, but the winning team comprised Robert Cadiz who did the kayak leg and set a new stage record for the relay teams of 3 hours, 8 minutes, Raymond Ramcharan who made very good time on the cycling leg and Earle Rahaman-Noronha who did the running leg of the race.