Crazyman Uncovers New Stars
Michael Jacques / 06.05.2009
This year’s 19th HuttValleyNZ.com Crazyman was meant to be another husband and wife field day for Richard and Elina Ussher. But when both failed to start following a late return from racing in China, the race appeared wide open.
Among men, local standout Glenn Muirhead, a former top 10 placegetter at the Coast to Coast world title race, took over the favourites tag. And the former Hurricanes Super 14 physiotherapist, who was renowned for being fitter than the team he looked after, certainly looked every bit the winner in the opening kilometres.
On a glassy Wellington Harbour the 40 year old was first to finish the 13k kayak from Petone to Eastbourne, hitting the beach just over a minute ahead of Wellington rep runner-turned-multisporter James Coubrough, and Napier standout Rick Martin. But Muirhead faltered on the 18k run over Mt Lowry to Wainuiomata.
James Coubrough wasted no time in capitalising on Muirhead’s demise. The former Wellington champion runner and recreational kayaker has been meddling with multisport over summer and when he finished the run with a 10min lead the race looked over.
But someone forgot to tell Hamilton’s Neil Parkinson. Once into the final 36k mountain bike section the 27 year old totally dominated the race, riding nine minutes faster than Muirhead and a massive eighteen minutes faster than Coubrough to claim his first big win on the national multisport scene.
Parkinson crossed the Lower Hutt Town Hall finish line eight minutes clear of Coubrough, stopping the clock in 4hrs 32min 03secs. For his part, the humble Hamiltonian thanked the absent Richard Ussher for giving others a chance, but with a winning time just a few minutes slower than Ussher recorded the previous year, Parkinson has announced his arrival on the national scene.
In third place Glen Muirhead couldn’t quite make up what he lost on the run, finishing three further back in third place. But the 40-year took consolation in smashing the veteran men’s record, clocking 4hrs 43min 43secs to win by a massive 46min.
The other big win of the day was the women’s race when Nelson’s Helen Chittenden surprised even herself to clock the first major win of her career.
With Elina Ussher scratching the day before, recent Xterra winner Nic Leary was expected to romp away with the win. But it was Chittenden who showed out first, finishing the kayak section just over two minutes ahead of Leary.
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