Stevens is the Moehau Man
Michael Jacques / 17.01.2005
Almost 250 endurance athletes turned out for the 125km circumnavigation of the spectacular but rugged Coromandel Peninsula. After setting a course record in 2004, Craig Stevens was favourite for the annual event. The Taupo builder didn\'t disappoint, but a hot day and an unexpected challenge made it a close thing.
Right from the gun Stevens had company in the form of Auckland\'s Stuart Lynch, although both were forced to follow top veteran Wayne Hodgetts through the opening 14km coastal kayak from Coromandel to Waitete Bay.
The kayak specialist opened up a narrow 40sec lead as the race changed to a 40km mountain bike to Port Jackson. Stevens and Lynch soon hauled in Hodgetts, but were then forced to keep an eye out behind as Auckland\'s Wayne Oxenham almost rode them down.
As the race moved into the 22km mountain run over Moehau mountain to the Big Sandy just 30secs separated Lynch, Stevens and Oxenham. But a strong run from Stevens saw him open up a 3 minute over Lynch. A fast mountain bike saw that lead climb to 9 minutes, but in temperatures nearing 30 degrees Stevens started to struggle.
Lynch took a minute out of him in the 17km kayak in the Pacific Ocean between Waikawau Bay and Kennedy Bay and then attacked on the final mountain bike back to Coromandel township. Lynch gave caution away on the downhills to take 7min out of Stevens. But the Taupo athlete hung on grimly to cross the line just 93secs ahead of Lynch in 7hrs 52min 58secs.
Falling just 6min short of his own race record, only the extreme heat robbed Stevens of a new record in 2005. Behind these front-runners came Aucklanders Wayne Oxenham in third, Rob Neilson in fourth and first veteran Wayne Hodgetts in fifth.
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