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Usshers Set the Pace

17.11.2007

Kiwi couple Richard and Elina Ussher proved convincingly that they are the pair to beat in this year’s event. Starting well back in the field they crossed the finish line first after the 24.5km prologue event designed to set the start times for competitors for the remainder of the Challenge.

The Prologue for this year’s Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge began from Lincoln’s Corner as competitors mountain biked the 14.5kms to Wilmot before transitioning to a run. Local controlled burn-off’s made breathing difficult for some competitors who battled against the smoke and dust from the road on the 4km run.

Webber and Channel 10 commentator Greg Rust paired for the Prologue event and while finishing in the first half of the field, Rust was clearly struggling in the hot conditions and challenging climbs on the mountain bike. “There were some impressive athletes out there on the track. The Ussher’s were humming along�, a breathless Rust said after kayaking into Lake Barrington and crossing the finish.

Exhausted but ecstatic about finishing, Rust said he was very keen to come back next year with some more preparation behind him. Former Olympian Michael Klim was a little out of his comfort zone and while being brilliant in the water, wasn’t quite as speedy in the kayak. When asked before the Prologue what he thought his strongest leg of the day, “Swimming is my strongest but the closest I’m going to come to swimming is the kayak and if I’m swimming the kayaking isn’t going so well,� joked Klim.

As competitors kayaked into the International Rowing Camp at Lake Barrington, some very relieved faces could be seen. Former Olympic pole vaulter Tatiana Grigorieva who has joined the Challenge for two days put in a great effort teamed with Freycinet Lodge Challenge winner Jarad Kohlar.

Tomorrow competitors will begin the day’s competition with a 4.8km kayak around the pristine Dove Lake nestled under Cradle Mountain, before transitioning to a run. The run will take competitors up to Cradle Mountain Summit and down again for a heartbreaking 18.9kms. After that it’s back in the saddle and a neutral bike ride from Dove Lake to Cradle Mountain Chateau. Competitors have a maximum one hour to complete this 11km ride so it will be a short rest period before a much more challenging 47km ride finishing at the Lake Barrington.

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