The second Oceania Cup of the season kicked off in Taupo with several athletes staying in New Zealand having already raced in Wanaka last week. There was, however, one major addition to the start list. Gwen Jorgensen, the former Olympic champion, would be racing for the first time since announcing her comeback to the sport.
With both race winners from Wanaka, Nicole Van Der Kaay and Callum Mcclusky, in the mix, Taupo promised to be a fast race.
Women’s race
Under slightly overcast conditions, the athletes charged into Lake Taupo. Awaiting them was pristine, flat water, perfect for a fast swim.
Unsurprisingly, Jeffcoat led the women out of the water. She had Mikayla Messer for company and the duo were quick to make the run into T1.
Olivia Thornbury was hot on their heels while Van Der Kaay had a much better swim than in Wanaka. The big talking point, though, was that Jorgensen managed to remain in touch with the main group and within 22 seconds of Jeffcoat.
The grassy T1 was a little different to the blue carpet Jorgensen would have been familiar with in the WTCS. Nevertheless, she had a fairly smooth transition and was able to clutch on to the group as Van Der Kaay pushed the pace.
While the leaders were reluctant to yield their gap – and Jeffcoat put in some particularly adventurous drives round some of the corners – the main pack soon bunched together.
On paper, Van Der Kaay and Jorgensen were the runners to watch in the lead group. However Ainsley Thorpe was in the mix too.
The pace jumped on the final bike lap as the athletes jockeyed for position into T2. After speedy transitions, Thorpe, Brea Roderick and Jeffcoat each got the jump on the rest of the pack.
Once onto the run, Nicole Van Der Kaay wasted little time in moving to the front and dictated the pace. Thorpe was the only athlete able to hang with her. As that duo pulled ahead on the first lap, Ellie Hoitink moved ahead of Roderick into 3rd while Jorgensen also slotted into 4th place.
On the second lap, Jorgensen managed to move past Hoitink. Yet the race was between two women ahead.
For much of the run, Thorpe seemed content to sit on Van Der Kaay’s hip and let her rival set the pace. Both looked relatively comfortable and set for a sprint finish.
Coming down the hill into the finish, Van Der Kaay made another push and that was enough to break clear to earn a narrow victory. In doing so, she made it two from two in her racing in New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Jorgensen held on to take a remarkable bronze medal.
Men’s race
World Cup winner David Castro Fajardo was the clear favourite on the men’s start list. Having won a World Cup gold in his last appearance in 2022, Castro had perhaps the most established world-level credentials of the field. That was not to say he would have the race his own way, though.
Rising WTCS athletes Tayler Reid and Luke Willian were also present and sharpened after racing in Wanaka last week.
As with the women’s race, the athletes made the most of the flat conditions in Lake Taupo to record a fast swim. Dylan McCullough was the first man out of the water in 9:01 while Castro led the bulk of the field out after recording 9:13.
Despite the efforts in the water, the field remained mostly bunched together onto the bike. Several of the favourites, including Reid, Willian and Mcclusky found themselves in the lead pack with Castro.
McCullough continued to put in some heavy shifts towards the shift of the group although there was little that broke up the pack.
The race therefore descended in a foot race. Castro, Willian and Mcclusky each had solid transitions. Meanwhile the silver medallist from Wanaka, Kyle Smith, also nudged towards the front.
After a fairly smooth first lap, Reid could not quite hold pace on the run, nor could Mcclusky. One slightly unexpected face to match Castro and Willian, though, was Janus Staufenberg. Staufenberg finished 11th at the Huatulco World Cup and 14th at the Miyazaki World Cup last year so was certainly worth reckoning with.
As the pace increased with each lap, Staufenberg held firm. Gradually, Smith began to lost touch, making it a three man race into the finish.
Willian tried to nudge ahead, however Castro and Staufenberg summoned an explosive final sprint to gap him on the home stretch. Even at the finish line, Castro and Staufenberg were hard to separate. However, it was Castro that took the win.
Staufenberg settled for an admirable silver. Willian took bronze.
View the full results here.
