WHEN Mark Windsor took out the long course race in round three of the Bathurst Wallabies Triathlon Club’s 2016-17 season, his victory was not the main reason he had to smile.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
What was more important than winning over the 500 metre swim, 16.5 kilometre cycle and 5km run course for Windsor was seeing Nick North return to racing.
In October the talented triathlete was involved in an incident with a car while on a training ride.
He damaged his eye socket, ribs, clavicle and patella and such was the impact involved, North has no memory of the crash.
North got the all clear to compete on Sunday and after initially contemplating entering as part of a team, he opted to tackle the long course.
He made it to the halfway point of the run, at which time he was placed second.
“It’s nice having Nick back. We both do a little bit together, we ride together and it’s nice having him there as a carrot sort of thing,” Windsor said.
“I was a bit worried about him. It was a big crash and he’s bounced back, he was going full gas early.
“His swim time was amazing, I think it helps when you’ve got a bit of natural ability.”
As Windsor indicated, North’s swim leg was brilliant. He clocked a split of six minutes, 16 seconds compared to Windsor’s time of 8.02.
On the bike leg – the discipline Windsor is best noted for – he ate into North’s advantage with a 22.33 split.
As the duo headed into the 5km run, North’s lead stood at 40 seconds.
“I guess that’s the good thing about a bad swim leg, you get to chase,” Windsor said.
Just before the halfway mark of the run Windsor took the lead. He went on to win in a time of 51.58, while soreness forced North to withdraw after 2.5km.
Still, North’s effort was an impressive one given the severe injuries he sustained less than two months earlier.
As good as Windsor’s cycle leg was, he feels his big area of improvement this season has been in the run.
“Park Run has been sensational for me, it’s really been helping me. I think that’s been the secret for me this season, I’ve had a group of wins,” he said, with Sunday’s victory adding to his Central West Inter-Club success and two prior Bathurst round wins.
“I have been running okay and while I don’t have the best run leg, I have a bit of fitness and can rely on pulling other people back.”
Second place in the men’s long course race belonged to Dennis Martin in a time of 55.51, while Wes Gibson came from seventh after the swim to claim third in 57.90.
