The 18-year-old Orange native bettered a field of around 130 which included a number of Australian representatives, having pushed himself hard for the entire grand prix race format.

Whiteley, who was contesting his first inter-club race in two seasons, was the quickest through the opening 2.5 kilometre run leg.

He was also first out of the pool after the opening 200m swim and while both series leader Matt Webster and fellow Orange competitor Jack Bilton overtook him on the 16km cycle, he lifted again.

Whiteley caught Webster in the second 200m swim leg, then overtook Bilton in the closing 2.5km run to claim the spoils.

“I think this race [Bathurst] two years ago was the last inter-club I’d done before today,” he said. “It’s such a test having to switch between run, swim, bike, swim, run. It’s not just your standard triathlon, so transition is important, trying to keep the leg speed and the stroke rate high as well, otherwise you get bogged into one discipline. You’ve got to change short and sharp.”

Whiteley, well aware of Webster’s prowess, said his plan was to go out hard from the start in the Bathurst race, which doubled as the third round of the annual inter-club series.

Though surrendering his lead in the cycle – Bilton the first competitor into transition just ahead of Webster – Whiteley was able to stay within reach of that pair. It proved critical

“I knew that Matt was strong on the bike, so I the first run and the swim I had to really gun it to try and give myself as much breathing room as I could,” he said

“As soon as he passed me on the bike – because I know he is pretty quick on the run too – my mid-race goal was to catch up to him so I could have some leeway.

“To face off against him in that final run would’ve been a bit interesting.

“I was on my own for the first just half of the cycle, then Jack and Rory caught me and then Matt after that and that sort of split the field apart with how strong Matt in on the bike.”

As Whiteley went on to claim victory, behind him it was a good battle for second place. Bilton was second out of the water, but Webster caught him on the run. 

Though Bilton put in one final surge in the closing meters, Webster held him off. It was a repeat of 12 months earlier at Bathurst when the experienced Mudgee competitor held off the Orange teenager. Of the locals, both Mark Windsor and Tom Hanrahan performed well, as did the team of Nick North (swim), Terry Roberts (run) and Richard Hobson (cycle).

Next weekend Whiteley will head to Adelaide for the second race of the Australian junior series, as he continues what will be a busy summer.

“After Adelaide, a month later I’ve got Perth which is the thirds race in that series, then I go to New Zealand – New Plymouth – and that’s the Oceania Junior Championship,” he said.