WHEN Hollee Simons came into final transition in Sunday's Bathurst Wallabies Triathlon Club's long course race, she was not looking forward to the run which awaited.
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But the positive, supportive atmosphere which has become a trademark of the club changed that.
It gave Simons the lift she needed to keep pushing to the finish line and make it back-to-back women's long course wins to start the 2020-21 season.
It also marked the second year in succession Simons has taken the women's honours in the Christmas round and although her time this year was a little slower, given she was racing after a sinus and chest infection she was happy with the effort.
Simons' 56:43 result was also good enough for fourth outright.
"I over-biked a little bit for how I was feeling, it was a really hard day, I think we had a crosswind the whole time on the bike," she said.
"I didn't feel that fantastic after the bike, I kind of came up the street and thought 'This is going to be unpleasant on the run', but luckily there is so much support out there and everyone is cheering everyone else on, you just even don't think about it."
While all long course competitors started together for the 500 metres swim, Simons was well placed outright as she emerged from the pool in fifth spot with an 8:11 split. It was 69 seconds quicker than any of her women's rivals.
Though Simons drained herself on the cycle leg, she admitted her strong cycling background meant the windy conditions actually worked to her strengths. It helped her climb into fourth outright on the back of a 24:46 effort.
"I think me having a strong bike background the wind suits me a little bit, there is a technique riding in the wind, it doesn't suit everybody but luckily it does suit me," she said.
"It was good to be up there outright. The top three I saw them coming out of transition after the swim but I didn't see them the rest of the way, so they must have been so strong on that bike, so credit to them."
Simons finished off her race with a 22.04 run leg to take the win, with Kristy Powyer (1:07.30) second and Kath Stutsel (1:09.47) third.
Kerry Maloney, Mark Windsor take out short course honours
SHE came, she chased and she conquered - Kerry Maloney took out the women's short course honours at the Bathurst Wallabies Triathlon Club's Christmas round on Sunday.
Maloney found herself eighth out of the water after the 300 metres swim and by the time she headed out of transition into the 16 kilometre cycle leg, leader Emily Tallentire held an advantage of close to two minutes.
But Maloney pushed hard and clawed back the gap.
She produced the quickest bike leg of the women's short course competitors - a 31:23 - to head into final transition in third spot.
Maloney backed that up with a strong run, her 12:17 effort over the 2.5km enough to put her into the lead. It was the again the fastest split for the women.
She finished in a time of 52:40, with Tallentire (53:46) second and Candice Falconer (54:44) third.
Mark Windsor made it back-to-back round wins in the men's short course event as once again a strong cycle leg set up his success.
Windsor conceded 66 seconds on the swim to first out of the pool Mitch Nelson, but on a windy day his bike handling skills in the 16km cycling leg came to the fore. He averaged 42km/hr.
Windsor clocked a 22:52 split to take the lead and ensured he stayed there as he blitzed the 2.5 kilometre run, his 10:16 the best sectional in the field.
Second place belonged to Tom Hanrahan (42:32) while Danny Weal (44:33) was third.
