Carrie Lester wins Australian Long Course Triathlon Championship 2010

Carrie Lister made up a swim deficit of over two and a half minutes to win the 2010 Huskisson Long Course Australian Championship in the weekend. The cycle and run legs proving to be the major difference.

Pip Taylor exited the swim with a commanding lead over her rivals with Lisa Marangon over a minute and a half behind. The final group of female swimmers, including Lister, were a further minute and a half back.

After a very fast transition Lister set about reeling in Taylor and Marangon on the bike. By the end of 80kms she would be almost two minutes ahead of Mrangon and Taylor at the start of the 20km run. Melissa Vanderwater, Tara Prouse and first time long distance pro Christell van Niekerk, entered the run almost five minutes behind Lister.

Carrie Lister continued to set the pace with the fastest run of the day of 79:59, almost two minutes quicker than her nearest rival.

Tara Prowse ran the second fastest time of the day in an effort to catch Pip Taylor but it proved to not be enough with Taylor finishing one and a half minutes ahead of Prowse.

Melissa Vanderwater showed how much effort

she put in to her race, collapsing on the finish line after taking out 4th place.

After taking out the ITU Sprint World Champs in September 2009 then backing up with an age group World Championship title in the ITU World Long Course Championships in November 2009 Christelle van Niekerk showed that she will be someone to watch over the next couple of years. At 34, van Niekerk showed that she has the ability to mix it with her younger rivals. The run, however, proved to be the main difference on the day. Christelle’s coach, former Australian Ironwoman Champion Christina Thomas, will no doubt get van Niekerk’s running improved over the off season.