Commonwealth Games Bronze Medallist Lauren Parker Powered to Victory in Devonport

Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Lauren Parker powered to a second victory within a week winning the ITU Paratriathlon World Cup in Devonport.

The 30-year-old has made a spectacular start to her 2019 season with another strong performance, beating World Champion Emily Tapp and Christiane Reppe from Germany.

I’m so happy to take my second within a week today, here at Devonport World Cup. I felt amazing in all three legs, getting a lead out of the swim and increasing that lead on the bike. I was able to enjoy the run and stay in control, I couldn’t ask for anything more

In the men’s PTWC there was further good news for Nic Beveridge backing up from his win in Newcastle and beating out Germany’s Benjamin Lenatz, and Aussie Robert Peime making his debut into paratriathlon with a third.

“The race today went really well, we’ve been working towards certain values which are ‘learn more, have fun and go for gold’ and I feel like we have fulfilled three of these today,” said Beveridge.

“I guess to back up from last weekend at Newcastle is a testament to the work that we have been doing to come off the 12 week period that we have had, and physically feel the way that I am feeling at the moment” he added.

All competitors in the various paratriathlon categories, featuring Australia’s finest and top-flight internationals from Japan, Italy, France, Hungary, Korea and Germany – showed amazing skills as Devonport turned on magic conditions in the water and on the bitumen.

It was another golden day for Katie Kelly (AUS) (PTV1) who continues her tenacious 2019 efforts with a performance to impress coach Dan Atkins.

“Really happy to get that win today and the points on the beautiful course in Devonport,” said Kelly.

“We (with guide Briarna Silk) backed up from Newcastle last weekend. It’s back to training and building up towards Yokohama in May.

I think my coach Dan Atkins will be really happy with that, I had a really good off-season so reconsolidate now and get back to work” added Kelly.

Jonathan Goerlach’s (PTV1) race didn’t quite go to plan dropping his chain on the penultimate bike lap but still managed second place.

“We raced really well, very happy with the swim and bike but lap five on the bike we dropped the chain and spent a minute to get it back on, still managed to get close and get 20 seconds behind first,” said Goerlach.

“Would have been nice to have a clean race and get the win, second is still really good.”
The Japanese took line honours in both male and female PTS2 categories with Kenshiro Nakayama and Yukako Hata.

Two-time world champion Sally Pilbeam got the better of New Zealand’s Sharon Dagg, winning the PTS4 category and backing up her win from last weekend.

A thriller in the PTS4 men’s race saw Austria’s Oliver Dreier shoot ahead of Australian Clint Pickin by just six seconds with Denmark’s Sebastian Jensen round out the podium.

Kate Doughty (PTS5) also has a perfect score for 2019 outclassing Hungarian Petra Lévay and Australia’s Molly Wallace in just her second race for third.

One of the performances of the day came from Western Australia’s David Bryant making his paratriathlon debut smoking a class international field by over a minute. Bryant only classified yesterday and is an exciting prospect for Australia to surpass two-time World Champion and highly credentialed Hungarian Péter Boronkay and Antoine Besse of France.

Bryant was deemed ineligible in 2014, but the sport now has the methodology and accuracy in terms of measuring limitations during activity, which is great news for Bryant and a huge boost for our Paratriathlon program.