Chris McDonald Crosses the Line First at Challenge Wanaka
Australian Chris McDonald’s fleet feet (and fast Newton Running shoes) carried him to win New Zealand’s Challenge Wanaka Long Distance Triathlon in 8:37:41 on January 17, smashing the course record by over ten minutes. He was nearly nearly seven minutes clear of Kiwi Keegan Williams, with Czech Petr Vabrousek was a further 30 seconds back in third.
McDonald was two and a half minutes down after the swim but had moved to the front 30km into the 180 km cycling leg. “I got on the bike and hammered the bejeezus out of the first 80km,” he said. “I thought I better slow down.”
McDonald, wearing Distance S running shoes, built his lead off the bike from four to seven minutes by 32 km on the run and held it to the finish. This is his second major win in five months having won Ironman Wisconsin in September. “I couldn’t be happier” he said, “What a way to start the year.”
Photo Mike Heydon/Jet Photography
