The Australian duo of Matthew Hauser (AUS) and Ellie Hoitink were in a class of their own as they sealed the golds at the Oceania Championships. For Hauser, the win was a perfect way to launch his Olympic year - the winner of the 2023 WTCS Montreal has already qualified for the Australia team in Paris and has set his sights on bringing home at least one Olympic gold this summer. Meanwhile, Hoitink remains in the throes of a tight race to claim a spot on the Australian women’s team. Winning in Taupo will have certainly given her hopes a welcome boost.
Hauser asserts his dominance
From the first strokes of the swim, Hauser was at the front of the men’s race. He would eventually share the lead out of the water with Brayden Mercer (AUS) and led a select group of six men that initially threatened to break clear on the bike. TTayler Reid (NZL) was one of the more obvious dangers in the lead pack. Shortly after, the pack grew as the likes of Brandon Copeland (AUS), Oscar Dart (AUS) and Saxon Morgan (NZL) rode up to it.
Over the course of the bike, the leaders would put significant time into the rest of the field. They arrived in T2 the best part of a minute to the good. Having been untroubled by the first two disciplines, Hauser then gradually pulled away on the run.
Reid managed to stick with the Australian for the longest and his efforts were rewarded with the silver medal. Copeland then secured the bronze ahead of a charging Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) who logged the fastest run of the day from the chase pack.
Hoitink’s breakthrough performance
When she arrived in Taupo, Ellie Hoitink had never won an international triathlon. She had come away with medals on previous occasions however a maiden win remained elusive. At the Oceania Championships over the sprint distance in Devonport, she had finished 4th behind a podium of Jaz Hedgeland (AUS), Brea Roderick (NZL) and Tara Sosinski (AUS), all of whom were racing in Taupo. Hoitink, though, summoned something special to break her duck.
Sosinski was the fastest swimmer of the day although most of the contenders remained in contact at the front. Natalie Van Coevorden (AUS) set the early pace with Thorpe on two wheels while Hoitink gathered herself at the front.
Without any major changes to the status quo on the bike, the race came down to the run. It was there that Hoitink unleashed the fastest split of the day to power to victory. Taking silver behind her was Richelle Hill (AUS) as she made a breakthrough of her own by winning her first senior international medal. World Cup medallist Thorpe then rounded out the podium.
You can follow the progress of Oceania’s triathlon stars as the season unfolds across all World Triathlon channels and watch the Wollongong World Cup over on TrathlonLive.tv
Photo credit: Simon Dawson Photography
