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Seaford athlete Tom Rodgers made the perfect return from a seven-month injury layoff on Sunday, winning his second Warrnambool Sufferfest title in three years.
Rodgers, 23, completed the arduous two-kilometre swim, 80km bike ride and 20km run course in three hours, 36 minutes and 39 seconds.
Geelong competitor Levi Maxwell (3.38.26) was second and Bendigo visitor Fraser Walsh (3.39.40) third.
Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone in a training mishap in June last year and started full training in January.
He said his first race back was “really tough”.
“It was good to be back racing,” Rodgers said.
“I am stoked, couldn’t be happier.
“I am just happy to beat Levi with the form that he’s in at the moment.”
The 2014 winner, who finished second 12 months ago, said he built an advantage over Maxwell on the second lap of the bike leg.
“By the end of the bike I was two and a half minutes in front,” he said.
“He was catching me on the run and I think he got to within a minute with five kilometres to go but I think I ran a bit quicker than him in the last five.”
Barwon Heads athlete Catherine Allison vowed to return to Warrnambool to defend her women’s Sufferfest crown after winning on debut on Sunday.
“I can’t wait to come back,” she said.
Allison, 30, said she was “a sucker for punishment” and loved the hilly beach-side course.
“It was really challenging – every aspect,” she said.
“For the swim we had perfect conditions and the bike leg was pretty intense.”
Allison, in her third season as a triathlete, finished in 4.23.17 – just a fraction ahead of runner-up Shari Livingston (4.23.43).
Sarah Hughes (4.34.38) was third.
Tom Barkmeyer celebrated a career-high when he took out the Olyfest male section.
The Bendigo teenager completed the 1.5km swim, 40km ride and 10km run in 2.00.38 from Caleb McInnes (2.01.10) and Brian Millett (2.02.24).
“I raced last year in the Olympic distance and have done a much better time – I’ve done 10 minutes faster this year,” Barkmeyer said.
“It is a very, very big improvement.
“I am proud. I have put in a lot of training.”
East St Kilda visitor Esther Barker (2.08.04) marked her return to triathlon racing on a winning note edging out her friend Rosie Oldham (2.11.09) and Rebecca Beagley (2.15.59).
“She is an amazing athlete – she is a better athlete than I am,” she said of Oldham.
