Search
shop

Currie hoping “perfect” St George bike leg is replicated at Kona

New Zealander looking ahead to Kona after an impressive third in St George
Last updated -
STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. PERFORMANCE.

Braden Currie hailed a “good crew” on the bike leg after he claimed third place at the IRONMAN World Championship on Saturday.

The New Zealander was among the frontrunners for much of the race in St George, Utah, but was ultimately overhauled by Kristian Blummenfelt and Lionel Sanders on the run as he finished in 7:54:19.

Currie was part of a quintet featuring Kyle Smith, Sam Laidlow, Florian Angert and Daniel Baekkegard on the bike, and he praised that group for helping him pull away from some stronger riders.

Advertisement

Bike boost

“It was an awesome day of racing to be honest,” the 35-year-old said. “On the bike, I kind of knew when we got out of the water it was a good crew of guys that were riding consistent.

“And all, kind of, lighter, smaller guys but not absolute animal bikers. So it was kind of the perfect combo that we were all riding really well and rolling through it.

“Everyone was happy to do their part and I think it showed we managed to gap a little bit of time on some of the uber-bikers and that just gave us that little bit of a buffer coming into the run.”

Victory targeted

Currie explained how he was gunning for the win when leading the run, as he felt confident that his qualification for October’s IRONMAN World Championship in Kona was secure.

But Blummenfelt had other ideas and then Sanders was able to grab second in final few strides.

ST GEORGE, UTAH - MAY 07: (L-R) Second place finisher Lionel Sanders of Canada, first place winner Kristian Blummenfelt of Norway and third place finisher Braden Currie of Australia celebrate on the podium after the 2021 IRONMAN World Championships on May 07, 2022 in St George, Utah. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images for IRONMAN

“I think the way the race was unfolding it’s kind of what it came down to (going for the win), and I kind of knew even if I really did have a big blow up I might have still snuck in my Kona slot,” explained Currie.

“That was the one box ticked and the next one was to go for the win.”

After he did indeed secure his place at the Hawaii event, Currie detailed how he hopes another strong contingent on the bike leg can help provide the platform to challenge for victory.

Kona plans

“I like the heat and I’ve got a really good lead in this year and I’m looking forward to it,” he stated.

“Again, it just depends a lot how it unfolds and what happens. And it does seem that the uber-riders tend to get to the front a lot earlier in Kona from what we’ve seen.

“But if we have a good crew again, riding the way we rode today then who knows, maybe we can we can get off and have a good run battle.

“It’s been a really big summer of racing and training and I guess the unknown as well. It feels like a really good reward to have a great race here [at St George] and put all three disciplines together.”

Olly Green
Written by
Olly Green
Olly is is been the content lead for RUN247, is a regular contributor to TRI247 and keeps an eye out for content that appeals to both audiences including interviews with pro Heather Jackson.
Discover more
Dave Ellis / Luke Pollard - World Para Triathlon Championships Pontevedra 2023
Golden opportunity – British Triathlon launches search for LA2028 paratriathlon guides
IRONMAN Lanzarote 2024 - Anne Haug on run course
Best marathon shoes for Ironman – the ‘legal’ super shoes you CAN wear to level up your run split
Challenge Sanremo 2024 - Photo: Jose Luis Hourcade
How to fuel your triathlon training: Expert nutritionist tips to help you nail every session
swim start IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2024 photo credit Tony Svensson IRONMAN
Level up your Ironman swim split – must-read tips from an expert swim coach
Ironman gear guide – everything you need to get to the finish line of a full distance triathlon
latest News
Taylor Knibb 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Taupo New Zealand
US triathlon phenom Taylor Knibb hails great rival Kat Matthews for record-breaking IRONMAN Texas win
Richard Varga Jonny Brownlee Arzachena
Triathlon legend Jonny Brownlee reveals ‘Last Dance’ motivation behind latest challenge
IRONMAN Kona 2022 Age Group Results
How will “re-imagined” IRONMAN World Championship at Kona actually look for Age Groupers?
Lucy Charles-Barclay IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2023 Finish
IRONMAN World Championship goes ALL IN on Kona again with men and women to race on same day from 2026
Laura Philipp and Kat Matthews on the run at the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship
Nice gets consolation prize of 70.3 Worlds after IRONMAN World Championships return to Kona
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

Share to...