Hayden Wilde TOO FAST for race officials when winning Phuket Triathlon as Kate Waugh retains women's title

New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde and Britain’s Kate Waugh ran out the clear-cut winners at the 30th anniversary of the Laguna Phuket Triathlon.

Billed as the ‘The Race of Legends’, it’s had a roll call of winners to match the lofty tagline including Jan Frodeno, Paula Newby-Fraser, Craig Alexander and Michellie Jones.

Olympic silver medallist Wilde was crowned supertri champion recently but his one big remaining target in 2024 is the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship on home turf in Taupo.

Waugh too was in action at Paris 2024 and here’s how the pair of them took the titles in this hybrid distance (1.8km / 55km / 12km), non-drafting event.

Men’s race

The races started at 6.30am local time but the temperatures would climb into the 30s and the humidity was off the scale.

Britain’s Tom Bishop led out what is one of the most stunning swims in the sport, putting half a minute and more into the rest.

But Wilde was in the chase group behind and it was on the up-and-down bike course where the Kiwi effectively won the race with his time of 1:12:57 comfortably clear of the rest.

And he also clocked by far the fastest run split of 40:28 to extend his advantage, crossing the line in 2:19:03.

There was a bizarre finish though as officials weren’t ready for Wilde so he mimicked picking up an imaginary finish tape when crossing the line!

A few moments later the tape was in place and he was able to recreate the moment as he became the first New Zealand male to win the event.

Hayden Wilde taking the win on debut at the Garmin Noosa Triathlon 2023 — Hayden Wilde has his sights set on the 70.3 Worlds [Photo Credit – Korupt Vision]

Wilde was just over three minutes clear of runner-up fellow Kiwi Tayler Reid, with Rostyslav Pevtsov (UKR) rounding out the podium as he ran through the field for third.

Last year’s men’s winner Max Stapley (GBR) saw his hopes dashed when he lost all his nutrition early on the bike and paid the price later on the run.

Women’s race

But Stapley’s partner Waugh was able to repeat her victory from 12 months ago in impressive style.

She was part of a four-woman front group in the swim – with fellow Brit Sian Rainsley leading it out just ahead of Waugh, Alanis Siffert (SUI) and Claire Michel (BEL).

Siffert and Waugh then dominated on the bike, with the young Swiss star taking the lead and opening up a half-minute gap heading into T2, with the pair way clear of the rest, with nearly eight minutes back to Rainsley in third.

And on the run it was all about Waugh who put nearly five minutes into Siffert to take the win in 2:35:39.

Despite her struggles late on, Siffert still had more than enough in hand to take second, with Rainsley third.

“I really wanted to come back and retain my title so I’m really happy,” said Waugh afterwards on the live broadcast which is embedded below.

“There was some tough competition – Alanis made me work so hard on the bike. I was worried coming off the bike how I’d feel on the run but I just got into my own rhythm and slowly I caught her.”