20 Nov 2011

Hewitt romps home in Auckland World Cup leg

7:29 pm on 20 November 2011

Christchurch's Andrea Hewitt has won the Auckland ITU World Cup triathlon, blitzing the field on the final run leg to win by almost a minute ahead of Japan's Tomoko Sakimoto.

The world number two was in with the leaders off the swim then took the lead on the bike and ran away with it on the 10-kilometre run.

Hewitt had enough of a lead to relax as she finished an outstanding season, taking her sunglasses off to smile and wave at the crowds lining the waterfront course.

The comprehensive 57-second victory in a provisional time of 2 hours 14 minutes and 12 seconds was Hewitt's third World Cup triumph of the season.

Another Japanese athlete, Mariko Adachi was third while Wanaka's Nicky Samuels lost ground on the swim and never made it up, finishing back in the pack in 20th. Aucklander Sophie Corbridge was the next best local after Hewitt, finishing 15th.