Defending champion Ashleigh Gentle wrote herself into the history of the Noosa Triathlon on Sunday when she notched up her sixth overall win equalling the record of legend Craig Walton
Gentle took the lead in the final run leg of the race from the trio of Natalie van Coevorden, Annabel Luxford and Radka Kahlefeldt.
“I found it difficult, but in saying that finishing the year here in Noosa means a lot to me,” she said. “Each win here has had its own challenge. Today I had a terrible swim and I made it hard for myself because I had to work hard on that bike and reel in the lead three girls because I knew Natalie, Annabel and Radka would be working well together.”
Ashleigh planned to celebrate her win with Liz Blatchford who ran her last race on the day and had been a great inspiration and a great friend to her before spending time in Noosa with family and friends.
Aaron Royle made it three Noosa Triathlon wins from four starts but the Rio Olympian admitted he was literally running on empty when he hit the finish line only metres ahead of a charging Max Neumann.
“I am absolutely spent,” he said. “I don’t think I have ever hurt as much as I did in that last couple of kms. I was getting time gaps and with 2km to go I thought I was going to get caught or might not even get to the finish line. My legs started to give way and I started to cramp.”
