Hill Holds Off Kerwick's Charge to Clinch Double Devonport Crown

Richelle Hill executed a perfectly paced performance to claim both the Elite and Under-23 women's titles at the 40th anniversary Devonport Triathlon on Saturday, holding off a storming Lauren Kerwick by just seven seconds in a thrilling finish.

The 22-year-old Queenslander crossed the line in 2:02:55 after a tactical masterclass, sticking to her predetermined race strategy despite Kerwick's blistering run that almost bridged a 70-second deficit off the bike.

New Zealand's Nicole Van Der Kaay rounded out the elite podium after another impressive run performance, while Hill celebrated the double achievement of clinching both the Oceania Elite Women's Championship and the Under-23 crown.

"I couldn't be prouder because she nailed the parts that she really needed to do today," said Reina Hill, Richelle's mother and coach. "She's confident with her running. It's been going really well. She just needed to get that swim right today and get out with that front pack."

Swim Formation Creates Critical Split

The two-lap, 1.5km swim in calm conditions at the Mersey Bluff saw a critical early split form. Zoe Clarke led out of the water, closely followed by Hill, Tara Sosinski, Eva Goodisson, Brea Roderick, and Emma Jeffcoat—establishing a lead group that would prove decisive.

The six athletes emerged within ten seconds of each other and quickly organized themselves on the bike course, while Lauren Kerwick found herself over 30 seconds behind in the chase pack alongside Nicole Van Der Kaay, Kira Hedgland, and Charlotte Derbyshire.

"It was really to get this race ticked off because that's the qualification for worlds," Reina Hill explained. "That was the goal, to get the job done today."

Critical Work on the Notorious Hill

The punishing bike course—eight laps featuring the infamous North Street Hill climb—saw the lead pack gradually build their advantage. Hill showcased impressive cycling technique, particularly on the descents, tucking into a tight aerodynamic position and handling the technical corners with confidence.

The six leaders worked efficiently together throughout the 40km bike, pulling turns and steadily extending their gap to over 70 seconds by the end of the discipline. Hill was notably strong on both the climbs and descents, while New Zealanders Goodisson and Roderick contributed significantly to maintaining the pace.

"That pack was quite good. They were really working well together," noted Reina Hill. "I think Richelle was holding enough back that she could get herself into a good rhythm on her run here."

The lead group's cohesion proved critical, with split data showing their advantage growing consistently lap after lap despite the chase pack's determined efforts.

Tactical Run Battle Tests Mental Strength

Hill exited transition first, immediately settling into the measured pace her coach had prescribed—around 3:30 per kilometer. She established a small gap over Goodisson and Sosinski in the early kilometers, while Kerwick began her remarkable challenge from the chase group.

"I think she's just going to try and sit on a 3:30 pace," Reina Hill had predicted. "She feels pretty confident that the rhythm that she's going to get into is something she's going to sustain."

By the halfway point, Hill had built a seemingly comfortable lead, but Kerwick—whose run split would eventually be the day's fastest at 33:51—began cutting dramatically into the deficit. At the 7.5km mark, Kerwick caught Goodisson to move into second place, then set her sights on Hill.

The dramatic final kilometers saw Kerwick close to within seconds of Hill, briefly appearing to have the momentum to overtake. However, the 22-year-old Queenslander showed remarkable composure, finding an extra gear to respond to Kerwick's challenge and holding her off by seven seconds at the finish.

Under-23 Talent Shines Through

While Hill's dual victory stole the headlines, the depth of emerging talent was evident throughout the race. Tara Sosinski secured silver in the U23 category with an impressive fifth-place overall finish, while New Zealand's Brea Roderick completed the U23 podium.

Zoe Clarke, who had led out of the water as part of the talent transfer program from surf lifesaving, finished fourth among the U23 athletes after maintaining contact with the lead group for much of the bike segment.

"I moved to Canberra for Uni at the start of 2021," Clarke had explained pre-race. "I'd always known that I'd wanted to do triathlon, but I'd never given it a crack because I did surf life saving before then."

Future Plans Taking Shape

For Hill, the victory marks an important step toward her season goals, particularly securing qualification for the World Championships in Townsville.

Van Der Kaay's bronze medal performance showed her class despite still working back to top form after the Paris Olympics. The 28-year-old New Zealander ran her way onto the podium after a measured bike leg.

Race Results - Elite Women

1. Richelle Hill (AUS) - 2:02:55
2. Lauren Kerwick (AUS) - 2:03:02
3. Nicole Van Der Kaay (NZL) - 2:04:07
4. Eva Goodisson (NZL) - 2:04:39
5. Tara Sosinski (AUS) - 2:04:59

Race Results - U23 Women

1. Richelle Hill (AUS) - 2:02:55
2. Tara Sosinski (AUS) - 2:04:59
3. Brea Roderick (NZL) - 2:06:56
4. Zoe Clarke (AUS) - 2:07:22
5. Lulu Johnson (NZL) - 2:14:17