Meredith Kessler and Bevan Docherty top Ironman 70.3 Vineman

Bevan Docherty took a 3-min lead off the bike and never looked back to take the win over a gun field in California’s Vineman 70.3 on the weekend. Tim Reed out-sprinted Terenzo Bozzone, beating the Kiwi to the middle step of the podium for the second time in as many races.

Kessler over came a visit to the trauma ward after crashing her bike at Eagleman 70.3 to successfully defend her 2012 Vineman 70.3 title. Kessler lead the race into T2 and held off some fast running behind her to take the win over Heather Jackson and Amy Marsh.

Kiwi triathlon star Bevan Docherty enjoyed his second straight win to claim the IRONMAN 70.3 Vineman in northern California today.

The IRONMAN New Zealand champion set a new course record at the event in Sonoma County as he prepares for September IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas.

Docherty beat a classy field that included compatriot Terenzo Bozzone, leading Australians Joe Gambles, Tim Reed and Luke Bell, American star Jordan Rapp and three-time British Olympian Tim Don.

The New Zealander, who won the recent IRONMAN 70.3 Boise, clocked 3:45.10 to win by more than two minutes from Reed and Bozzone.

Training had been going really well leading into this race so I was really looking forward to testing my form,” Docherty said. “I didn’t plan to race as hard as I did today but doing that sets me up to handle situations when I need to really dig deep and go to my limit.

Docherty made his move early in the bike, pushing clear of the pack and jumping to a lead of nearly three minutes off the 90km bike. Bozzone and Reed worked hard on the run to reduce the gap to under a minute but Docherty soaked up the heat and pushed clear for the final two minute margin.

At the five mile mark I decided to test everyone. No-one responded so I just put my head down and set to it. Fifty miles is a long way to time trial but once I was clear of the chase group I got into a rhythm and pushed as hard as I could.

It is not an easy run so I paced myself accordingly, I felt stronger as the run went on and once I hit the turn at the nine mile mark I knew I had it in the bag.

Bozzone said he was content with his third placing and where his form and fitness is at leading into the final build up for the world championships in eight weeks.

I tried a couple of times to get the group working on the bike to close the gap but it seemed everyone was content with sitting in. It is something I still can’t understand as we had a couple of minutes on two of the stronger runners and Bevan was riding away to take the title,” Bozzone said.

He returns to New Zealand for a two-week break before building for the world championships.

For Tim Reed this was another top result against a classy field. Reed is one of the strongest cyclists and quickest runners in the game over the 70.3 distance. Add to this his ever strengthening swim and his passion for the sport and the science behind it and you have a brilliant all round athlete and businessman.

Beating Terenzo Bozzone over this distance on the run is no mean feet as the Kiwi is acknowledged as one of the fastest around. Tim Reed is another race closer to winning a big one in the States. His list of results is impressive.

It proved a double success for IRONMAN New Zealand champions, with the women’s winner in Taupo this year, American Meredith Kessler returned after a serious crash recently to claim the win today.