COURTNEY Atkinson is a class act.
As he ran across the line to claim back-to-back Noosa Triathlons yesterday, there were no tears but the blood and sweat was clearly visible for the inspirational Gold Coaster, who ended the 2009 season doing what he loves best — winning.
Not even a crash just a kilometre from the end of the bike leg was enough to stop the 30-year-old, who reeled in young guns Clayton Fettle, James Seear and Joshua Amberger to cross in 1:47.03 hours.
In a ’silly’ mistake that infuriated him, Atkinson came unstuck on a surface that had become greasy with heavy rain.
Sitting neatly in a pack of four, Atkinson’s error cost him time but it fired him up, leading to a blistering run leg to become the first man since Craig Walton to go back-to-back in Noosa.
“(Crashes) happen but in that type of situation I didn’t need to be pushing that hard with the run leg coming up, which is my strongest,” a relieved Atkinson said at the end of the race.
“I was quite angry and bolted out as hard as I could, and ran really well for the first three or four kilometres.
“I reeled them in and it was a case of staying strong and hoping my legs held up.”
Seear crossed second more than a minute behind, with Amberger third.
Forced to work harder than he expected in the run, Atkinson admitted the young troops asserted themselves. “The race didn’t pan out how I wanted, we got out in a lead group in the swim and I really wanted to dominate on the bike,” he said. “But the young guys were good.”
With a well-earned break ahead, Atkinson will take impressive form in next year, in particular the ITU World Series where the field will be tasked with bringing down British young gun Alister Brownlee.
