There were few surprises in Sunday?s Shell Gold Cup triathlon with pre-race favourites Riaan Naude and Dee McMullen producing strong performances to comfortably take the men?s and women?s overall titles over the 750 metre swim, 20K bike and 5K run course.

John Legge and Graham Smith exited the water with a healthy lead but Naude wasted little time in catching them on the bike and by the second five kilometre lap had hit the front with a determined Norbert Meyer and Andrew Davis keeping him within striking distance.

Naude started the run with a 200 metre lead over Meyer with Davis in third but used his superior running ability to pull away from both of his rivals and in the end win comfortably in one hour, three minutes and 17 seconds.

Meyer held on for second overall in 1:05:12 and also took first place in the 40-49 age group.

As expected, Peter Mills left himself with a lot to do after a slow swim but following a very strong bike and run he caught Davis on the last lap. Davis did his best to hold on but in a close finish it was Mills who took third in 1:07:22 with Davis fourth in1:07:32.

Meanwhile, Dee McMullen came out of the water with Karen Bordage with both of them a minute up on Kim McMullen, Dee?s sister.

Kim closed the gap on Bordage on the bike but Dee pulled away and although Bordage ran the fastest run split, in the end McMullen won comfortably in 1:09:48.

Behind her, sister Kim and Bordage ran side by side for half of the four lap run before Bordage pulled away to take second in 1:12:44 with Kim third overall in 1:13:22.

In other age group action, Adam Petty finished 15th overall to take the 16-19 division and Dorian Armstrong won the 13-15 group with 12-year-old David Lunn, in his first senior event, finishing second in an impressive time of 1:16:30, despite carrying a leg injury.

Among the over 50s, Jeff Conyers and Steve Petty were never more than 100 metres apart during the whole race but it was Conyers who crossed the line first in 1:13:16 with Petty close behind in 1:13:44.

Carolyn Conway (ladies? 40-49) and Midge Oliver (ladies? over 50) were the other female age group winners.

In her first race over the junior advanced distance of 300m swim, 15K bike and 3K run, and starting with the adults, Rebecca Heyliger produced a good performance to finish in 53:50.

A strong team of Nick Strong, Wayne Scott and Donald Bowman easily took the men?s team title ahead of Steve Petty, Mark Lonbardi and Mark Morrison while the mixed team event was won by Mia Maris, David McComas and Chuck Morgan.

In earlier junior action, there were some close finishes with Justin Ferreira holding off Kai Peters by two seconds to win the boys? 9-10 age group in 17.31 and Molly Pilgrim edging out Gabby Arnold by 13 seconds to win the girls? 9-10 group in a fast 18.02.

Somer Froud won the girls? 7-8 by just 11 seconds from Katie Page and as expected Thomas Lewis won the boys? 7-8 but was made to work all the way by Charlie Pilgrim who placed second.

Among the older juniors there were few surprises as Jazz Outerbridge again dominated the girls? 11-12 age group to win in 35.59 and also take the girls? 11-15 trophy for the fastest time over the 200m swim, 10K bike and 2K run.

Carys Pinches used her superior running ability to win the girls? 13 to 15 from Chelsea Lines and Alyssa Rose.

In the boys? events, Alex Godfrey was the 13-15 winner in 33:10 but only by 20 seconds from newcomer Zamari Outerbridge while Brighton Swan used his running ability to catch Nathan Amaral on the second kilometre to take the boys? 11-12 group.

In the mountain bike junior categories, William Lorimer-Turner (boys? 7-8), Shana Murphy (girls? 9-10), Giles Lorimer-Turner (boys? 9-10) and James Lorimer-Turner (boys? 11-12) were all winners.

The adult Tri-a-Triathlon winners were Jamie Lewis and Sarah Morgan.