Wānaka ironman Braden Currie (36) won the Tauranga Half yesterday (January 21) setting a new course record in the process.

Braden beat the previous record set by Kyle Smith in 2021 by almost two minutes, completing the 2 kilometre swim, 90 kilometre bike, and 21 kilometre run in a time of 3:37:47.

“This is the race that sets me up for the year,” Braden said. 

“I normally focus on ironman distance but I am mixing it up this year … today gave me the confidence that age hasn’t caught up on me just yet.”

First out of the water on Saturday, Braden held his lead going into the run despite a blistering bike leg by former event winner Mike Phillips.

Braden held his nerve to record the best run of the day, completing the 21.1 kilometre run leg in 1:13:40.

Mike finished second with Jack Moody in third.

“I felt good all day,” Braden said. 

“I had a great run and was able to build into it, and not push too hard.”

Braden, the two times New Zealand Ironman champion and four times Coast to Coast winner is building towards the IRONMAN World Championship event in Nice (France) in September.

“The goal for the first half of this year is to secure my qualification for the Ironman World Champs in Nice, France, by way of a good result at Ironman NZ this coming March,” he said.

He will next race at the inaugural Tasmania 70.3 in two weeks.

PHOTOS: Hamish Collie