U.S. HOKA ONE ONE® Athlete Sage Canaday showed his class in defending his title at the 2014 Vibram Tarawera Ultramarathon over the weekend. In the face of Cyclone Lusi, the Ultramarathon had revised courses of 69 km and 55km. The field of 850 from 28 countries still experienced the Bay of Plenty's lakes and bush clad slopes. But the forecast proved accurate and there was no question race director, Paul Charteris made the right call in revising the route.
Canaday of Boulder, Colorado was one of a large bunch that formed over the early kilometres, alongside other contenders including Kiwi's Michael Aish, Vajin Armstrong and fellow Americans Scott Hawker and Mike Wardian, but around the midway point Canaday made his move and 15 kilometres later had established a seven-minute lead. By the finish, this lead had more than doubled with Canaday clocking a time of 5hrs 33min.
“You’re always on a fine line,” he said. "It was an honour to win for a second year - I love New Zealand and this race and it was great to be back."
Second place in the men's race went to China's Yun Yanqiao (5hrs 52mins), with Kiwi Vajin Armstrong rounding out the podium in 5hrs 57mins.
Hoka One One athletes Scott Hawker and Michael Wardian finished in 5th and 8th places respectively.
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