2XU's Jarad Kohlar was the first Aussie across the finish line and took 3rd overall at the Australasian Multisport Championship race in Rotorua in NZ last weekend.

Check out his race report:

“Up, up, up!” I scream to myself. Two boat-lengths ahead, on my right, is a K1, and on my left, Richard ‘Crusher’ Ussher is slowly pulling level with me. After a few hard strokes around the first turning buoy, I find myself on the outside of the corner and off the Crusher’s wash. If only I was paddling one of the four K1s I own back in Australia!

“Stroke rate, catch, up, up, up!” I scream to myself again, determined to stay close. Jetski wash and wave bounce-back from the shoreline help as we approach the second turning buoy. Now I find myself about two boat-lengths off Richard’s wash, with New Zealander, Sam Clark, powering up on my left. This young kid can paddle! I hang on to his wash as he puts the power down along the length of Lake Okareka, before hitting the third buoy. At this point, Richard is about 50 metres in front, working well with a team paddler. Sam and myself work well together until the end of the paddle, and we hit the shore about 100 metres behind Richard.

I’ve paddled in my MTB shoes, so I manage to have a fast transition and am out on the ride in second place. After doing a recky of the MTB course on Friday, I know what I’m in for, and am looking forward to this ride even though my legs aren’t! The first three kilometers is a solid climb on bitumen. My legs don’t like this one bit, and Sam comes past me. Then I can hear this humming sound coming from behind me. At first I think it’s a swam of bees or wasps, but it’s Kiwi Dougal Allen’s nobbies on the bitumen! I swear he is braking into some of those corners going uphill. Next to pass me is Grant Suckling – he has had had a rough paddle with boat and rudder issues, and now has a look of concentration and determination on his face.

 About six kilometres into the ride we hit the gravel, and it’s around now that my legs start to smile, as they know the fun is about to begin. I can still see Grant and Sam and I’m actually closing the gap on them – they both enter Corners about 40 seconds before me.

 “Hands off the brakes and enjoy the ride,” I tell myself, and before long I’ve passed Sam – I’m loving my new Trek. With a 2.25 Nobby Nic on the font and a 2.1 Racing Ralf on the rear, it is time to let gravity do its thing. Thank you Schwalbe for the grip in these wet and tricky conditions!

 It’s not long before I slowly pull the gap back on Grant. It’s hard to pass on the tight single track, so I sit on his wheel for about five minutes before I manage to squeeze past on his left.

“Why don’t you do more training?!” my legs scream at me. “Come on, only 40 minutes of some of the best single track in the world to go,” I reply.  Head down, I put myself in the hurt box, with ferns, double jumps, roots, camera and film crews, bridges, switchbacks, mud and water all flying past.

 Into the run TA I am about five minutes behind Richard and Dougal. I know I’m not going to catch them now, so I have a very conservative run, not really pushing myself, just maintaining my position. I cross the finish line in third place.  I’m content with the result, and happy to have competed on one of the most enjoyable multisport courses I’ve experienced.

 Thanks to the race organisers for a great event.  I’ll be back next year, for sure!