Swift wins Ironwoman

Warkworth’s George Swift took first place in the women’s open “Ironwoman” category at the Moto Mountain Run event in Ohakuri, near Taupo, last month.

The race required her to ride 40km on a dirt bike and then get changed as quickly as possible into her mountain-biking gear for a 20km trail ride.

She said it was a strange experience switching from motorbike to mountain bike.

“It felt like the brakes were on the whole time,” she says.

Finally, Swift had to run for 10km through bush, over fallen trees and across streams.

“By that time the legs were ready to give in,” she says.

Despite not being accustomed to running, or ever having run 10km before, Swift came first in the running leg of the race. She was also first in the dirt bike and mountain biking legs.

“Only the racers on e-bikes beat me, but they didn’t count for the competition.”

During her training, Swift had to overcome an injured knee with physiotherapy exercises. She regularly races dirt bikes at the Whangarei Moto Cross Club and rides mountain bikes at the Dome Valley Downhill Club.

She also recently took fourth in the Aorere mountain bike race in Nelson and third overall at the Cable Bay Enduro race.

It was her hope to qualify for the World Series mountain biking event in Europe, but narrowly missed out before the deadline lapsed. She hopes to qualify next year.

Swift recently gained sponsorship from Jason Maguiness of Flow Tyres in Puhoi.

The sponsorship includes repair of mountain bike tyres and support to enter events.

When she is not racing in the mud, Swift works for Hynds Pipe Systems in Warkworth.