Butterfield Rides into Contention in Million Dollar Race

Nikki Butterfield Rides into Contention in Million Dollar Race

In Des Moines Iowa over the weekend, Nikki reprieved herself after her three minute loss in the swim to ride more than three minutes faster than anyone else in the field moving her from 24th position out of the swim, to leading off the bike taking the fourth bike prime of $5,150 home along with the $25,000 she won in prize money.  HyVee Triathlon has by far the richest prize purse in triathlon with the winner taking home $151,500 with over a million dollars total prize money.

Nikki was agonizingly close to the podium in her first major race since returning to the sport after four years out to cycle professionally, and eighteen months off to have her first child, Savana.

Although Nikki was a strong biker in her former triathlon days, the four years she spent cycling exclusively certainly took her bike strength to another level. Nikki said:

“That course was made for me, an inner-city loop, 72 corners in total, and cross-winds as well, I knew I could ride well on something like that, but I didn’t expect to ride that well.”

At different stages throughout the run leg Nikki tacked onto the back of all three podium finishers, never giving up when caught from behind much to the spectators delight.  The ‘gritty Aussie’ as coined by the commentator Greg Welch, was embraced by the crowd after her blitzing bike leg. Nikki said:

 “The crowd really helped me lift to another level, I really enjoy the big races, seeing all the people lining the sides of the roads and     hearing them cheer for me is really motivating”.

The Australian finished 26 seconds behind the eventual winner Lisa Norden from Sweden, and just nine seconds off the podium.

Nikki will race her first long-course race since returning to triathlon in two weeks time, Ironman Syracuse 70.3, followed by the ITU World Long Course Championships in Henderson Nevada on the 5th of November.

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