Wanaka triathlete Nicky Samuels and Chilean rival Barbara Riveros have shared the spoils after finishing in a dead heat in Auckland in the latest round of the nationwide tri-series.
Samuels dominated the first two phases of the super sprint event, which comprised a 500m swim, 16km bike ride and 4.2km run at Takapuna on Sunday.
As she began the run leg, Samuels held a 46sec lead over Riveros and three Aucklanders in Debbie Tanner, Sophie Corbidge and Simone Ackermann.
Riveros, the world No.5, steadily closed the gap and drew level with less than a kilometre to go.
She looked to have the race won with 100m to go, but as the finish line approached, Samuels found an extra gear to surge alongside.
After checking television footage and still photos, officials couldn't separate the pair and declared the first dead heat in the series' five-year history.
Tanner was third, 24s back.
In the men's race, Aucklander Ryan Sissons split open what had been a tight contest by dominating the run leg, winning by 44s over Taranaki's Andrew Rawles, with Christchurch's Mike Phillips third.
NZN