South African Professional Triathlete Richard Murray is hot on the roll and claimed his third consecutive title at the New Plymouth World Cup.

Starting off the year in fifth place at the World Triathlon Series in Abu Dhabi, followed by winning the new Super League Triathlon on Hamilton Island, Murray has added another World Cup title to his belt, and it’s only April.

American Matthew McElroy pipped favourite Ryan Sissons (NZL) to round out the podium.

Even in wet conditions, the champs were still running at full throttle from the gun, but it was Shachar Sagiv (ISR), Trent Thorpe (NZL) and World Champion Henri Schoeman (RSA) who lead out of the swim, and headed up the charge at the front of the bike that contained eight, including Murray.

“It was the wettest one yet, I pulled my glass on a whole bunch of times but then took then off because I couldn’t see. There was a lot of spray, the guys road really well today, Henri and myself tried to get away right before the end of the bike, and said I can’t let this one go.”

In the final kilometres it was evident that this would be a three-peat for Murray. But the battle for the other medals was unfolding.

In the womens, Katie Zaferes (USA) continued the American domination, winning the event for a second time, her first in 2014, and the fourth consecutive by the US women. Canadian Joanna Brown stormed in to reap the silver medal while Belgium’s Claire Michel finished third to complete the podium.

Read more on Triathlon.org.