WAGGA'S Annabel White has created history after becoming the first female to grab overall line honours in a Riverina Tri Series event at Saturday's West Wyalong Triathlon.
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With men's series champion Jesse Featonby unable to attend the final race, White saw it as an opportunity to write her name into the history books.
She began strongly by building a 50-second advantage over second placegetter and men's winner Brad Hart on the 3km opening run leg.
However, Narradan's Hart hit back hard on the bike to take a narrow lead, before White reeled him in on the swim.
From there she only had to hold on over her preferred run to prevail, finishing in 1:12.15, almost three minutes ahead of Hart (1:15.02) and Rankin Springs 14 year old Angus Argent-Smith (1:17.20).
White had won the women's race at the previous three legs of this year's series comfortably, including a couple of outright podiums.
The only thing left was to grab an overall race win, and she did it in style.
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"After I got passed on the bike I kept grinding and within 100m of the pool I'd reclaimed the lead. I knew from then I just had to give it all on the run," she said.
"I felt so comfortable and bouncy on the run so I'd have to say it was from my favourite race of the series.
"It's not often you can be in contention amongst the boys. It was a good opportunity to go for it."
White has spent the past few years in Sydney, training with a NSWIS-Triathlon Australia squad, but has been training with elite triathletes Brad and Radke Kahlefeldt in Wagga.
"The Riverina Tri Series and each town did such a good job," she said.
"The community we have, because I've been in Sydney for so long I've kind of forgotten about how kind and strong the Wagga community is. It's been amazing."
SERIES FINAL STANDINGS
Men: 1st Jesse Featonby (15 points), 2nd Damian Gillard (8), 3rd Jeremy Kimpton (7)
Women: 1st Annabel White (20 points), 2nd Angharad Llewellyn (11), 3rd Kelsey Tobin (9).