Gold comfort for chilled triathlete | Canterbury Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Canterbury

Christchurch triathlete Anthony Sepie was the only finisher in the 75-79 men's grade at the world championships in Vancouver this month - but he certainly earned his gold medal.

The event was held in extremely bad weather and he had a very slow time, he said.

"The weather was terribly cold. I spent a long time fighting with the zips on my jacket in the transition because it was exposure country.

"The cycle was incredibly cold and the rain very heavy."

It's the 75-year-old retired teacher's first medal in about six world championships since his first in Montreal about 12 years ago.

He finished fifth in Hamburg last year after losing time in a bike crash, and was fourth when Queenstown hosted the worlds.

His gold medal was a popular success, for Sepie has battled cancer and restrictions on his training to keep going in the sport he loves.

The gold medal was by default, he said. "I'm taking it - but it was pretty lonely on the podium!"

He'll probably flag next year's worlds on the Gold Coast to do Budapest in 2010 - "I prefer it cooler." But not as cool as Vancouver, he hopes.