Samuels Crosses The World To Chase Her Olympic Dream

Samuels Crosses The World To Chase Her Olympic Dream

Last week Alcatraz in the USA, this week Kitzbuhel in Austria as New Zealand triathlete Nicky Samuels continues her season, one that she hopes will culminate in booking a berth at the London 2012 Olympic Games in August.

Such is the life of a globetrotting professional triathlete that Samuels is well prepared for the journey, you might almost say she is used to such a schedule after spending two weeks hard at work 'Stateside'.

"I only arrived in Santa Cruz two weeks ago and had a couple of easy days to get over the jetlag and get into the swing of things before I was joined with my coach Mark Elliott again. We are in Santa Cruz because that is Bevan Docherty's training home for now and it seemed like an excellent opportunity for Mark to work with Bevan and I at the same time. We have linked our sessions well over the last two weeks with Mark working both of us hard as usual."

The formula has obviously paid off for Samuels, not only is she training well but she smashed the field to win the famous 'Escape from Alcatraz' triathlon last weekend, this after already having collected her maiden ITU World Cup title in Mooloolaba in March.

"This has been my best two weeks of training I have ever had. With Mark's help I have actually hit all of my targets. This doesn't always happen when trying to get the balance between the three disciplines right."

The 28 year old knows she must be at her best back on the ITU World Champs Series circuit but says she might even have an edge after skipping the Madrid round just over a week ago.

"I am happy with my current form and everything I have done which is all working towards the pinnacle event for me this year, the London World Champs Series race that doubles as New Zealand's Olympic qualifying race. Kitzbuhel is my next target race though and I will be interested to see how I shape up.

"Other athletes have raced two weeks earlier in Madrid so are probably a bit tired from that still so perhaps I have a small edge over them. And yes, I raced last weekend too but only as a training race, in non-drafting races like Escape from Alcatraz you usually have the luxury to dictate the pace but in World Champs Series races others are often dictating it."

Samuels will be amongst five New Zealand women racing on the weekend, with Andrea Hewitt (currently third in the world rankings), Debbie Tanner, Kate McIlroy (career best 6th in Madrid) and Rebecca Spence all on the start line.

In the men's race Bevan Docherty races after he too missed Madrid in favour of a hit out at Alcatraz (he finished second), as do Tony Dodds (Wanaka) and Clark Ellice (New Plymouth).

ITU Dextro Energy Triathlon World Champs Series Kitzbuhel, Austria

Elite Men 12.30am Sunday 19th June NZT

Elite Women 10.36pm Sunday 19th June NZT

Coverage on Sky Sport and www.triathlon.org

Further race previews, information and race times will be distributed this week

ends.