Top Triathletes Line Up In Wellington

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Top Triathletes Line Up In Wellington

Some of New Zealand’s top triathletes are set to line up at this Saturday’s [31 March] New Zealand Standard Distance Triathlon Championships in Wellington. The Elite/under-23 race is also an International Triathlon Union (ITU) Continental Cup race, seeing international athletes invited to compete.

Confirmed starters include Bevan Docherty, Samantha Warriner, Kris Gemmell and Nicky Samuels, who will hit the start line with athletes from around the country, and guests from Australia, Oceania and the USA.

The ITU Continental Cup series allows athletes to compete for points to allow them entry into the ITU World Cup series. This is the first time New Zealand has hosted an ITU Continental Cup race.

Fresh from a stellar third place finish at the first ITU World Cup race of the season in Mooloolaba on Sunday [25 March], top athlete Kris Gemmell said he’s looking forward to contesting the national title this weekend.

“I’ve been focussing my training towards the national championships this weekend so it would be great to take out the title,” Gemmell said.

“The fact that the race is an ITU Continental Cup is also fantastic – having some international names on the start line raises the standard of the race and gives our younger athletes a great chance to earn some Continental Cup points.”

Triathlon New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Dave Beeche said it was an honour for Triathlon New Zealand to be awarded the Continental Cup race by the International Triathlon Union, and reflects the success of last year’s ITU World Cup race in New Plymouth.

“It’s great for our up-and-coming athletes to be able to earn some points on home soil and to test themselves against some of Australia and Oceania’s rising stars,” Dave said.

“It’s also not often that they get the chance to line up alongside some of New Zealand’s top athletes.”

Dave said that this weekend’s event also marks the final event in the Contact Energy National Triathlon Series. Athletes competing in both the age group and elite/under-23 race, earn points, which when added to points accumulated at the series’ previous eight races, culminate in the awarding of the Contact Energy New Zealand Cup.

“The first Contact Energy National Triathlon Series has been a fantastic series so far, seeing thousands of triathletes of varying ages, abilities and locations taking part.

“We’re looking forward to a great conclusion to the series in Wellington.”

The Wellington race will be staged on a spectacular course that concludes just behind Te Papa Museum. The 1.5km ocean swim starts at Chaffers marina, with transition located at Waitangi Park.

Competitors in the elite race will then complete a five-lap 40km cycle climbing three-quarters of the way up Mount Victoria along Carlton Gore Road. The Age Group race cycle leg is a 40km out and back loop along Oriental Parade to Scorching Bay.

Both races conclude with a 10km run along the city’s waterfront.

The Age Group race kicks off at 7am this Saturday [31 March], while the Elite/Under 23, and the ITU Continental Cup Race start at 10am.

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