Orbea Auckland Half Ironman Welcomes Elite Field

Auckland Half Press Release March 2012-

New Zealand’s elite triathletes are no strangers to the testing course of the Orbea Auckland Half Ironman.

Now into its ninth year, the Auckland Half has been a proving ground for some of the sport’s finest competitors; Cameron Brown, Bryan Rhodes, Clas Bjorling, Gordo Byrn and Scott Molina all having claimed line honours in the past.

On Saturday 24 March, 2012 the race organisers will welcome one of their biggest fields yet, and once again the elite line up is impressive. Looking to claim victory on home turf will be Auckland’s Kieran Doe with young up and comer Tom Francis (Wanganui) also up for the challenge.

The Elite Women’s race is picked to be a tight battle between Britta Martin and Belinda Harper. Martin enjoyed a strong start to her racing year with a second place finish at Challenge Wanaka in January while Harper will be looking to improve on her seventh place at the shortened version of the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand earlier this month.

The race starts at Maraetai with a 2km swim and is followed by a 90km bike that covers much of the old Auckland Ironman bike course. It finishes with a 21km three lap picturesque run around the foreshore of the Hauraki Gulf.

As well as an honest race for the pros, the Orbea Auckland Half Ironman is chosen by many competitors as their first event over the distance; the picturesque course and prestigious history of the event proving to be the perfect draw cards. For those not quite ready to test themselves over the half ironman course, a short course option of swim 1km, bike 30km, run 7km has also become popular.

While the satisfaction of ticking a half Ironman off the bucket list may be incentive enough to toe the start line on March 24, competitors have also been motivated by the recent announcement that title sponsor Orbea will be offering an Aqua T 105 road bike valued at $2,500 as a spot prize.

www.aucklandhalf.co.nz

ENDS

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