Multisport 71 Ussher by MJ Media

T H E O F F I C I A L M AG A Z I N E PA R T N E R O F

ISSUE 71 SEPTEMBER ‘09

100 YEARS OF OLYMPIC HISTORY

WIN

A CANON POWERSHOT D10 VALUED AT $749.95 plus ... more giveaways worth $1000s inside!

INCORPORATING

FATHER’S DAY FEATURE ... lots of ideas for Dad!

RICHARD USSHER $8.95 INCL GST

NEW ZEALAND’S FASTEST IRONMAN

TIMEPIECE FEATURE

CINDY MOSEY ... FLYING HIGH

$1000s OF GIVEAWAYS!

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PERFORMANCE

RECOVERY

AGILITY

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EDITOR’S NOTE Well winter is still definitely here. Fresh snow on the mountains over the past couple of weeks has reinforced the fact – but at the same time thoughts of spring are only a few weeks away. The past couple of months have certainly flown by. For me there has been a regular training pattern emerging, which has been great given the temperature outside, and I’ve even been including some regular cross country skiing in the regime. I have finally upped the distance to a respectable 14 or so km (a far cry from the 1km on our first day which blew me to bits!), which is very pleasing. I am looking forward to transferring some of this new found fitness over to some running events over the next couple of months - the focus being the Luxmore Grunt (part of the Kepler Challenge) in Te Anau this December! In this issue we have some great pages showcasing hot products for your Dad, training tools for running and some wicked timepieces, which will hit our shelves in time for this summer. We also have thousands of dollars of giveaways up for grabs. Our Kiwi athletes have deservedly achieved some great results in the international arena over the last few weeks. Big congratulations to our cover boy, Richard Ussher, who clocked a super fast ironman distance time of just over 8 hours in Europe a few weeks ago. Well done. Sarah Walker is a legend. What fantastic results over the past week with a couple of World Champion titles to add to her awesome career. She definitely is an inspiration to us all and given her age I expect there is plenty more to come. Another strong female contender this winter is Kate McIlroy. Her transition from mountain running into triathlon has been great to watch as she positions herself as a strong contender in her overseas races this winter. Our triathletes have managed some good results also over the early part of the Dextro Energy World Triathlon Series. As the points and the series builds we should see who the stronger contenders are, and it will be interesting to see how things pan out in the standings at the end of the season. If you are thinking of tackling some of the great events on offer this summer, now is the time and start putting that plan in place. Get yourself a programme and you will be halfway there! The other half is following that plan, and usually if you can get your gear on and get out the door, the battle is won.

TEAM EDITOR Tania Tuck – tania@mediaunlimited.co.nz SUB-EDITOR Alex Kerr - admin@mediaunlimited.co.nz GRAPHIC DESIGN Amber Heyward - creative@mediaunlimted.co.nz Hayley Clark - design@mediaunlimited.co.nz ADVERTISING SALES Tania Tuck – 021 488 443 or email: tania@mediaunlimited.co.nz EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Postal: PO Box 98, Albert Town, Wanaka 9344 email: admin@mediaunlimited.co.nz SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Postal: PO Box 98, Albert Town, Wanaka 9344 email: subscriptions@mediaunlimited.co.nz WEBSITE www.endurancesport.co.nz www.femmeﬁtness.co.nz PUBLISHER Media Unlimited Postal: PO Box 98, Albert Town, Wanaka 9344 Ph +64 3 443 6295 fax +64 3 443 6294 PRINTER Image Centre Ltd DISTRIBUTOR Netlink Distribution PHOTOGRAPHERS Stephen Wilde, Justa Jeskova, Adaptive Snow Sports NZ, smileclick.co.nz, iantraffordphotos.com, Scott McGregor, Ben Teusse, marathon-photos.com, Jen Moffatt, triathlon.org, ericwynn.org, Delly Carr, Mike Heydon, Darryl Carey, Alan Nelson, Southern Traverse, Silke/triathlon.org, triathlon.org.nz, Michael Zupancic, James Pitman/photoevents.net.au, Monoca Dalmasso, www.studio5.co.nz, Ethan Kerr, Bob Moore, John Roy. CONTRIBUTORS Alex Kerr, Michael Jacques, Andrew Dewhurst, Geoff Stoddart, Craig Bycroft, Nicola Burgess, Geoff Hunt, Olivia Starrenburg, Rosie Shakespeare, Silas Cullen, Neil Averis, Spencer Vickers, Bruce Murtagh, Susy Pryde, Sue Booker, Ben Teusse, Anna Rolleston, Amy Taylor, Sheryl MacLeod, Vicki Aitken, Joanna Lawn, Cameron Brown, Rachel Marks, Stephanie McGregor, Carl Jackson. FRONT COVER: Richard Ussher soon after his stunning 8:02:15 over the ironman distance in July. COVER IMAGE BY: Michael Zupancic

Happy training.

NZ MULTISPORT/NZ TRIATHLETE distribution and coverage is nationwide. The magazine is published six times per year. The entire contents of NZ MULTISPORT/NZ TRIATHLETE are © Copyright and may not be reproduced in any form, either in whole or in part, without the express and written permission of the publisher. The publishers accept no responsibility for the contents and thoughts outlined by the contributors as these contents and thoughts are those of the contributors.

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CINDY MOS E Y

Life is not the party you expected – but you’re here now so you might as well get up and dance.

PHOTO BY: IANTR AFFORDPHOTOS.COM.

TRI ATHLON DEXTRO WORLD SERIES CLUB PROFILE TRI NZ YOUTH ACADEMY DEWHURST COLUMN CONTACT DUATHLON SERIES WORLD TRI CHAMPS PREVIEW RAROTONGA TRI

ADVENTURE RACING MOUNTAIN DESIGNS - GEOQUEST

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KAYAKING SMART COACHING MULTISPORT DOC SWIMMING FAT BARSTARD

MONTY’S REVENGE PEAK TO PEAK STEVE GURNEY OLYMPIC CENTENARY

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NORTH FACE PEAK TO PEAK

FAT H E R ’ S DAY S P E C I A L

JO DOMINICK

FEMME INSPIR ATION CINDY MOSEY MICHELLE SIMPSON JO DOMINICK JAZZ APPLES

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FEMME ACTIVE CAPE REINGA COMING LAST

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FEMME FITNESS HABIT TRAINING KINETIC EDGE CYCLING GETTING THE BALANCE BACK

MTB REGULAR SPORTS PSYCH IRONMAN LEGEND

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TRANSISTION AT DES MOINES PHOT BY WWW.TRIATHLON.,ORG

Andrea Hewitt scored a career highlight with a huge win in the new Dextro Energy World Championship Series. Racing in round two in Madrid, Hewitt and fellow Kiwi Nicky Samuels were both among a lead bunch of 14 out of the swim. This group stayed away on the technical, hilly cycle course and Hewitt was first onto the run ahead of Sweden’s Lisa Norden, Jessica Harrison (France), Christiane Pilz (Germany) and Sarah Haskins (USA) and Samuels. Samuels wilted in the 33-degree heat, to eventually finish 14th. But the remaining four stayed locked together until a finishing sprint where Hewitt and Norden could only be separated by the photo-finish machine. Behind Hewitt’s win, Samantha Warriner made up for a terrible swim by posting the fastest run split to claim seventh. Hewitt has held her new-found form, finishing sixth in Washington and third in Austria, both times behind the breakthrough wins of Olympic bronze medallist Emma Moffatt. In Washington Moffatt beat Olympic gold medallist compatriot Emma Snowsill by 25secs. In Austria she was 34 seconds ahead of Switzerland’s Nicole Spirig, who outsprinted Hewitt in the final 200m. In Washington Debbie Tanner claimed a solid 11th, while in Austria triathlon rookie Kate McIlroy claimed a surprise eighth ahead of Nicky Samuels and Debbie Tanner in 18th and 24th.

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The Des Moines ITU World Cup race saw Emma Moffatt beat Emma Snowsill again. Moffatt and Andrea Hewitt were in a race long breakaway group and went head to head for 5k of the run before Hewitt slowly fell apart to eventually finish sixth. Moffatt cleared out for a two minute win in 1hr 59min 46secs ahead of Snowsill and Canadian Lauren Groves. Other Kiwis included Kate McIlroy (17th) and Samantha Warriner (31st), while former world junior champion Rebecca Spence was a DNF. Kris Gemmell just missed out on the biggest pay day of his career in Des Moines. Racing against Beijing Olympic gold and silver medallists Jan Frodeno (Germ) and Simon Whitfield (Can), and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Brad Kahlefeldt, Gemmell was typically aggressive throughout, but it came down to a four-way sprint finish. Gemmell is one of the sport’s fastest finishers, but out on a twisting and turning final 100m he got caught out and settled for fourth just one second behind Whitfield’s winning 1hr 49min 43secs. Bevan Docherty was a DNF due to illness, but other Kiwis were Clark Ellice (15th), Graham O’Grady (27th), Ryan Sissons (37th), Callum Millward (38th), Martin Van Barneveld (40th) and Tony Dodds (55th). Des Moines also saw the inaugural ITU Team Triathlon World Championship. Raced the day after the feature event, national teams of two men and two women each raced a 250m swim, 7k cycle and 1.8k run. New Zealand and Australia were tipped to dominate, and while Australia pulled off a close silver medal, New Zealand’s two teams trailed in sixth and ninth behind the surprise winners Switzerland. Great Britain’s Alistair Brownlee is the ITU find of the 2009. In Madrid he totally outclassed the sports best runners, winning 50 seconds ahead of Australia’s Courtney Atkinson and Spain’s Javier Gomez. Two weeks later in Washington the 21 year old university student did it again, this time making a crucial breakaway on the 40k cycle with Americans Andy Potts and Hunter Kemper, Germany’s Maik Petzold and Spain’s Javier Gomez. Then on the run he put everyone in trouble with a 2:45 first kilometre and then gradually eased away to beat Gomez by 12secs. It was the same in Austria as the Brit handled wet, cold conditions better than anyone to once again beat Gomez to the line. Kiwis haven’t fared quite as well. Both Kris Gemmell and Docherty scored road rash in the crash-strewn Austrian race. Gemmell, who crashed early in the ride, got up to eventually finish ninth 58secs behind Brownlee. But Docherty finished in 27th place after a bike crash within sight of

transition saw him start the run more than a minute behind the field. Other Kiwis in Austria included a standout 15th for Clark Ellice, Callum Millward (32nd) and Dylan McNeice (35th). Kiwi men fared better in round four of the World Championship Series in Hamburg, with Bevan Docherty finally shaking off illness and bad luck to claim a solid fifth place behind fast-running American Jarrod Shoemaker. A stretched out swim and cycle breakaway by Mark Fretta (USA), Paul Tichelaar (CAN), Christian Prochnow (GER) and Dominik Berger (AUT) did nothing to split the contenders and almost the entire field started the run together. Shoemaker and Aussie Brad Kahlefeldt moved away after 3k, with Shoemaker taking the lone lead at 5k to win in 1hr 44min 06secs. Behind him Kahlefeldt led 10 men within 30secs, with Docherty and Gemmell filling fifth and seventh. Wellington’s Martin van Barneveld managed 38th. Emma Moffatt scored her third world series win in Hamburg, this time escaping in a bike breakaway with Switzerland’s Daniela Ryf and Sweden’s Lisa Norden. This Moffatt then dispatched the others as she liked on the run, eventually winning by almost a minute in 1hr 56min 12secs. Norden and Ryf held off the chasers, which included Kiwis Debbie Tanner (14th) and Nicky Samuels (19th). Wellington’s Kate McIlroy continues her rapid rise in triathlon when the former world mountain running champion scored her first major swim/bike/run win. Competing in Austin, Texas at a round of the Pan American Cup, McIlroy trailed in the water and held her place on the bike before rattling home a 33min 10k to claim the win ahead of American Hayley Piersol, a former world championship medallist in the pool who has taken to triathlon sport this year. In a great day for Kiwis, Callum Millward and Martin Van Barneveld finished first and third in the men’s race, with Millward outsprinting American university champion Kevin Collington. Terenzo Bozzone is back to winning ways. The former teenage sensation and current Half Ironman World Champion stepped down to the Olympic distance in Minnesota, shrugging off an icy six-degree day to lead from start to finish for a 90sec win ahead of American Matthew Payne. New Zealand’s Graham O’Grady is also returning to top form with a solid third in San Francisco’s famous Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon. American standout Andy Potts led from start to finish to claim his third straight Alcatraz title, this time ahead of fellow American David Thompson, with O’Grady running through the field for third.

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Bryan Rhodes was also close to the front in seventh place. The women’s race, however, threw up a surprise winner when American Mary Beth Ellis headed off former Alcatraz winners Michellie Jones, Leanda Cave and Becky Lavelle. Things haven’t been so rosy for Gina Ferguson. The Ironman New Zealand champion has had a horror 2009. In the Challenge France Half Ironman she was robbed of a win by her bike being knocked over in transition and her special needs bag being knotted shut. Without her energy food she wilted to a still impressive third behind Aussie Rebecca Keat. At the Asian Long Distance Champs she managed second place only after chain problems on the bike and losing her way on the run. Then an uncharacteristic DNF at Challenge Roth revealed a potentially career ending heart problem. Medical tests revealed a heart murmur that was later confirmed as a bicuspid aortic valve, a condition that she would have been born with where the aortic valve is divided into two sections rather than three. Ferguson is as yet unsure of what this means for her career. Torbjorn Sindballe may have some advice for Ferguson. The Danish standout, who has finished as high as third at the Hawaii Ironman world champs and won the ITU Long Distance world title in 2004 and 2006, was diagnosed with the same condition in 2005 and has managed it with medical supervision. But after a distressing withdrawal in the Wild Flower Half Ironman in May, Sindballe announced his retirement. Former ITU & Ironman world champion, Michellie Jones, may be into her 40s, but she still knows how to put winning races together. In the Rhode Island round of the 70.3 Half Ironman World Series the Australian legend led in the swim, was overtaken by American Heather Jackson on the bike but rallied to reclaim the lead on the run, eventually winning three minutes clear of American long distance standout Desiree Ficker in 4hrs 23min 55secs. In the men’s race American cycle specialist Michael Lovato made up for a poor swim to romp through the field and then hold out Aussie Richie Cunningham and Kiwi Cameron Brown on the run. Only 14secs separated the three at the finish line, with Lovato claiming the win in 3hrs 54min 38secs. Ironman France saw new course records for the tough Nice course. Former ITU world champion, Olivier Marceau, led for much the race. But it came down to who was fleetest of foot, which turned out to be Spaniard Marcel Zamora Perez, who came from six minutes down with a 2:43:17

marathon to win his fourth consecutive Ironman France title, this time ahead of Frenchmen Herve Faure and Simon Billeau. The woman’s race saw hometown favourite Christel Robin passed in the ﬁnal 15k of the run by Belgium’s Tine Deckers, who clocked in at 9hrs 30min 29secs. Craig Alexander continues his new mantle as the world’s top long distance exponent. At the Boise round of the 70.3 Half Ironman World Series, his ﬁrst major outing since winning the Ironman Hawaii world champs last year, Alexander had to outsprint American rival Chris Leito. Only two seconds separated them on the line, while Kiwi youngsters Jamie Whyte and Liam Scopes were handy in seventh and 17th. Chrissie Wellington continued her total dominance of the world long course scene when she won Challenge Roth with history’s fastest ever female performance. In a race that saw four women break the nine hour barrier, the two-time Hawaii Ironman world champion clocked 8hrs 31min 56secs to slash a massive 13min 49secs off the time set by Dutchwoman Yvonne Van Vlerken at Roth last year. The 32 year old Brit remains unbeaten over the Iron distance and pulled off this latest feat with splits of 50:21, 4:40.28 and 2:57.32 to beat Australian Rebecca Keat, who also broke the previous record with 8:39.24. World duathlon champion Catriona Morrison put up the fastest ever debut Ironman for third in 8:48.11 for third. RICHARD USSHER

Richard Ussher is now the fastest ever Kiwi over the Iron distance. In just his third Iron distance event the former world adventure racing and world multisport champion stepped up to the highest level with 8hrs 02min 15secs for third in Challenge Roth. In a super-fast race that saw 10 men go 8hrs 15min or faster, pre-race favourite Pete Jacobs (USA) was ﬁrst out of the water in a race record 45:57. Two-time Hawaii Ironman champion Normann Stadler (Germ) rode to the front with a 4:14.42 for the 180k, but this effort left him with no legs for Roth’s fast marathon course. Pete Jacobs had stayed close to Stadler and after a third and

second place in the last two years, it looked like Jacob’s would run away with the win. But German up and comer Michael Goehner posted a 2:41 marathon to win in 7:55.53. Richard Ussher went almost unnoticed until the run, where he came through with a 2:47 marathon to nab third just 14secs behind Jacobs, Ironman Switzerland saw home town favourites Ronnie Schildknecht and Sybille Matter dominate their own race. Schildknecht took his third Ironman Switzerland title in a row, clocking 8hrs 20min to finish 11min clear of compatriot Stefan Reisen. For Sybille Matter it was the second win in a row as she led all the way to also win by 11min in 9hrs 14min 35secs. Matt Reed continued his reign as the best Kiwi to race for the USA when he beat some of the sports stars in a three-way sprint for the Life Time Fitness Triathlon in Minneapolis. Aussie Clayton Fettel and US star Andy Potts led out of the water, but Reed, Paul Matthews, and Aussie Greg Bennett reeled him in half way through the cycle. Bennett put the hammer down on the ride, with only Reed able to stay with him. Reed got away early in the run, but Bennett came back after 5k. Then with 1k to run they were surprised to be joined by a charging Andy Potts and the race came down to the final 100m. Reed, who has been all but unbeatable in non-drafting races, managed a sprinters dip finish to out-lean Potts on the line as both athletes clocked 1hr 49min 15secs, with Bennett third two second back. Reed was back in winning form shortly after when he beat Potts again to win the Miami International Triathlon for the second year in a row in 1hr 47min 22secs. Kiwi’s were to the fore in Brazil’s Brasilia Multisport race recently. North Island standouts Rachel Cashin, Sam Clark and Jim Robinson took on the 6km run, 15k kayak, 60k road ride, 2k run, 18k kayak, 21k run and 11k road ride. Cashin, a former third place getter in the Speight’s Coast to Coast One day race finished second among women, while Robinson won the veteran men’s race. Sam Clark, the Whakatane teenager who won this year’s Speight’s Coast to Coast Two Day race, spent most of the race in the top five only to arrive at the final kayak section before his borrowed kayak and support crew. He waited half an hour and eventually finished 14th. Local knowledge proved crucial in the race, with all three Kiwis losing their way at times. They were in Brasil with Speight’s Coast to Coast race director Robin Judkins at the invitation of the Brazilian organisers who hope to establish a sister-race relationship with the great New Zealand event.

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PROD U CT NEWS GO

VIR-DEFENCE

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Surviving winter bugs is made easier with GO Healthy New Zealand’s GO Vir-Defence – a supplement speciﬁcally designed to support recovery from winter ills and chills. The convenient dose of natural ingredients in GO Vir-Defence supports a strong immune system and the body’s defences to deal with winter threats. GO Vir-Defence’s combination of Echinacea, Olive Leaf, Vitamin C, Zinc, Elderberry, Andrographis and Pau D’Arco help to powerfully combat the viruses and common colds which usually occur in winter. Where conventional medicines suppress symptoms, the combination of natural ingredients found at optimum strengths in GO Vir-Defence are more effective at preventing and managing a cold. Available in leading pharmacies nationwide. For more information call 0508 4669327. www.gohealthynz.co.nz

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J U ICY DESIGNS FOR A C U RE For 75 years, Lancôme has known that a woman’s beauty goes beyond appearances, which is why a stylish campaign featuring the iconic Juicy Tube lipgloss and supporting the Breast Cancer Research Trust launches this winter. Lancôme’s aptly named Juicy Designs for a Cure sees the who’s who of New Zealand fashion – Helen Cherry, Karen Walker, Ruby, Stolen Girlfriends Club, Trelise Cooper and Zambesi – each design a collectable scarf to complement their favourite Juicy Tube lipgloss. The scarf design is repeated on limited edition Juicy Tube packaging. Lancôme, consumers and retailers are all contributing with 20 per cent of the $50 retail price (for the Juicy Tube and scarf) from each purchase helping fund Breast Cancer Research Trust’s research projects with the aim to raise $80,000. Breast Cancer Research Trust ambassador and one of the chosen designers, Karen Walker says supporting a cause is made all the more easy when it is coupled with a covetable lipgloss and designer scarf. “Juicy Tubes are the favourite lipgloss of women all around the world - myself included. I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to team up with Lancôme to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Research Trust and I’m sure fans of Juicy Tubes throughout the country will grab this opportunity to make a difference both to our research and their lips!”

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N EW TH O R LO ® EX PER IA® S O C K S F O OT P R OT ECTI O N W ITH O UT W E I G HT ! Experia® eliminates all but the most essential Thorlos® patented thin cushion CoolMax® padding, which is sculptured and contoured to match the natural foot’s ball and heel strike pattern, resulting in impact and friction protection without extra weight and an aerodynamic ﬁt. Choice of four vibrant colours to match your sporting gear: black, royal blue, lime, and pink. RRP: $36 (NZ) Competitors in both the Rotorua Marathon and Taupo Iron Man run in Experia and given us their feedback, saying “they loved the new Experia: thin, light, but cushioned in the right places” Want a free* pair of Experia socks? Check out Thorlo’s promotional offer on page 21. Thorlo, proudly distributed by Beattie Matheson Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand. Ph 0800 846 756; info@beattiematheson.co.nz

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RAINFOREST RIDE The team at Rapid Ascent invite you to “Ride for a Cure”. Their new Rainforest Ride is scheduled for Saturday November 21st 2009 to raise funds for the Burnet Institute who are leaders in health research and developing vaccines to treat cancers and infectious diseases. Participants will be encouraged to raise funds for the Burnet Institute and full fund raising kits will be provided upon entry to the event. The Rainforest Ride will start and ﬁnish in Apollo Bay on the famous Great Ocean Road, Victoria. The scenery along the way will be spectacular as the course incorporates temperate rain forests as well as some of the most impressive coastline Australia has to offer. Riders have the option to complete 140km, 105km, 70km or 25km courses. www.rapidascent.com.au

TRINIDAD COAST TO COAST The Trinidad Coast to Coast is a two-day stage race traversing the Island from the east coast to the western

peninsula. This will be done using three core disciplines, road cycling, trail running, and paddling. There are two categories for the Trinidad Coast to Coast, Individual, two or three person relays and Corporate Team relay. Race dates are October 17th and 18th, 2009 www.trinidadcoast2coast.com

ARWC 2009 XPD PORTUGAL The ARWS Estoril Portugal XPD Race has in past years been the Portuguese event in the Adventure Racing World Series but this year will be the Adventure Racing World Championship. Scheduled for the 5 to 15 November the ARWC Portugal 2009 will be held in the Central Region of Portugal in a secret route covering 800 km and 20,000m of ascent. This year’s race will join two of the most renowned Portuguese areas for Adventure Sports, the Estoril Coast and the Serra da Estrela Mountains. The Estoril Coast is characterized by its high cliffs, beautiful forest and rough sea which allows all kinds of vertical and sea sports; its Natural Park of SintraCascais is also the perfect ground for mountain

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bike and foot orienteering challenges. The Serra da Estrela Mountain Range is the perfect playground for trekking, mountain biking, vertical rope activities, paragliding and snow sports. But to join these regions an almost epic route will lead the racers to some of the most varied scenarios ever presented in an ARWC event. Long, tough and hilly will be the road to victory in ARWC Portugal 2009. www.arwc2009.com

2009 ABU DHABI ADVENTURE CHALLENGE This year’s Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge will be held from the 4th to the 9th of December. The innovative nature of this demanding sporting and cultural odyssey, with its unique emphasis on fairness, accessibility and camaraderie, represents adventure racing’s most exciting opportunity to race against the world’s most international ﬁeld. To ensure that the race offers a sporting challenge rather than an economic one,

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ABU DHABI ADVENTURE CHALLENGE.

especially

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the current economic climate, the organisers have made a 1,000 reduction to the 2009 entrance fee, bringing it to 2,500 per team and opening the world’s most international race to the entire adventure racing community. The ADAC is designed to not only appeal to the world’s top teams but also to those with the ambition of becoming one themselves but who, as yet, might lack sufﬁcient international or big race experience. Last year, the highly successful ADTA awards took a selection of fortunate ‘local’ teams

sport throughout the burgeoning international rookie community, will be maintained for this year’s race. After six days over a course worthy of the world’s most international field and matched only by the quality of the encounters with Abu Dhabi’s vibrant culture, a lucky few will take with them the “glittering prizes” but thanks to a judiciously planned course and flexible support infrastructure, every team is given the chance to finish the race one way or another. Only in this way are all teams able to complete what is, after all, the objective of any sporting event: to participate and be enriched by the competition, rivalry and ensuing camaraderie. To learn from the experience, come back again and maybe win. www.abudhabi-adventure.com

from Britain, Sweden, Slovenia the USA and South Africa, all with no international

PURE TASMANIA WILDSIDE MTB 2010

race experience, handed them entry fees,

Entries open for Pure Tasmania Wildside MTB 2010 on June 1 and indications are that demand for the event will be as strong as ever. Australia’s premier mountain bike stage event will start at Cradle Mountain Chateau on 30 January 2010 with riders completing the event four days later at Strahan Village. The event attracts the very best riders from around Australia and an increasing number from overseas, but the core of the participation is the adventure sport rider those who experience the event as a personal journey

plane tickets and the opportunity to rub shoulder with and learn from the world’s best. The ADTA Continental Rookie Prizes (2,500 USD) handed out cash prizes to the four top teams, one from each of the following four continental zones, Europe, North - South America, Asia - Oceania and The Middle East – Africa, racing for the ﬁrst time in The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge. Both initiatives, aimed at promoting the

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PHOTO BY: MONOCA DALMASSO.

and challenge. “One of the great things about our event is that ordinary riders, who might just get out a couple of times a week for fun and exercise, get to shape up against Australia’s best,” said Race Director Nic Deka. Pure Tasmania Wildside MTB 2010 is supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania. For more information please visit www.wildsidemtb.com.

ICELAND LAUGAVEGUR ULTRA MARATHON 15TH - 19TH JULY. The “Laugavegur” course is one of the most beautiful in Iceland, stretching from Landmannalaugar in the highlands to Thorsmork, a natural reservation area. The area is famous for the yellow, orange and purple hues of the surrounding mountains. The race blazes a trail through moss ﬁelds, meadows of wool grass, steam springs, and bizarre lava formations where various blossoms defy the raw climate. The race ends at Thorsmork, described as Iceland’s brightest pearl, surrounded by rugged mountains and beautiful glaciers. Do not be fooled by the beauty of this course. This is a tough mountain challenge and having a good race plan is essential. A common error that runners make is taking the first part of the race too fast. Normally, this distance is hiked in four days. Hurry, book now as last year’s race sold out 6 months before the race. www.adventure-racing.org/races

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NEW WORLD SERIES: The ITU Dextro Energy Triathlon World Championship Series is proving a mixed bag for our leading triathletes. It seems that a decent dose of bad luck and misfortune has followed the Kiwis, alongside some stunning results from earlier in the season. Following amazing sprint ﬁnish victories in Tongyeong (Korea) for Bevan Docherty and Madrid (Spain) for Andrea Hewitt, New Zealand has appeared on the post race podium just the once, Hewitt again in ﬁnishing third at Kitzbuhel (Austria). And it seems that we are paying for that stunning start with a little more bad luck than we would like, especially on the men’s side of things. Anyone believing in a little triathlon karma might suggest the gods are evening the odds on us. Madrid delivered a stunner for Hewitt with that incredible photo finish victory over Lisa Norden (SWE) but even then the portents were not good. Bevan Docherty lined up looking to add another victory to his CV but failed to finish, felled by a flulike bronchial bug. Outside of the delight in victory for Hewitt, there was not a great deal more to crow about. Joining Docherty as a DNF were Clark Ellice and Rebecca Spence while Debbie Tanner raced to 11th place, respectable but

disappointing by Tanner’s high standards. A week later and a stellar field lined up on the rich Des Moines World Cup race with a total prize purse of USD $1,000,000 on offer. The script followed an alarmingly familiar refrain, Docherty DNF – again knocked flat by the flu while Sam Warriner couldn’t overcome the effects of a serious bike crash (it was later discovered she had a broken rib). Even the good news was tinged with ‘what might have been’ as Kris Gemmell raced superbly to be within one second of a USD$200,000 payday only to finish an agonizing fourth as he clipped heels with Beijing gold medalist Jan Frodeno (GER) in sight of the line. For the inaugural ITU World Championship Team event the next day, read above and you won’t be surprised that we missed the podium when New Zealand was a clear second favourite if not equal favourite with Australia heading into the race. And so on to Kitzbuhel and surely things would take a turn for the better. Docherty came in having overcome the flu, Gemmell was once again in great shape, Hewitt had a win there in the past and we had a big team lining up including Debbie Tanner, Nicky Samuels and Clark Ellice.

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A MIXED BAG FOR KIWI TRIATHLETES Andrea Hewitt raced superbly for third to move to second in the overall world rankings but possibly the even bigger result came from Kate McIlroy who finished 8th. This from an athlete who 12 months ago hadn’t even raced a triathlon in Wellington, let alone considered lining up in a World Championship event! But triathlon karma was lurking just around the corner (okay, the bad karma had actually come a day before but let’s not be pedantic for the sake of a good storyline!) In the men’s race conditions proved awful, rain brought cold temperatures and a slick bike course and you guessed it, our guys were involved in crashes. First Gemmell went down early in the bike but had time to recover the bunch and eventually finish 9th, despite not being able to feel his feet at any point in the run! Bevan Docherty though had no such luxury as an ‘early’ bike crash. Docherty’s came on the final lap and to add insult to injury, when he quickly and bravely remounted and looked like rejoining without too much damage, his chain came off and off he got again, to eventually finish 27th. Clark Ellice though raced strongly again to post another 15th place finish and begin to show the sort of consistency at the top level

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that he has struggled for in the past. So four rounds into the new World Championship Series it has certainly been a mixed bag for the Kiwis. Accidents, illness, injury, clipped heels and unpredictable weather have led to a few more downs than we would like. But such is the quality of our elite athletes these days there have been plenty of highs to balance the ledger, Hewitt and Docherty’s victories top of that list. Hewitt sits second overall in the rankings at the time of writing and McIlroy’s breakthrough performance in Austria suggests the best is yet to come from the former mountain running world champion. Warriner we know will bounce back; the consistency of Clark Ellice has been an eye opener, as have a number of performances from the likes of James Elvery, Callum Millward and others who are starting to show the benefits of a few years of hard graft, apprenticeships in the sport of triathlon. And we know of the qualities of Gemmell and Docherty, both are there or thereabouts on the rankings despite some plain old bad luck and you can guarantee they will be in amongst it when the money is handed out on the Gold Coast in September.

ALL PHOTOS BY: DELLY CARR/TRIATHLON.ORG.

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Triathlo n NZ Club of the month

HAW KE ’S BAY M ULTI SP OR T CL UB The Hawke’s Bay Multisport Club has been going for 22 years with a strong history as a club providing high quality events in Triathlon, Duathlon and Multisport disciplines. All distances are made available to ensure that everyone from beginner to experienced athlete can find something they are looking for. Events range from kids events in Triathlon and Duathlon and Off Road Duathlon, adults events in all of the above and also a Women’s Only Triathlon series. The club has a strong committee with a great volunteer structure that ensures events are run professionally and efficiently at the lowest cost possible. Possibly the cheapest triathlons and duathlons in New Zealand will be found in Hawke’s Bay. The club has a strong membership of over 300 members each year but last year alone over 6,600 people took part in events throughout the summer and winter season. Focus is on making everyone welcome and ensuring everyone is able to achieve their own personal goal be it a short distance tri or even Ironman. Focus is on providing events for all levels of ability to ensure that everyone can have a go at the sport of Triathlon and Duathlon. A great support structure is in place to ensure that beginners get well looked after and free mentors are available to assist those that want to improve their results. The club has a strong competitive group of triathletes with no less than 34 club members selected for the 2009 World Champs in Brisbane, Perth and Kona. The Hawke’s Bay Multisport Club also works with other events in Hawke’s Bay including the Weetbix Kids Tryathlon, Real Women’s Duathlon and the up coming Ironmaori Half Ironman to encourage Pacific Islanders and Maoris to get active and take part in Triathlons. Winners of the Hawke’s Bay Sports Awards – Club Operations for the past three years and winners of the Triathlon New Zealand Awards for Club of the Year, coach of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and Family of the Year for 2009 is proof that Hawke’s Bay Triathlon is strong at every level. So if you want to take part in a well run event with a great group of positive people come to Hawke’s Bay and enjoy the sunshine. Web: www.hbmsc.co.nz Contact: Jeanette Cooper hbmsc@ihug.co.nz Membership Fees: Adult - $25 Junior - $10 Family - $40 YO UN G HA MI SH JA ME S 4 YE AR S OL D TA KIN G OF F RO AD DU PA RT IN OU R AT HL ON OV ER WI NT ER

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STANDING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: CAMERON TODD, SHEA REARDON, MEL WARMERDAM, MIKAYLA NIELSON, DANIEL HINE, JAMES DALLINGER, OWEN MILLER, JOSH KENYON. KNEELING. LEFT TO RIGHT: AMELIA WATKINSON, JOSIE WILCOX, REUBYN MARY JANE BISSCHOPS, DEBOARAH LYNCH, LAURA WOOD. FRONT LYING DOWN: SAM OSBORNE.

YOUTH ACADEMY STORY 18

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Triathlon New Zealand has a strong focus on participation, getting as many New Zealanders ﬁt and active as possible through participation in triathlon or duathlon. The development of elite athletes though is also an important part of the national body’s role and is an area that is tremendously detailed and variable. New challenges are presented almost daily and the sport is ever adapting to new technology, sports science and equipment to make sure we stay ahead of the world. While the sport has been blessed in the past with such great elite athletes and results at World and Olympic Games level, this is not something that can be taken for granted. So Triathlon New Zealand under its Sport Development arm has set up a Youth Academy and in recent times has invested more time and money into making sure we identify potential stars of the future and put them in a programme to give them the best chance of emulating the likes of Hamish Carter, Bevan Docherty and Sam Warriner. Sport Development Director Brendon Downey explains the thinking behind the Academy. “The Triathlon New Zealand Youth Academy is the end result of a great deal of planning and is set up as a talent identiﬁcation, mentoring and educational programme for athletes still attending secondary schools across New Zealand. ”The sport has enjoyed something of a resurgence at youth level with great racing throughout the Contact Tri Series, in U19 categories at the national championship and at the Contact Schools Championships at Karapiro in late April. “But we must do more than just provide a racing environment for our best young athletes. To turn their natural talent at a young age into international success as elite athletes is the main objective, that means working closely with them and their coaches every step of the way. This is the aim under the guidance of our Youth Development Office Mel Warmerdam and the team at Tri NZ.” As a result of good performances and showing great potential through the summer season, the following athletes were inducted into the Triathlon New Zealand Youth Academy for 2009: Aaron Barclay (Gore High School) Alex Smith (St Kentigerns College) Sam Osborne (Western Hgts High School) Alexi Petrie (Mount Albert Grammar) Sam Franklin (St Kentigerns College) Sam Morreau (Auckland Grammar) Josh Kenyon (Taupo Nui-a-tia) Cameron Todd (Taupo Nui-a-tia)

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YOUTH ACADEMY STORY

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Daniel Hine (New Plymouth Boys School) Owen Miller (Mount Maunganui College) Deborah Lynch (St Mary’s College) Maddie Dillon (Kristen School) Shea Reardon (Taupo Nui-a-tia) Mikayla Nielson (Correspondance) Courtney Grenfell (Chilton St James School) Amelia Watkinson (Diocesan Girls School) Reubyn Mary Jane Bisschops (St Kevins) Laura Wood (Christchurch Girls) Josie Wilcox (Nelson College) The athletes were inducted to the programme at an ofﬁcial ceremony in Hamilton in early July, before the ﬁrst round of testing, study and work with coaches,

nutritionists and physiologists and an induction speech from New Zealand elite rower James Dallinger on what it takes to make it and succeed at the top level of international sport. The camp has clearly had an impact on those attending, as Owen Miller (Mount Maunganui) attested to. “I had an awesome time both catching up with people I knew as well as meeting new people with similar interests creating more of a team atmosphere which is good in an individual sport like triathlon. ”It was a great way of boosting my motivation over winter by training in a group situation with everyone pushing each other to be faster and I learned some important things about race day nutrition and psychology.”

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Likewise Laura Wood who made the journey from Christchurch was impressed. “The Tri NZ Youth Academy Camp in Hamilton was very enjoyable. The camp was a great opportunity for twelve of us to learn about what it takes for us to become elite triathletes. As well as a lot of hard work, everyone had a really good time as we grew to know the other triathletes our age.” This is just the ﬁrst of a number of such camps where the athletes will be monitored, mentored and offered advice on all aspects of their sport, from racing to training to nutrition to dealing with the media. It is hoped that one day a number of the names gathered in Hamilton in July will wear the silver fern at Olympic Games or World Championship level. Tri NZ would like to acknowledge the support of Wintec in Hamilton for providing facilities for testing. Tri NZ undertook assessments of this kind at this age for the ﬁrst time and is hoping to make it a standard tool for future camps, connecting with the Tri NZ HP programme.

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’ E N I F E D O T D R A H IT’S THE ‘

LL A S U S P E E K T A H T COMING BACK… B Y

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Radio broadcaster, media manager for Triathlon New Zealand and former social triathlete Andrew Dewhurst tries to deﬁne the lure of triathlon and multisport and in the process shares a little pain. We enjoy the best of both worlds in this great sport that we all love so much – and by that I am referring to triathlon and multi sport events of all kinds. It is a sport that operates at the very highest level on a global scale, and yet it is a sport that challenges us all, regardless of ability, to take it on and ‘give it a go’. The elites are fast forging a reputation as being amongst the most hard working and talented sportspeople on the planet. By their

very nature they must excel in three different disciplines – some would suggest four if you add ‘sprinting’ to the list given the way the World Championship Series has unfolded in its inaugural season. To see New Zealanders at the forefront of the sport brings immense pride. Whether it is Cameron Brown, Jo Lawn, Gina Ferguson or Terenzo Bozzone in the Ironman and Half Ironman or Bevan Docherty, Kris Gemmell, Andrea Hewitt, Debbie Tanner and Sam Warriner in standard distance racing, we take huge pleasure in their performances and results. But for me that is only half the allure to

the sport, maybe even less than half – sorry guys! As a broken down former social triathlete myself, I still hanker for the days when I might once again get out there and ‘compete’ in events that are more on my level. The beauty of this of course is that often this means being on the same start line as the elites – or at least covering the same terrain as them, maybe with a little more time to take in the scenery! So bear with me please as I indulge (myself) in a story of failure and disappointment, yet it is one that I am somehow proud of because you see, triathlon is as much about making the start line, the shared

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PHOTO BY: SPOMEDIS/TRIATHLON.ORG.

experiences in training and the commitment to an event that makes it so special. I don’t care whether it is the Tri Women’s Series, the Contact Tri Series or Bonita Ironman NZ, the experiences in our sport are largely the same and lead to the camaraderie that I think is unmatched in any other sport. My one and only attempt at Ironman ended in rather spectacular fashion back in 1998 – the ﬁnal race in Auckland before the move to Taupo. Problems in training led to a rather ‘underdone’ radio host turning up that wet and windy morning but off I went regardless, hoping simply to ﬁnish and receive a medal that I had dreamed of for some years.

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After battling away to overcome a few old football injuries that limited my running time I was making some progress towards the goal of finishing. Living on Waiheke Island meant great swimming, there is nothing like being in 30 feet of clear water off Oneroa Beach doing ‘laps’ 500m offshore – well that was until some reasonably big fish decided to keep me company and I’m afraid I was always one to let the mind wander. ‘If a fish that big is here, a bigger fish might want to turn up for lunch. And if a bigger fish turns up for lunch, will it prefer something else on the buffet?’ But by and large the swimming was fine, I was slow but I was steady. After riding every known road on Waiheke I had to get off the island most weekends in search of kilometres. My (few) big rides took in some of the course in and around Clevedon before heading off on the old course towards Hunua and down to Hotel du Vin before taking on the Bombay Hill on return via Papakura. Ahhh, those were the days. But then came the first warning, one I wasn’t to heed. Surgery at around Christmas time led to doctors saying ‘bed rest for ten days and three weeks of recovery’. Bugger that I thought, I’ve got the Port of Tauranga Half in a week! So I lined up hoping my doctor wasn’t in the race or on holiday in Papamoa. I swam and then rode one lap of the 90km bike and despite feeling great, I knew not to push too hard and rode into transition to call it a day. It was only then I looked down and saw my bike shoe was covered in blood. Unbeknown to me I had stubbed my toe coming out of the water, kicking a curb somewhere in transition. My feet were so cold at the time I hadn’t really felt too much but the end result was a broken toe that not long after removing my shoe, soon started to hurt! Turns out I did get most of my rest as the doctor instructed, karma in action I guess. Long story short is I ignored advice from some and made it to the start line in early March. Not for me to wait another year, I didn’t know if my knee would take another build up, even one as ‘interrupted’ and lacking in running as mine! The weather was awful, the water off St Heliers was rough enough to make a large number of entrants simply turn around on the beach and head for a café. But I was relaxed, still talking to family when the hooter went and then wandering into the water for a gentle bash through the swell. The swim completed, I then headed out onto the bike on my trusty Bauer. I had the early ‘aero bars’ that curved up and out in the one piece, remember them? The weather hadn’t improved much and to make matters worse a late course change saw us heading out on the original course to Kawakawa – roads I hadn’t ridden. Halfway out I was in trouble, my stomach was rebelling, I couldn’t keep much down

apart from water and even that was hit and miss. The cramps kept me up off the bars the whole way back into a head wind and a few decent showers. I spent 20 minutes in transition trying to come right, most of that in a port-a-loo. Trust me; it is not the place to be during an Ironman, especially with family waiting for you to emerge! The cheers of ‘come on Andrew, keep going’ suddenly took on a new meaning. But off I went on the run with thumbs up. I felt OK apart from the stomach but I knew I had to get some energy into me. I recall making it to the turn at the school in reasonable shape, I’m not sure how far out that was, but on the way back to St Heliers I began to struggle and thought, this is it, when I get to transition I am calling it a day. But transition and the halfway turnaround meant a lovely yellow wrist band to say you were on the ‘last lap’ and I couldn’t resist. Off I went (now in fading lights) thinking I can do it. Well guess what, no I couldn’t! The highs and lows during this time (about 10km) were incredible. I had my brother in law alongside on a mountain bike and my dad loping alongside in his civvies – okay, okay, loping might be pushing it. I think he would have preferred to walk faster at times. By now I had turned to Coca Cola in desperation for some sugar and energy, some stayed down, some was left on the pavement. Following a sugar rush though I would suddenly churn out a couple of 7 minute kilometres – I was flying! Then I would hallucinate and start walking in circles for a bit, not good and time for more Coke! Finally with 10km left to go and after putting Craig Barrett’s efforts in Malaysia to shame, I fell for about the 10th time as an ambulance happened to be going by. I was soon in it, much to the relief I think of my dad who could at last walk at a respectable pace back to transition! And do you know what? I loved every minute of it. Has it put me off? No way, if anything it has fueled the desire to one day complete an Ironman. I try and go every year, whether working or just watching. My dreams of making the start line are complicated by age, fitness, injury, family, work, life… but the dream remains as strong as it ever has been. The buzz around the event and many other triathlons is just indescribable. Competitors, families, supporters, volunteers, media – they all know what it is and yet all will struggle to define it. It is like a magical elixir, something out of Harry Potter, something that sends endorphins racing through the veins. It is that camaraderie and spirit that exists around triathlon and multisport that other sports can only envy. Whether elite or beginner, young or old, fit or struggling, we can all share in the same experiences, delight in each others success and hurt in each others pain. Right, I’m off to see if I can still fit into the bike gear and dust off that wind trainer…

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TER ESA ADA M.

N/TRI ATHLO N.ORG PHOTO BY: MIKE HEYDO

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MIC HAE L POO LE.

PHOTO BY: MIKE HEYDE N/TRI ATHLO N.ORG

.NZ.

C O N TA C T

DUAT H LON SER IES 24

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2009 witnessed the 1st year of the Contact Duathlon Series staged throughout New Zealand. Christchurch hosted the 1st event which doubled as a selection race for the New Zealand Team to compete at the World Duathlon Championships in Concord, USA in September. Unexpected fine weather welcomed the athletes to Ashley School for the events. Three distances were offered, with a short distance (3/10/3) for beginners, Sprint Distance (5/20/3) and a Standard Distance (10/40/5) for those hoping to clinch selection spots for the World Champs. As expected the women’s race standard distance race came down to a duel between Katherine Anton (Whangarei) and Victoria Beck (Dunedin). Anton ran strongly to lead the 1st run section, but it was Beck who had a strong ride to lead by 23sec out of transition heading into the final run. The Dunedin athlete started well, but Beck didn’t have the leg speed to match Anton with the Whangarei Athlete winning by 33 seconds. “That was real tough, very hot and a tough course as well. Victoria set a great pace on the bike and I kept waiting for a nice tail wind to bring us home but I think we had more or less a head/cross wind the whole way and it just got so hot. I managed to pace myself pretty well though and stayed conservative early in the final run leg before I made my move and found I had the legs to go for it with a couple of kilometres to run.” Beck said she just didn’t have it in the legs on Saturday. “When I headed into the final run just ahead it was a case of seeing how I went but I just don’t have a lot of leg speed at the moment and Katherine was that little bit stronger.” The mens was a much more open affair with David King (Rakaia) and David Cooper (Auckland) side by side after the opening 10km run with Axel Reiser (Christchurch) in third almost 90seconds back with Canterbury Duathlon Champ Adam Milne a further 17 seconds back in fourth. On the bike section, it was long distance expert Reiser who made his move, one that would prove to be the winning of the race as he established a lead of over a minute on the tough 40km bike course. While David King and Adam Milne closed on the final run leg, Reiser held on, he ex pat German was delighted with his win. “That was not too bad, especially after the pace that the young guys set in the first run. I couldn’t stay with them and had to work hard on the second part of the bike. I think that is there I won the race with my aerodynamic position, the others kept coming up on their handlebars.” “It is great to have the first race in the Contact Duathlon here in Christchurch, it is

good for the South Island.” “Also I was familiar with the course as it is held on one of my regular long bike rides so that helped too.” The mens U19 sprint race was a head to head battle between Michael Poole (Auckland) and Nathan Coombes (New Plymouth). The lead changed several times over the course of the race but it was National Schools champion Poole who won the day, crossing the line almost two minutes ahead of Coombes.” In the women’s sprint it was Jessie Wilcox who led an U19 domination of the podium with Reubyn Bissucups 39 seconds back in second and Tessa Walker in third. Leg 2 of the Contact Duathlon Series was held in Auckland City. The event also doubled as the North Island Interclub Duathlon Champs with a good representation of clubs participating in wet and windy conditions. 16 clubs in total took part with North Harbour Triathlon Club being crowned the new champion, taking the title from Auckland City Triathlon Club. Michael Poole was again to the fore. After entering transition in 4th place behind Nick Rennie, Nathan Coombes and David Cooper, it didn’t take long before Poole surged to the lead, commanding the 2nd quickest bike split of the day to establish a comfortable buffer entering the final run. Only Daniel Smith (Auckland) could offer some resistance taking 9 seconds out of Poole on the bike, but after giving up too much ground on the opening run split, and to concede the victory to Poole. Smith finished 70 seconds in arrears with Owen Miller (Tauranga) in third. The first three across the line were all U19 with Scott McGregor (Auckland) the leading senior. The women’s race was also a tight affair with Simone Ackermann (Auckland) leading after the opening run over Rebecca Kingsford (Tirau), Teresa Adam (Auckland) and Anna Ross (Auckand). Onto the bike it was Adam and Ross that cleared out, with Adam holding a slight lead going into the final transition. It was at this stage that Adam kicked clear on the final run to win by 19 seconds over Ross, with Kingsford holding onto 3rd ahead of Michelle Simpson. The final leg of the Series heads to Palmerston North – which will double as the Tri NZ National Duathlon Championships as well as the National Schools Duathlon Champs. Early entries indicate it should be the largest event yet. The event will also serve as a good hit out for those athletes looking to peak for the World Champs in USA in September. The course is on a flat course starting from Fielding High School with events ranging from a 3km Run/walk, 10km Bike, 2.5km run/walk through to the standard distance of a 10km run, 40km bike and 5km run. DARR YL CAREY. ALL IMAGE S ABOVE BY:

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LARGEST NZ TEAM PREPARES FOR THREEFOLD WORLD CHAMPS Triathlon New Zealand has selected the largest team ever to represent New Zealand at World Champs level in 2009 with an incredible 492 athletes from all corners of the country set to don the silver fern on the Gold Coast in September (standard and sprint distance), Perth in October (long distance) and North Carolina in September (duathlon). The largest of the three teams to head away is to the Gold Coast with 347 holding boarding passes for sprint or standard distance races. Such a large team brings its own challenges, something Triathlon New Zealand is all too aware of. “This is such a huge undertaking but one we are totally focused on doing a great job with.” Tri NZ Sport Development Director Brendon Downey told NZ Multisport and Triathlete magazine. “Each and every one of these athletes has earned their right to represent New Zealand and I have no doubt will do themselves and Tri NZ proud. It is our responsibility now to deliver an experience to treasure and provide the platform from which they can perform at their very best.” In line with that objective Tri NZ has for the ﬁrst time appointed a dedicated Manager for the team, Adele Holmes. Adele’s background in recruitment and travel is perfect for what

is in effect a rather complicated job as a ‘Tour Leader’. “We are working hard on making sure all bases are covered and contingencies planned for before we head away but with a team of this size and varied requirements there will always be things to deal with and sort out,” said Holmes. “I have extensive experience in just this sort of activity and am prepared for little sleep and many shared meals! I guess I am a little

bit camp mother, tour leader, problem solver and who knows, maybe even a shoulder to lean on from time to time. “Our focus is the athletes and doing all we can to make their trip and experience a truly memorable one. If they are happy and have everything they need, they are likely to race well. It is with that in mind that we aim to leave no stone unturned in preparing for all possibilities.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

2008 WORLD CHAMPS PHOTO BY WWW.TRIATHLON.ORG

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2008 WORLD CHAMPS PHOTO BY WWW.TRIATHLON.ORG

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

Adele won’t want for support with a team of four other managers working with her to ensure the success of the event and the experience for the competitors and their families. Jeff McGrath, Wendy Chrisp, Ali Boggs and Graham Park bring a combined CV of coaching, management, travel, and previous experience to form a formidable leadership team. Holmes says they are there first for the athletes but her team is not forgetting family and supporters and the role they will play. ”Part of what I am working on currently (in conjunction with the Assistant Team Managers) is a light training programme for the days in the lead up to the Gold Coast, a team dinner, having the services of a bike mechanic, masseuse and medical available to the team. Whilst obviously our main focus is the athletes, we appreciate for some this may be their annual family holiday, so we want to make family/friends supporters as welcome and included as possible Included within the team will be the first two official Paratriathlete representatives. This is an exciting development as Paratriathlon moves towards inclusion within the Paralympic programme and is a fantastic initiative which everyone can look to gain inspiration from. Rob Matthews was born with a degenerative eye condition (Retinitis Pigmentosa) and has been blind since the age of twenty. Rob believes blindness

has enriched his life. And his personal achievements speak for themselves with 22 World Records and 29 International medals in athletics including 8 Paralympic gold medals over 7 Paralympic Games. Miriam Jenkins will be the other paratriathlete competing, and the 23 year old is no stranger to big meets. With a solid background in swimming and athletics consisting of 3 silvers in the 2006

Athletics NZ National Champs, 2 gold’s, 2 silver’s and 2 bronze medals at the 2005 Paralympics NZ National Champs plus a gold and silver at the CP-ISRA World Champs held in the USA, Jenkins will look to add to her winning total. Tri NZ is working alongside the ITU to assist in the development of Paratriathlon and its push to have the sport included in the Paralympics.

2008 WORLD CHAMPS PHOTO BY WWW.TRIATHLON.ORG

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with three events in three towns FOR

�� SHORT DISTANCE�

EVERYONE

SPRINT DISTANCE�

STANDARD DISTANCE� CHRISTCHURCH TCHURCH

Saturday 16th May 2009 AUCKLAND AUCKL

Sunday 28th June 2009 PALMERSTON NORTH

Sunday 23rd August 2009 Incorporating the National Schools Duathlon

�� PRIZE DRAW ��

Conditions apply. For more details visit www.triathlon.org.nz

ENTER ONLINE: WWW.TRIATHLON.ORG.NZ/CDS

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MURI BEACH RAROTONGA, SWIM VENUE FOR THE AIR NEW ZEALAND TRI.

Rarotonga Air New Zealand Triathlon B Y

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Rarotonga turned on superb tropical weather for the 15th Air New Zealand Rarotonga International Triathlon on 2nd May with sunny skies, a clear lagoon, minimal wind and a balmy 28 degrees. With nearly 70 competitors from Australia and New Zealand and a total of just over 100, this standard distance tri turned into a great race for visitors and local athletes alike in the near perfect conditions. This is an event that many of New Zealand’s elite athletes have competed in; however, it is very well suited to age group athletes of all abilities. In the 15 years that the race has been held it has been won by competitors from ﬁve

different countries. Rarotonga is one of those intriguing places where triathlon allows you to experience more than just racing. It is home to just ten thousand people yet receives 80,000 tourists a year looking for sun, sand and time out under coconut trees whilst experiencing a pace of life which is now lost in the big cities overseas. The scenery, the laid back lifestyle of the people, the lack of red tape (no trafﬁc lights or Occupational Health & Safety to overdo things here) make it a desirable venue for those who appreciate that there is a great deal to be had from triathlon in addition to competing. The number of athletes who have

been to the Rarotonga event multiple times is testament to the attractiveness of the location and the event itself. Triathlon week in Raro starts with an event known as the Trader Jacks Boiler Swim a couple of nights before the tri. This is a sea swim starting in the original harbour and going out beyond the coral reef and around the protruding remains of a sunken inter island steamer which went down off Rarotonga in 1913. TraderJack is an expatriate Wellington Bar owner who operates the most well known watering hole on Raro. He sponsors the annual swim with shirts and meals to

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not only the winners but also to the lucky draw entrants. Nathan Richmond back for his fourth time at the Raro event took out the swim in unusually choppy conditions. He holds the Boiler Swim record from some years back but with choppy conditions this year, an assault on his record was not a possibility. First female home was Vanessa Palmer, an expatriate Kiwi who is part of the Rarotonga triathlon scene. The main race is a mid afternoon start to coincide with a high tide in the lagoon and the siesta time of day when the town business area closes and the roads are less busy. Talking of roads – the 41 km non drafting cycle circuit has not seen a puncture in this race in the last two years and most of the locals who cycle here average only one puncture each year or two which is testament to the free of glass road surface. To the race itself, and as expected Nathan Richmond lead out of the water in just over 19 minutes followed by Mike Small and Josh White who was back to defend his 2008 title. The lead changed halfway through the bike leg with Josh White taking command on this his best discipline. He needed all the lead he could get though as on the run leg a fast finishing Carl Read from New Zealand, four minutes down at the end of the cycle, but with the fastest run split of the day at 37:47, got to within 30 seconds of White to take second place. Mike Small who had fared well throughout, held on for third overall. Josh White becoming only the fourth person to win the event twice. In the women’s field without any international names, an early favourite was not apparent. It was always going to be interesting with a good mixture of overseas athletes as well as a few local girls wanting to test their ability against visitors. Local girl Vanessa Palmer lead the swim in 5th position overall and had a worthwhile lead off the bike however Kelly Pick a newcomer to the sport in her first standard distance tri took just over three minutes out of Palmers run time and snatched the lead with just 300 metres to go for a deserved win. This was only the second time in the history of the event that a Cook Islands resident was the female winner. Sally Dymond from NZ had a good race all around after recovering from a back injury taking out 3rd woman. This race has its local flavour and fanfare with a kikau (coconut frond) decorated finish shute, island drummers hammering out the sound as athletes finish and being presented with a freshly cracked coconut to drink for recovery if you so desire. And not forgetting to mention being greeted at the finish by Miss Cook Islands with your finishers medal. The race is a little tougher than first imagined. The cycle is non drafting with an extra kilometre and the coarser road surface making for tired legs. Combined with the higher temperature and humidity, <<Continued on page 28>>

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Top Five Men 1

Josh White

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