World number 3 triathlete Andrea Hewitt and world number 10 Kate McIlroy will headline the Contact Tri Series at Pegasus, just north of Christchurch this Sunday in a rare home outing for both athletes.
Triathlon NZ Event Manager Kate Blood is delighted at such a high quality field.
"Pegasus is a fantastic location and thanks to the support from the Christchurch City Council over the past three years we have built an event with a great reputation for a safe, flat and rewarding course, utilising the fresh water lake and the surrounding infrastructure. To highlight the women's race now with two top ten athletes is incredible and will be a great boost for the event and the region."
Cantabrian Hewitt has made the decision to get her 2013 campaign underway on home soil over the sprint distance and can't wait to race in front of a local crowd.
"It's nice to be home and to be racing in the Christchurch Contact Tri Series race this weekend. I will be racing in front of the local crowd so I hope to give them a good race to watch. It's quite different racing new talent and the shorter sprint distance, so I expect a few surprises and company. The course is great out at Lake Pegasus and is very spectator friendly."
McIlroy has in the past been limited as to her racing in New Zealand over the summer months but hopes to change that this year.
"I am really looking forward to racing more over the NZ this summer starting with Christchurch this weekend. I have been a bit restricted the last few years due to double Achilles surgery, and an emphasis on my Olympic build up which has meant I have missed racing at home and supporting the Contact series as much as I would like.
"I had a big break after Auckland World Champs, so am just getting back into the swing of things; I have had a good 6 weeks of training, and am keen to get on the start line to race against some of the younger up and coming athletes."
McIlroy does at least know the venue, even if she hasn't raced on it before.
"I did a drive around Pegasus at the end of last year, and it looks like a great venue to hold a triathlon, to have everything contained should make for spectator friendly and fast racing."
Amongst the other elites lining up will be Rebecca Kingsford and promising young athletes Nicole Van der Kaay (Taupo) and Jaimee Leader (Palmerston North) while in the men's race sentimental favourite will be local iron distance athlete Bryan Rhodes who races in the 40 to 44 category for the first time, he will however have his hands full in coping with the likes of Mike Phillips (Christchurch), Zac Barber (Christchurch), Hamish Hammond (Greytown) and a host of other 'youngsters' in the sprint distance event.
The Contact Tri Series event at Pegasus is all about the shorter events, offering race distances from the children's 1:2:1 to the Contact 3:9:3 for beginners and the Trophy Sprint races for individuals and teams.
The children's 1:2:1 is an entry level introduction to triathlon, with children swimming in shallow water for 100 metres before riding 2km and running 1km in a fun and safe environment, with the emphasis on the fun.
All races at Pegasus are raced on flat and picturesque courses around the manmade lake and on flat sealed roads, with the majority of the course visible for spectators from the transition area next to the start finish line.
Entries are open online at www.triseries.co.nz.
Contact Tri Series, Pegasus
Saturday 12th January
- 3pm to 5pm Late entries and registration at Jellie Park Group Fitness Studio
Sunday 13th January
- 7.30 to 8.30am Registration (no late entries) at Pegasus Flat White Café
- 8.30am Contact 3:9:3 men's and men's teams
- 9.10am Contact 3:9:3 women's and women's/mixed teams
- 10.00am Contact Trophy Sprint men's and men's teams
- 10.35am Contact Trophy Sprint women's and women's/mixed teams
- 10.30 to 11am Registration for Kids 1:2:1
- 12.15pm Contact 1:2:1 boys
- 12.25pm Contact 1:2:1 girls
- 1pm Prize giving
