Triathlon New Zealand today announced the dates and venues for the 2013/14 Tri Series, with some exciting changes in store for the thousands of participants who take part in the popular series each year.
The Tri NZ events team will deliver 6 Tri Series events throughout the summer, including in the series for the first time the iconic Craigs Investment Partners Tinman Triathlon at Mount Maunganui.
Other notable features include a super sprint heat and finals format at Pegasus and the continuation of tag team relay at Kinloch. Kinloch carries Oceania Championship status and Pegasus Oceania Cup, with both offering vital ITU ranking points.
Wellington meanwhile will play host to the World University Championships on March 8 and also see two national championship categories with elite U19 and Paratriathlon racing for national honours on the day. And while the national standard distance age group champs have moved to Auckland, age groupers will still have ITU World Championships qualifier spots on the line in Wellington, subject to meeting the criteria.
The Tri Series will also visit regular locations in Whangamata, Takapuna, Kinloch (National Sprint Championships), Pegasus (Christchurch), and Wellington before athletes round out the season with the National Standard Age Group Championships in Auckland, as part of the Barfoot & Thompson ITU World Triathlon Series event in early April.
Triathlon New Zealand Events Manager Kate Melville is delighted at the way the calendar has come together.
"We are looking forward to delivering some great experiences for people this coming summer, with a great variety of race options in some wonderful parts of the country. The beauty of the Tri Series is each event is able to be treated as unique, focusing on what makes each of them so special in their own right, while maintaining a consistency of experience for all participants in a safe, fun and efficient way."
Melville went on to make special mention of the new addition to the portfolio.
"Craigs Investment Partners Tinman is an iconic event and one we are delighted to be involved in. We will look to bring a fresh and innovative approach to the traditional season opener, without compromising the history and qualities that has made it so successful for so long."
Melville says the team has also been buzzing for some weeks at the prospect of the University Champs coming to the capital.
"The University Triathlon Champs will be a great addition to the race programme. The high calibre elites who take part in this race will do so on day that will also see racing for all with a kids and beginners event as well as the U19 champs, Paratri Champs and a standard distance race for the age groupers. The team are looking forward to a buzzing event in the capital this March"
Triathlon New Zealand also aims to introduce University themed racing and competitions throughout the day for age group and social competitors, with entrants likely to be called upon to represent not only themselves, their clubs and their regions, but their Alma Mater as well.
Changes to the calendar see Rotorua and Wanaka left off the programme, with Rotorua set to continue the popular Rotorua Half on December 14 with a new ¼-iron distance race option, while Wanaka will take a year out of the Tri Series, with a continued focus on the fast growing and very popular Challenge Wanaka on January 18.
Entries for the Tri Series events will go online later in August while entries are already open for the Port of Tauranga Half, an event that this year celebrates its 25th anniversary and carries Tri NZ National Long Distance Championship status, with medals across all age groups.
