Chicago is the next stop on the ITU World Triathlon Series circuit as the city plays host this weekend to round 5 in the 8-race season, but for the New Zealanders Chicago is both a chance to shine on the global stage and another step on the road to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Andrea Hewitt aside, Chicago will see the entire Glasgow team line up and for many it is a welcome return to racing after a solid block of training back in New Zealand and in Noosa on Australia's Sunshine Coast.
National coach Greg Fraine says the athletes are well prepared and have put in some quality work in recent weeks.
"The main focus for our group is simply getting back into racing, it has been some time for most of the athletes since they raced at this level in Yokohama and all have put in a big block of training in the time since here in New Zealand and in Australia."
Nicky Samuels has, like Andrea Hewitt, been based in Europe for the past month, training at altitude at Font Romeu. The Wanaka athlete races after an impressive 5th place at the London sprint round of the WTS earlier this month.
"I would like to get a solid race in in Chicago. My main goal out of this race is to get a standard distance race done well. Yokohama was not ideal through illness but now I have had a couple of larger weeks training I hope this will be a different outcome. I hope that I can carry some speed from London with a bit more base training over the past month to get a good result in Chicago."
Kate McIlroy (Wellington) is looking forward to her first hit-out since early April and the chance to work on her recent strong training.
"This is my fifth year on the circuit now so it is nice to go to a new city, new course and it is all new and exciting so I am looking forward to it. I haven't raced since Auckland but the last 6 weeks have been great, a really solid block of training, getting the work done and ticking it off each day. Nothing to write home about but each week is built on the last so I am feeling pretty strong and looking forward to it.
For Wanaka's Tony Dodds, it is about focusing on the job in hand this weekend and keeping a lid on the building excitement of a first Commonwealth Games appearance late next month.
"I am one of those people that has to try and keep a lid on the excitement, for me it is a bit like those Saturday mornings as a kid waking up and knowing that it was footy time, rushing around getting my boots on, I couldn't wait to get to the ground and get into it.
"This weekend has its own appeal though, Chicago is a new event on the WTS calendar and being such a famous city, there is a level of excitement heading there for a WTS event for the first time. The reality though is that it will be just another race, we will go from the airport to the hotel, get some sleep, do some training, get some sleep, go to the briefing, check out the course, race and get on another plane."
Tom Davison (Christchurch) suggests there will be no holding back in the elite men's race.
"We have just come off a heavy block with the squad in Noosa and everyone is fit and eager to go, I know I can't wait to get over there, it looks like a tough course too so I am looking forward to it. The more technical, the more difficult the course, the better it is for me if it makes the others hurt a bit.
"I will race pretty hard and will bury myself in this race. Some of the big races later in the year including Stockholm and Edmonton are dependent on a good result here and earning some good points. Glasgow will be in the back of my mind but otherwise no, I will be going full tilt in Chicago."
Ryan Sissons (Auckland) races for the first time since crashing out when in good shape in Yokohama and enjoyed a later than usual departure for the Northern hemisphere season.
"I have had a birthday at home for the first time in about 5 or 6 years so leaving later in the year has its benefits. I think later in the season it will pay off as we won't get sick and tired of racing and living out of hotels overseas.
"I have never raced in Chicago, never been there so I am looking forward to checking it out. For us it means good places to eat, good places for hot chocolate or coffee, those are the things that triathletes define cities by. But it will be good to see a little out riding and running and it is always good to tick another city off the list."
The other Kiwi on the start line is 24 year old Simone Ackermann (Whangarei) who starts in an overseas WTS event for just the third time, after Sydney and Kitzbuehel in 2012. Ackermann showed promising form when finishing top ten at the Chengdu ITU World Cup last month and is another to have enjoyed a solid recent training block.
The New Zealanders will move on from Chicago to their European base to finalize preparations for Glasgow, with most racing at the Hamburg WTS sprint event in mid-July before heading to the Games.
ITU World Triathlon Series, Chicago, USA
Elite Women: Sunday 29 June 5.30am NZT
Elite Men: Monday 30 June 9.00am NZT
Live coverage on SKY Sport 3, check guides for details. Live timing and event previews and reviews at www.triathlon.org. Live updates on twitter @triathlonlive.
