Triathlon New Zealand has named the team for the upcoming ITU World Mixed Relay Championships in Hamburg and it features a strongest possible turnout of athletes – injury permitting.
Led by current world number three Andrea Hewitt, the team is made up of Sophie Corbidge, Tony Dodds and Ryan Sissons, with Sam Osborne and Simone Ackermann named as reserves.
It is a return to the top possible team – injuries permitting, after New Zealand last year named and raced a largely developmental team in Hamburg with the senior athletes focusing on the Glasgow Commonwealth Games which followed two weeks later.
Tony Dodds has raced consistently this season to sit 14th on the Columbia Threadneedle world rankings and can't wait to again race for the New Zealand relay team at the World Championships.
"I love racing in a team environment, it is something that we get to experience every now and then racing for clubs in Europe but wearing the silver fern and tagging a team mate in your national colours makes it all the more special. We see ourselves very much as a team anyway, with our base in Cambridge and the time we spend travelling and racing together with our coaches and support staff overseas, but this takes it that step further.
"We have enjoyed success in the past, upsetting some of the more favoured nations to win silver in 2013, I was on that team and have only good memories of a great day. The course in Hamburg is fantastic, the crowds will be huge and the atmosphere just so great to race in. We will assess our goals and objectives closer to the day, but you can guarantee we will be giving it our all to secure as good a result as we can for the country."
The race takes place on Sunday 19 July local time, a day after the WTS sprint distance event at the same inner city Hamburg venue. Each athlete in the mixed team relay will cover a super sprint distance (300m swim, 6.6km bike, 1.6km run) before tagging a team mate, until each of the four has completed the course in succession.
It is a format of racing that delivers many lead changes and sees a reliance on tactics and a premium on transitions as each and every second is vital in the final outcome.
Nicky Samuels (Wanaka) was not considered for the team as she continues her rehabilitation from hip surgery back at the Tri NZ HP base in Cambridge.
2015 ITU World Mixed Team Relay Championships, Hamburg
Sunday July 19 (local time)
New Zealand team: Andrea Hewitt (Christchurch), Sophie Corbidge (Auckland), Tony Dodds (Wanaka), Ryan Sissons (Auckland). Reserves: Sam Osborne (Rotorua), Simone Ackermann (Auckland)
