International Athletes to Race in Oceania Cup in Takapuna

11 February 2015

For immediate release from Sovereign Tri Series, for further information visit www.sovereigntriseries.kiwi

International Athletes to Race in Oceania Cup this Friday at Takapuna

Takapuna plays host this weekend to the latest round of the Sovereign Tri Series with two days of racing that features international fields in a heat and final super-sprint format on theFriday night, and age group racing on the same course on theSaturday morning.

International athletes from a dozen countries around the world will race on Friday night in front of the bars, restaurants and great viewing spots around the tight and fully closed course that takes in the waterfront and Hurstmere Road and with ITU ranking points up for grabs in the Oceania Cup status event, the competition will be intense.

A number of New Zealand’s leading and emerging young triathletes will be on the start line as they continue their 2015 pre-season campaigns, including number one male athlete Ryan Sissons. The world number 19 is looking forward to a busy and successful season and can’t think of a better place to start than the streets of Takapuna at dusk.

“Takapuna is always a great event on a great course. It is fast, tight and exciting for the athletes and for the fans watching in the bars, restaurants and on the streets of Takapuna. Adding to the excitement is the new format that we have rarely seen in this part of the world but one that is common in Europe, especially in club racing where we race in a heat and final on the same evening. This creates a real buzz amongst the athletes and effectively means that spectators get two bites at the cherry, watching first the heats and then a final on the same course just an hour or so later.

“The Friday night format is also a great innovation. We are more used to racing earlier in the day but the Sovereign Takapuna race has us lining up in the heats in the late afternoon and final in the evening, with the street lights starting to take effect and the temperatures a little cooler – and of course the public have more chance to come out and see it all after work while enjoying a drink or meal with friends along the course, it should be a lot of fun.”

The New Zealanders taking part on Friday night include some of the best young triathletes coming through the Tri NZ HP Pathway, including Dan Hoy (Auckland), Tayler Reid (Gisborne), Kyle Smith (Taupo) and Fynn Thompson (Queenstown). Oceania Sprint Champion Sam Osborne (Rotorua) is backing up looking for a repeat performance from his runaway win in Kinloch just over a week ago.

On the women’s side Oceania Sprint Champion Sophie Corbidge will start amongst the favourites and will have plenty of New Zealand company including Simone Ackermann (Whangarei), Rebecca Clarke (Auckland) and a host of youngsters including Jaimee Leader (Palmerston North) and Nicole Van Der Kaay (Taupo) while former world champion Sam Warriner (Whangarei) is also listed amongst the starters.

Other international notables to look out for on Friday night include:

Elite Women

• Lisa Norden – Sweden, former world champion and London Olympic Games silver medalist

• Kirsten Kasper – the American was 4th in the ITU World U23 Championships in 2014

• Ellen Pennock – the Canadian is ranked 62 in the world and has a 4th place World Cup finish in Mooloolaba from 2014

• Yuko Takahashi – bronze medalist from the 2014 Japan National Champs, Takahashi has numerous Continental Cup podiums and wins to her name

Elite Men

• Benjamin Shaw – world number 56 from Ireland and at 24 years old one of the up and comers on the ITU World Series circuit

• Tyler Mislawchuck – the Canadian was 8th in the ITU World U23 Championships in 2014

• Shiruba Taniguchi – bronze medalist from the Japan National Championships in 201

For full elite fields, CLICK HERE

The elite heats and finals on Friday night will be separated by a Youth race, featuring a field of over 60 of the brightest teenage triathletes in New Zealand as they gather in Takapuna to race but also to take part in the Tri NZ Youth Festival. The athletes will be put through their paces over the course of three days while in Takapuna and receive expert advice and tuition from coaches and former athletes. Following the Youth Festival Triathlon New Zealand will name its 2015 intake for the National Talent Programme, a selection of the best young triathletes in the country for further coaching and racing opportunities.

Saturday morning is the turn of the weekend warriors and age groupers, including a number of appearances from those signed up for the Sovereign CEO Challenge. An initiative designed to get business leaders inspiring their staff and activating healthier and fitter workplace environments, Sovereign has put up $25,000 as an incentive with the winning company receiving the money to donate to their charity of choice.

Sovereign CEO Symon Brewis-Weston will lead the way, joined in the Short Fun race by Tri NZ CEO Craig Waugh, Whakatane District Council CE Marty Grenfell, Loyalty NZ CEO Stephen England-Hall and Community Leisure Management CEO Craig Carter. Each will be joined by numbers of their staff and families on the day.

The Sovereign CEO Challenge continues at the remaining Sovereign Tri Series events in Wellington (March 14) and Christchurch (April 11), with the company that generates the greatest proportional representation throughout the series earning the right to allocate the $25,000 donation. For detailsCLICK HERE

Racing gets underway on Friday from 5:30pm with elite heats, followed by the Youth Race and then Elite Finals at 8:00pm and 8:30pm. Events continue on Saturday morning from 6:45amthrough until midday (prize giving), when roads will begin to reopen.

Local Takapuna businesses are open throughout their normal trading hours, with spectators encouraged to find suitable parking (plenty is available around Takapuna), bring the family and enjoy a night or day of shopping, watching the racing and enjoying a drink and a bite to eat at one of the many bars and restaurants/cafes that line the course.

Spectators are urged to check maps and information on parking and best spectator viewing areas CLICK HEREwww.sovereigntriseries.co.nz

ENDS

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