Entries Open for March 2019 National Championship Event

The 2019 WIL Sport National Schools Triathlon Championships are set to be a very special event, with New Plymouth hosting the two-day festival as part of the ITU World Cup race weekend in late March next year, with athletes from around New Zealand set to race on the blue carpet venue set up for some of the world’s best triathletes.

Entries are open now for the hugely popular triathlon festival, with schools from around New Zealand descending on New Plymouth for the March 29/30 event, with the chance to then watch some of the best athletes in the world race on Sunday 31st March in the ITU race they call ‘Sprint by the Mountain.’

Event organizer Shanelle Barrett says New Plymouth will put on a great show for the schools, athletes, coaches and families who travel to take part.

“New Plymouth has a wonderful history of supporting the ITU World Cup race and I have no doubt will open their arms to the WIL Sport National Schools Championship. The students, coaches, teachers and parents will enjoy a wonderful two days of competing, and then have the chance to enjoy the ITU World Cup racing on the Sunday, as the best New Zealanders take on some of the best triathletes in the world.

“I encourage individuals and schools to begin preparation, enter some or all of the events on offer, and plan for a wonderful few days away in New Plymouth, capped by the ITU World Cup race on largely the same course as the kids get to race on,” said Barrett.

Phil and Cheryl London are the directors of WIL Sport, naming rights partner to the National Schools Championship, and can speak first hand of the New Plymouth experience after sponsoring the Oceania Junior Championship at the same venue in 2017.

“There is just something special about this venue and event, the New Plymouth community loves it and supports it in huge numbers and the athletes pick up on that support and vibe and deliver some great racing.

“What Cheryl and I have always tried to do with WIL Sport is provide access to a better understanding of high performance and what is required to succeed in a variety of sports. One way of doing this is through personal athlete sponsorships such as our support of Nicole van der Kaay as she has progressed through the triathlon ranks, and the Vistalite Central Racing team based out of Taupo and taking on the best in New Zealand in motorcycle racing.

“But we also want to invest back into grass roots and can think of no better way than to enable the National Schools Triathlon Championship, an event that encompasses emerging young athletes on a high-performance pathway, but also those taking part purely for fun and enjoyment.

“To be able to tie all of that in so closely with the very top athletes in the sport with the ITU World Cup event at the same venue just a day later is amazing. Having seen it first hand last year, we absolutely encourage all those attending the WIL Sport National Schools Triathlon Championship to stay and watch the world’s best on the same course the next day.”

Spectator entry to all events across the three days is free, including the ITU World Cup racing on the Sunday, with Barrett saying there are more exciting announcements in the weeks ahead.

“This event is about the community, with the athletes immersing themselves in the local region and many of them taking up the offer of homestay accommodation rather than hotel – some have been with the same families for years. It is important that all of the events are free of charge and accessible in return, with an amazing atmosphere created at the venue on race day, I am sure we will see that for the WIL Sport National Schools as well as the ITU World Cup races.”

Taranaki Tri Festival is made possible thanks to the support of TSB Community Trust, Venture Taranaki, WIL Sport, Port Taranaki, Sport Taranaki and the wider community of Taranaki.

Entries are open now for all events at the WIL Sport National Schools Championship, to be held in New Plymouth at Ngamotu Beach on March 29 and 30, 2019. CLICK HERE for entry information.

2019 WIL Sport National Schools Triathlon Championship
New Plymouth
March 29/30, 2019
Events on offer include:
• Individual Triathlon. Age groups
• Team Triathlon. Any combination of 2 or 3 athletes of the same gender, each completing one discipline of the triathlon and tagging their team mate in transition.
• Team Relay. Four athletes, each completes a full swim/bike/run over a super-sprint course, tagging the next member of their team. Male, female and mixed team categories.
• T1T2 Relay. An initiative introduced by Triathlon NZ to improve and encourage transitions by young athletes, with four athletes of either the same gender or two male and two female, racing over a short distance only with the emphasis on quick and accurate transition times.

For more information and the full schedule and rules, CLICK HERE

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