Triathletes get ready to take on the world
A large contingent of Manawatu triathletes will be taking on the world’s best this week.
The world triathlon championships are in Cozumel, Mexico this week and there are 11 competitors from Manawatu who will be lining up in either the sprint or standard distance races, or both.
It will be a first for Rachel Hannah, who is competing in the 45-49 age group in the standard distance
‘‘This is my second or third year [of triathlon] and I’m still pretty green,’’ the 47-year-old said.
Hannah, who is part of Feilding’s F3 triathlon group run by coaches Tamara and Shane Reed, qualified at the start of the year in Wellington
‘‘I’ve always been a runner. I suppose it’s just trying to extend the life of my body and mix it up with some swimming and cycling, rather than just running.’’
She said her training has gone well through the winter and has done as much as she can. ‘‘I just want to do justice to all the training I’ve done,’’ she said.
The world championships will be the biggest event Massey University student Daniel Palfreyman has gone to, and he will compete in the 25-29 sprint and standard distance competitions.
Palfreyman, 25, won the 25km North Range Traverse run two weeks ago, which goes along the top of the Tararua Ranges, from the top of Pahiatua Track down to the bottom of Hall Block Road at the Woodville end of the Manawatu Gorge
Also a footballer, he started taking triathlon seriously a couple of years and said he would see how the world championships go before deciding if he wanted to go any further in the sport.
Kate Downie-melrose, 23, is doing both the 20-24 sprint and standard distance. She has been doing triathlon for about 18 months and when she first started she wanted a new challenge.
She admitted she was still learning, and never thought she would end up at a world championships.
‘‘Not in the slightest. But I think Tri NZ do such a great job.
‘‘It’s pretty cool we can get an opportunity to go and do this and build up the experience.’’
Downie-melrose is originally from north Canterbury near Rangiora, but has been living in Feilding for 18 months and sells insurance for FMG.
The Hirschberg family of Utuwai will be well represented with Cheryl, her husband Steve and their children Darren and Bryce all going.
Bryce, 20, is competing in the 20-24 male sprint and standard distance; Cheryl, 52, is in the 50-54 standard distance race; 49-year-old Steve is racing in the 45-49 standard distance and Darren, 17, is competing in the 18-19 standard distance.
Also going from Manawatu is triathlon club president Dave Scott, who will be going to his second world championships, and this year will compete in the 50-54 standard distance race.
Dannevirke High school teacher Brodie Smith, 42, is in the 40-44 standard age group and Rob Duff, 44, is competing in the 40-44 standard distance.
Palmerston North’s Lizzie Stannard, 19 competing in the elite junior women’s event.