Andrea Hewitt returns to Madrid this weekend for the latest round of the Dextro Energy ITU World Champs Triathlon Series, with the Cantabrian hoping to repeat her 2009 form when she sprinted to victory ahead of Lisa Norden (SWE) and Jessica Harrison (FRA).
Hewitt enters round two of the ITU's World Champs Series in third place overall following a promising podium start to the season in Sydney, but that was some time ago and can count for little as the season heads to Europe for the bulk of the campaign.
22 year old Paula Findlay will go into the race as deserved favourite, the fleet footed Canadian won the season opener in Sydney from Barbara Riveros Diaz (CHI) and Hewitt and despite not racing in Madrid previously, will be the one to beat having won 3 of the past 4 ITU World Champs Series races.
Also lining up for New Zealand will be Kate McIlroy (WGTN) and Debbie Tanner (AUCK), with both continuing their comebacks from Achilles injuries. McIlroy raced promisingly for second at the recent Seoul Asian Cup race at while Tanner is also pleased with her progress training in France with the bulk of the New Zealand high performance squad.
"I have been based in South of France in Sete with the New Zealand Team," said Tanner. "It is the first time I have been here and the team and the environment have been great. Our High Performance team has really made the most of this period at our base, there has been a great culture and for me personally I have been able to put a really good training block.
"Coach Pete Pfitzinger and I are very pleased with the progress that we have made between Sydney and now, so I am excited to be able to step up another level. I think the course will suit the New Zealand athletes and we have been training in some very hot conditions here in France so if it is hot in Madrid it should be no problem."
