 Richard Ussher on his way to victoryin last year's 3D multisport race (Photo: Jamie Troughton / Dscribe Journalism; click to enlarge) |
They're calling it one of the most competitive multisport fields ever assembled in New Zealand.
This weekend's 50km Australasian multisport championships - part of the $75,000 ThermaTech 3D Rotorua Multisport Festival, has the elite athletes buzzing as they prepare to do battle.
Nelson's royal couple of off-road racing, Richard and Elina Ussher, will each be chasing third successive titles in Sunday's premier race, though their list of potential challengers has lengthened considerably.
"I'd imagine 3D is almost the biggest race in the country by numbers now and the field is probably deeper here than at any other race including Coast to Coast," Richard Ussher said. "I'll definitely need to be on my game if I am to win again but I feel like the health is finally 100 percent again and the training has been going well."
A torrid 2012 and limited build-up cost Ussher a shot at his sixth Coast to Coast win early this year. Though Coast to Coast champion Braden Currie is offshore, Wanaka's Dougal Allan leads a pack of impressive contenders in the men's race, including Whakatane's Sam Clark and Nelson's Trevor Voyce.
Allan upstaged Ussher at last year's Lake Waikaremoana Challenge and has had a dream start to 2013.
"I have won every race I have done in the past two months and if I can get myself organised and familiar with the Rotorua course, I feel I am in with a good chance," Allan said. "I feel as good as I have ever felt - I'd even say I'm more fit and race-ready right now than before Coast to Coast and Godzone Adventure race."
Allan missed last year's 3D festival as he'd just returned from racing in Brazil but was second behind Ussher in the inaugural race in 2011. He's a massive fan of having genuine single-track in the 30km mountain bike leg and the world-renowned Whakarewarewa Forest trails in Rotorua loom as a giant playground.
Even so, Allan admits he would be quite happy not to be racing this weekend.
"I almost wish I was not racing at the same time so I could watch the ladies battle it out - the women's race is the most competitive-looking female elite field I have ever seen in my seven years in the sport."
It's a big call but one backed up by facts.
With Coast to Coast winner Sophie Hart confirming her entry last week, the women's field contains at least half a dozen names capable of winning. Elina Ussher has won here twice but Wanaka pair Ailsa Rollinson and Jess Simson, Christchurch's Sia Svendsen and Australians Deana Blegg and Kim Beckinsale will all be chasing hard.
There's also home-town contender Nic Leary, who came within minutes of dethroning Ussher last year thanks to her withering mountain bike skills.
"A lot of the girls were training all through summer for the Coast to Coast and some of them have been in China recently with the Weng Zhou Challenge - the only thing I've got up my sleeve is that I know the mountain bike trails pretty good," Leary admitted.
"It's going to be really cool because the race lead will change for sure - it's going to be exciting. It's much more even across the disciplines than a race like Xterra, for example, purely because the paddle is significant enough. This year it's increased to 9km - it's a good 45-50mins - and although the mountain bike leg still has the longest duration, you really have to run well off the bike to have any chance."
It's not just the feature race with big names. The 10 separate events have attracted at least three Olympians including 1998 Winter Olympian Ussher - board sailor J P Tobin will compete in the 9km stand-up paddle board race and 1996 Atlanta kayaker Owen Hughes will use the 50km premier race to build up for next year's Coast to Coast.
Rising flat-water kayaker Rebecca Cole will compete in the 9km paddle, New Zealand surf ski champion Travis Mitchell is making his multisport debut in the 50km race and trans-Tasman rower Shaun Quincey is in a team for the 50km event.
The festival will also host the next generation of multisport stars, with the 25km grassroots multisport race doubling as the New Zealand secondary school championships.
Meanwhile, a large high-pressure system is expected to linger over New Zealand this weekend, with race-day forecast to be fine and calm.
