South Island stars Dougal Allan and Elina Ussher look likely to dominate the Capital City's multisport race this weekend.
Almost 400 endurance junkies will line up in Lower Hutt on Sunday for the 24th running of Hutt City Crazyman. Established in 1991, the 56km kayak, mountain bike and run is one of New Zealand's longest running multisport events. Past winners read like a who's-who of multisport: world champions such as Richard Ussher, Jill Westenra, Gordon Walker, Emily Miazga, Elina Ussher, Kristina Anglem, Alex Stewart, Steve Gurney and Jess Simson have all won the annual Lower Hutt event.
Finnish-born star Elina Ussher returns in search of her fourth Crazyman title. The Nelson-based professional won here in 2006, 2007 and 2011 with her last win setting a course record. But her return in 2014 will be something of a debut, because the 38 year old Finn will be racing the Crazyman's new race route for the first time.
In 2012 increasing landowner and health and safety issues forced organisers to change the course. Whereas the Crazyman had been a tour of Wellington Harbour and the Hutt Valley's Eastern Skyline, now it will take in the Western Skyline through Belmont Regional Park.
"It was a big change at the time, but it's been incredibly succesful" says event organiser Michael Jacques. "We've run the new route for two years now and it's been well received.
"It also guarantees the longevity of the event because it's entirely on public land now, and Hutt City Council and Wellington Regional Council are both right behind the event."
On a course that is as spectacular as it is challenging, competitors from all ends of New Zealand will open up with a 13km kayak leg from Days Bay, along Wellington Harbour's eastern coastline to Petone Wharf and up the Hutt River.
Kayaks are swapped for a 30km mountain bike ride up the Hutt River Trail to Dry Creek where they head across the spine of the Wellington region, Belmont Regional Park, with high points close to 500m over Boulder Hill and Round Knob to the base of Belmont Trig.
Then it's into running shoes for the final 13km trail run around Belmont Trig and down Korokoro Stream to Petone Foreshore, eventually finishing at Petone Wharf.
Wanaka's Dougal Allan is another Crazyman virgin, although unlike Elina Ussher the three-time Coast to Coast runner-up has never raced in Wellington, despite hailing from just up the road in Foxton. The 29 year old is heavily favoured for the win and as one of the strongest cyclists in the sport he is expected to take control on 5km long climb up Boulder Hill during the 30km mountain bike section.
Allen will be aiming at the men's course record of 3hrs 48min 52secs, set by Lower Hutt's James Coubrough in 2012. But he'll also be watching out the corner of his eye for 28 year old multisport first-timer Martin van Barneveld.
Barneveld is a New Zealand representative triathlete who has been taking a break from international racing. While he is expected to give away five to 10 minutes to Allan on the opening 13km kayak, van Barneveld is expected to be competitive on the 30km mountain bike and faster than Allan on the final 13km run. All of which could see an exciting finish on Petone Foreshore.
Elina Ussher is also favoured for the women's race with the most interest on whether she can break the course record set last year by Wanaka's Jess Simson, who went on to beat Ussher in last February's Speight's Coast to Coast. That record stands at 4hrs 41min 01secs.
However, there will be an intriguing battle for the minor placings among women as local youngsters Rachel Baker (19), and Lizzy Bunckenberg (21) try their hand against relative veterans Rosi Zeiske (36) and Eloise Watson (31), who is a former Speight's Coast to Coast champion in the women's team section.
Organisers are expecting more than 300 participants for the 56km tour through the iconic outdoor elements of Wellington's Hutt City. The event includes the full kayak, run and mountain bike for teams and individuals, and also a run and mountain bike duathlon option for non-kayakers.
