Lake Wanaka Half today announced the event has been appointed by Tri NZ as a secondary qualifier for selection into the New Zealand World Long Distance Triathlon Championship team for Germany next year.
The inaugural Lake Wanaka Half, to be staged 16 January 2010 as part of the Challenge Wanaka Triathlon Festival, will act as a back-up for athletes who are unable to race the Tri NZ Long Distance Triathlon Championships and still want to be considered for the New Zealand team.
Priority selection will be from the Tri NZ National Long Distance Triathlon Championships, which for the 2009/2010 season will be the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman; secondary selection will be from those who have raced the nominated sanctioned events in New Zealand including the Lake Wanaka Half and then those with overseas special circumstances.
Lake Wanaka Half race director Victoria Murray-Orr is delighted with the announcement, “The inclusion of the Lake Wanaka Half as a secondary qualifier is great news for athletes, offering them a further chance to be considered for the team with the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman now sold out. This is particularly great news for the talented South Island tri athletes who may not make it to Tauranga,” she said.
The first six eligible athletes in each age-group to cross the line in Tauranga will gain automatic selection as long as they are within 20% of first place in their respective age-group. The remaining slots will be accepted, subject to the selectors’ discretion, from other sanctioned half iron-distance events in New Zealand.
The Lake Wanaka Half, a Tri NZ sanctioned race, follows the same spectacular route that has quickly earned Challenge Wanaka the title of the world’s most scenic iron distance triathlon. The 1.9km swim will be one lap of the swim course in the crystal waters of Lake Wanaka, the 90km cycle will travel out towards Treble Cone before heading back through Lake Wanaka and out to Lake Hawea. The 21.1km run will be one lap of the current run course, half of which is off road alongside the lake and banks of the Clutha River.
Entry for the Lake Wanaka Half is now open for both individuals ($230) and teams ($295). Entries close on 11 December 2009 unless capacity is reached prior. For further information and to enter online, visit www.challenge-wanaka.com.
