Lake Karapiro will this Thursday host the Contact National Schools Triathlon Championships, marking 25 years of the event with record numbers from 120 schools nationwide and a turn out of former champions, including the first ever winner.
Sue Clark was representing Takapuna Grammar when she won the U19 title back in 1986 at the first ever National Triathlon Championships, she went on to race successfully at senior level and is looking forward to a return to where it all began for her 25 years ago.
Clark went on to a successful career in the sport, one that still sees her compete and regularly win major events in her age group. A former multiple winner of the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman, Clark showed her versatility in 1995 when she became the only Kiwi triathlete to win New Zealand titles at every distance - sprint, Olympic, the Long Distance at the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman and on to Auckland where she took out Ironman New Zealand.
Racing is in age groups from Year 7 (10 and 11 year olds) right through to the U19 events that will see some of the best young prospects in the country look to add their name to an already illustrious list.
That honours role includes 9 time Ironman NZ champion Cameron Brown, multiple World Champion Terenzo Bozzone, Olympian Debbie Tanner and other former or current elite triathletes such as James Elvery, Ben Pattle and Shanelle Barrett.
This year the glamour U19 races will be fiercely fought out with a number of outstanding prospects. In the boys race Sam Morreau will look to follow in Michael Poole's footsteps and keep the title at Auckland Grammar. He will have tough opposition though in Aaran Barclay (Gore High School), Cameron Todd (Taupo Nui-a-tia College) and Matt Franklin (St Kentigern College) plus a host of others with title aspirations.
In the girls U19 race age group world champion Maddie Dillon (Kristin School) stands out as a clear favourite but over the sprint distance knows that any slip could prove costly with a bunch of contenders watching her every move.
Tri NZ Assistant National Coach Stephen Sheldrake says the event is a great proving ground for up and coming triathletes and the titles carry with them an increasing mana.
"You only have to look at the list of past winners to appreciate some of the big names that have won various age group titles. This championship now plays an important part in our overall youth development programme and while encouraging participation, is also about recognizing elite success, in particular in the U19 age groups."
The other feature on the day that will appeal to the schools spirit and support is the teams racing that will take place in the afternoon. This is often the highlight of the day with schools uniting in voice, chants, song and sometimes a haka or two as students get in behind their fellow students from the surrounding banks of Lake Karapiro.
Tri NZ Youth Development Office Mel Warmerdam says the venue lends itself to great racing and a great atmosphere on the day.
"Karapiro is a great location with facilities set up for water events like this. The swim and roads are safe for the participants and still prove to be a challenging course to race on. It is also fantastic for the hundreds of other athletes and supporters to watch the races unfold, with much of the course visible to the spectators."
In what has now become one of the highlights on the schools sporting calendar, there will be over 700 competitors representing over 120 schools from Gore in the South to Whangarei in the North as the sport of triathlon shows no signs of slowing in its growth and popularity.
