Challenge Wanaka reporter Matthew Haggart takes a look at the form guide for the top contenders in today's long-distance triathlon.
• MEN
- Cambridge, NZ
Williams is the top Kiwi contender in today's race and should garner the local support of Wanaka's vocal spectator crowds.
Wearing the No 1 bib, Williams will hope he can step up to the top spot on the podium after finishing third and second in his previous two appearances at Challenge Wanaka.
He placed third in the Port of Tauranga Half-Ironman, last week, and is the best-ranked athlete to return from last year's race, in the absence of 2010 individual winner Richard Ussher and second-placed Justin Daerr, of United States.
- Czech Republic
Vabrousek will be hoping he can break a Challenge Wanaka hoodoo by claiming his first win in a fifth appearance.
He was disqualified from the first Challenge Wanaka in 2007 for wearing webbed gloves during the 3.8km swim.
He crossed the finish line in third place, after observing a 15-minute penalty stop in the run, during which the eventual winner Canadian Luke Dragstra passed him - and was third in 2009, and fourth last year.
Vabrousek enters the race "fresh" from a six-week break skiing in Europe, after he finished seventh in the Mexico Ironman in Cozumel on November 28.
- Denmark
Johnsen will make his maiden appearance on the Challenge Wanaka course today, but is being touted by organisers as one to watch, after his breakthrough win at the Challenge Barcelona in October.
His race plan is to run down any leaders in his favoured discipline on the undulating off-trail marathon course.
- Perth, Australia
Ogden has perhaps the best immediate form coming into today's race after he won the West Australia Ironman on his home turf on December 5.
It will be the veteran triathlete's first appearance at Wanaka and he displayed a typical Australian bravado at an athlete's media conference when he declared he would "run anyone down off the bike, if I'm behind at all".
- Canada
Dragstra won the inaugural Challenge Wanaka and is the only other top contender alongside Vabrousek to have contested every race.
A favourite with Wanaka spectators, Dragstra has used the resort town as a training base, and knows the course well. He finished outside the rankings in a disappointing race last year and will want to make amends.
• WOMEN
Belinda Granger (40)
- Noosa, Australia
Considered a benchmark athlete by the other female athletes in today's race, Granger won the first Challenge Wanaka in 2007.
She was to have competed in the team's event as a runner alongside last year's male individual winner Richard Ussher and Youth Olympic triathlon gold medallist Aaron Barclay, but withdrew after her husband injured himself in a training accident.
She decided to re-enter as an individual professional after the female field was decimated by the late withdrawal of three-time defending champion Gina Crawford and two other top athletes.
Belinda Harper (35)
- Auckland, NZ
Harper will wear bib no 671 and is a real chance at continuing a Kiwi winning streak in the women's race, in the absence of Crawford.
It will be her first appearance as a professional in only her third-ever attempt at the long-distance race.
Harper should not be overawed by the step up to the top level after streaking away to win as the premier female athlete across all age-groups at the Hawaii Ironman, last year, where she smashed the course record at Kona in her first event.
Joanna Carritt (34)
- United Kingdom
Carritt was on target to pick up a big prize cheque for a training outing, when she was left as the only female professional in the field after three late withdrawals 10 days ago.
She was third in the United Kingdom Ironman race in August and competed in seven long-distance races last year.
Christie Syms
- Sydney, Australia
Syms is another late entry to the female field of Challenge Wanaka as athletes hustle to get in on the professional prizemoney after the late withdrawals.
She has a background in adventure racing and is a seasoned competitor at multi-day endurance events.
She has competed in a handful of long-distance triathlons, her best result being a second place at the 2009 West Australia Ironman.
