She told the Otago Daily Times a win very much depended on how well she recovered from a ''stomach bug'' she suffered during the lead-up to the race.
However, with two good training days behind her, she believes she is ''back on track'' and in with a chance to take the title again.
Crawford gave birth to son Benjamin in July 2011 and went on to have her best year in 2012. It included a seventh in the world ironman championships in Hawaii.
The self-coached triathlete said she spent the year experimenting with doing less training and just having fun.
''I always knew I could easily go over the edge with lots of training.''
By coaching herself, she could be flexible enough to ensure she was not always tired during her ''off-time'' and could spend quality time with her son.
Crawford and her husband, Brett, originally from Christchurch, are building a house in Albert Town.
Her main goal for this year is to improve on her performance in Hawaii.
That will require her to take 10 minutes off her bike time. She has taken advice on her bike set-up, changing her seat height, shortening the stem length of her handlebars and tucking in her broad ''swimmers' shoulders'' to ensure she is more aerodynamic.
She recently tested her position on the flat Tauranga half ironman course, where she has struggled before, and showed improvement - winning the event.
However, she did not expect her new bike position to be as useful on the more hilly Wanaka course.
One of her main rivals tomorrow will be Challenge Wanaka newcomer Joanna Lawn, who played down her chances at the press conference.
Lawn is widely regarded as one of the top female iron distance triathletes of all time.
