This weekend's Motatapu event will involve two of the most compelling rematches of the summer's endurance racing event calendar.
Two of New Zealand's top multisporters will compete in the Motatapu triathlon on the same day the country's top two mountain bikers compete in the 47km race.
Event manager Gemma Boyle said the rematch between Coast to Coast winner Braden Currie and second-placed Richard Ussher would be exciting for competitors and spectators alike.
Currie and Ussher will be swapping kayaks for a 2km swim leg, but both athletes have represented New Zealand at the top level in the off-road swim-bike-run format.
At last year's Xterra world championships, Currie finished 17th and Ussher 23rd, and Boyle is expecting a close race between the two endurance athletes.
In the mountain bike event, world junior champion Anton Cooper will race against the man he piped by 1sec at the New Zealand championships, Dirk Peters.
Cooper is the course record-holder at Motatapu.
''Having two such exciting rematches in one event at the end of the summer is thrilling stuff,'' Boyle said.
Boyle said while the elite men's match-ups were certainly the highlight, the women's mountain bike would also be intriguing.
Course record-holder Kate Fluker is up against New Zealand's No 1 under-19 rider, Amber Johnston, as well as world champion adventure racer Elina Ussher.
The Motatapu has attracted a record 3724 competitors across the five events this year.
Motatapu details
Mountain bike
Start: Glendhu Bay, Wanaka.
End: Butlers Green, Arrowtown.
Times: Registration, 8am-10:30am; briefing, 10:35-10:50am; elite start, 11am; team start, 11:03am
Off-road marathon
Start: Motatapu Station, near Glendhu Bay.
End: Butlers Green.
Times: Registration, 6:15am-7:45am; briefing, 7.50am; runners start, 8am; walkers start, 8.05am
Miners trail
Start and finish: Butlers Green.
Times: Registration, 7.30-8.30am; briefing, 8.50am; race start, 9am.
Triathlon
Start: Glendhu Bay.
End: Butlers Green.
Times: Briefing, 9:30am; start, 9:45am.
Multisport
Start: Matukituki River, Wanaka.
End: Butlers Green.
Times: Briefing, 8:35am; start, 8:45am.
