Jack Moody, of Auckland, will have high-achieving professional athletes such as Mike Phillips (Christchurch) and Kyle Smith (Taupo) to contend with, while Grace Thek, of Australia, will have to hold off Ironman New Zealand champion Els Visser (Netherlands), home-town favourite Bec Clarke (Wānaka) and Challenge Wānaka veteran competitor Laura Siddal (Britain).
The race begins with a 1.9m swim in Glendhu Bay, while this year’s 90km bike leg returns to the former tour format of Wānaka, Lake Hawea and Luggate, instead of being confined to out and back laps of Mt Aspiring Rd.
The race finishes with a hilly, off-road half-marathon on Bike Glendhu’s bike tracks.
Since Thek turned professional in 2018 she has won 20 out of 36 middle-distance races.
Last year, she secured three wins, including Challenge Wānaka, and now ranks 28 in the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) standings.
Her highlights last year included a win at Sunshine Coast 70.3 and podium finishes at the Ironman World Champs, Taupo Ironman and Challenge Salou.
Moody also went professional in 2018 and recently finished second in the Taupo 70.3 to earn a spot at the upcoming worlds in Taupo.
Both the men’s and women’s fields are stacked with other up-and-coming international and New Zealand athletes, and the extremely competitive field has thrilled Challenge Wānaka Festival of Triathlon event director Jane Sharman.
For the second time in a row, Tri NZ’s Oceania Cup short-course race will be the curtain raiser.
This will be held in Wānaka’s town centre on Friday, February 16, the night before Challenge Wānaka. Tri NZ’s elite races begin at 6.30pm (women) and 7.45pm (men).
The triathlon festival runs from February 11-17 and also includes an open-water swim, Aquabike, Cross Tri events, and events for youth and children.
