There will be a professional women's field at next week's Challenge Wanaka after all, with the announcement yesterday Australia's top veteran athlete, Belinda Granger (40), and rising New Zealand age-group athlete Belinda Harper (35) have entered.
A race had not seemed likely for Joanna Carritt, of Britain, after three-time defending champion Gina Crawford, of Christchurch, announced her pregnancy last week and two other athletes decided not to race for health and injury reasons.
Harper, of Auckland, will be competing in just her third long-distance triathlon but already holds the world record for women aged 35-39, after winning that age group at the Ironman world championships in Kona, Hawaii in November last year in a time of 9hr 44min 19sec.
Challenge Wanaka will be Harper's first long-distance race as a professional.
Granger has a long string of Ironman successes under her belt, including the first Challenge Wanaka in 2007.
She has not competed in the individual Challenge Wanaka race since, due to other commitments, and had withdrawn from next week's celebrity team race with Richard Ussher and Aaron Barclay after her husband broke his collar bone and wrist in a cycling accident.
Race director Victoria Murray-Orr said Granger reconsidered after learning there would not be a women's race, for which there is a first prize of $11,250.
Second prize is $7500 and the third place getter will receive $4500.
"It is really nice to have Belinda Granger back ... It is amazing the response we have had [since Crawford withdrew]. We have had quite a few emails in the last few days," Mrs Murray-Orr said.
