The common perception is that New Zealand triathlete Kris Gemmell is switching to Ironman distance events after the ITU World Championships in Auckland but there is a chance a different career awaits.
Gemmell, who swam, cycled and ran to an emotional victory in last year's World Cup event on the same waterfront course in the city, will in all probability compete in his last ITU race at the Barfoot and Thompson-sponsored event on Sunday.
But while fellow New Zealand representative Bevan Docherty is turning his attentions to long-course races, Gemmell remains uncertain of his future.
He revealed today he had applied for the newly-developed position of high performance director for Triathlon New Zealand, a role which went to former British high performance boss Graeme Maw.
"Unfortunately I got knocked out in the last interview so that's all right and it was a good process to go through," Gemmell said. "Some people were surprised at how far I got through, but personally I wasn't because I think I've got a bit to offer.
"I've been advised that there are other positions within the high performance programme, so I need to sit down and make sure I don't go off and do something when there might be something else available."
Whatever he does, Gemmell said, he wants to do it properly.
"It's not something I'm taking lightly," he said of a possible move into long-course racing of 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42km run events, which can be more lucrative compared with the ITU circuit, raced on the Olympic distance of 1500m/40km/10km.
"I'm taking pride in the fact that I'm going out on top and making my own decisions. If I did long-course I would be trying to win Kona [world championships in Hawaii] or Las Vegas."
Gemmell's was a popular victory in Auckland last year, which came after Andrea Hewitt won the women's race. The Palmerston North man played to the crowd down the finishing chute, then wiped tears away as he dedicated his win to his cousin Tim Shearer who had just been diagnosed with a brain tumour.
After being so unlucky with illness and injury during his career, it was a deserved win, and another on Sunday for the 35-year-old would bring the house down.
The field is deeper than last year's, but Gemmell, a double Olympian, is giving himself every chance on a course which suits him.
"If you're lacking in a little bit of power or strength at certain times in the race and you miss a small gap, that could be 'race over' very quickly.
"If you're not strong enough, you're going to suffer.
"The course will mean that the best swim/bike/runner and strongest athlete will win on the day and who knows, that could be a different athlete to who has won on the circuit this year or it could be the same. That's the beauty of our sport and I'm just looking forward to being part of it and trying to emulate everything that I tried to do last year. Why not?"
The elite women's race will be held on Saturday, with Hewitt, ranked fourth in the world, a big hope again.
