Wanaka leads off 2012
Leading the men's field is 2011 defending champion, Jamie Whyte (NZL) who had a breakthrough race this year. He is joined by four of New Zealand's top athletes, three times Ironman champion Bryan Rhodes,Ironman champion Kieran Doe and rising star Keegan Williams, as well as New Zealand's iron distance record holder and Challenge Wanaka 2010 champion, Richard Ussher.
The Kiwis take on a strong international field that include the sports most prolific iron distance triathlete and Challenge Henley-on-Thames champion Petr Vabrousek (CZE) along with Challenge Wanaka 2008 and seven time Inferno winner, Marc Pschebizin (GER) together with Australians, Courtney Ogden who finished in second in 2011, Aaron Farlow and Justin Granger. Jaimie Whyte has dialed this course in and it will be hard to see anyone toppling him from his top of the tree position.
The women's field is equally strong led by New Zealand's own record holder and multiple iron distance champion, Gina Crawford who returns to the sport just months after giving birth to her first child. Two times half iron distance champion, Christie Sym provides some strong competition on the back of her podium finish at Wanaka in 2011, as does former Australian Long Course Champion, Nicole Ward. But for us Crawford looks like the pick of the bunch. Her last race was in fact a win at the Ironman level. She is focussed on a successful return to the Big Island.
The pro field will join over 1,200 age group athletes racing across both the full and half iron distance in teams and individuals on race day on 21 January 2012. Challenge Wanaka is part of New Zealand's largest triathlon festival, the Challenge Wanaka Triathlon Festival that features events for all ages and abilities for over 2,000 participants. The festival runs from 15-21 January 2012.
The pro start list was taken from the website and is subject to change.
