Triathlon 2022 3

Tri Taranaki Festival event director Shanelle Barrett is singing the praises of Taranaki and says the great local support, competitive course and happy athletes mean they’re here to stay.

“We wouldn’t even consider holding it anywhere else in New Zealand,” says Shanelle.

“It’s the home of the World Triathlon Cup, so as long as you guys are happy to have us, we’ll be there.”

Ngāmotu Beach and the surrounding Port Taranaki area was a whirl of wetsuits, bikes and running shoes on 27 March as the 350 triathletes battled it out at the popular annual event.

And while COVID-19 again caused the cancellation of the World Triathlon Cup New Plymouth race, which sees the world’s best elite triathletes descend on Taranaki, the Government’s relaxed traffic light restrictions did mean the Tri Taranaki Festival was among the first events in New Zealand to have crowds attend.

Friends, family and spectators were able to head down to Ngāmotu Beach to support those taking part in the day’s races, which ranged from the New Zealand schools under-12 through to the elite men’s and women’s Continental Cup, won by Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Hayden Wilde and fellow Olympian Nicole van der Kaay as athletes battled for Commonwealth Games selection.

“We were really excited with how it turned out,” says Shanelle. “The vibe of having people on-course made the atmosphere fantastic.

“There was a time back in December when we were debating ‘can we manage this, can we make it happen’. But it was very much about sticking with it and trying to make it possible for the kids and other athletes who were desperate to take part in an event. So it was nice we hung in there and were rewarded by being able to have people on-course.”

Shanelle says the community was, again, the key to the event’s success.

“We love the community – it always supports and gets in behind the event. The volunteers, sponsors and community are fantastic.

“We can’t thank Port Taranaki enough for allowing us to come down there and hold the event. We know Port Taranaki is a 24/7 operation and it’s a big impact for the day on the business, so the support from the port is massive.”

Shanelle and the organising team are now eagerly looking to 2023, and have fingers crossed the World Triathlon Cup event will return.

“In the week when the announcement came out around the easing of restrictions at the border, I actually had people from Hong Kong, USA, and Canada contacting us and wanting to send teams out – they were literally prepared to send out teams only a week out from the event because they love racing here on the challenging course.

“Unfortunately, I had to tell them that the border was only open to New Zealand citizens at this stage, but the appetite is there, and our plan is next year to run a World Triathlon Cup event.

“As long as our borders are open we will have the international athletes here. Everyone will be very excited to have them back.”

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