Kinloch to host International Triathlon Royalty this Sunday

Kinloch to host International Triathlon Royalty this Sunday

28 January 2015, 9:36PM
Triathlon NZ

Triathlon royalty is coming to New Zealand to take part in the Sovereign Tri Series at Kinloch and Takapuna in February, starting at Sovereign Tri Kinloch on the shores of Lake Taupo this Sunday as Norden contests the Oceania Sprint Championships in an international field.


Lisa Norden wins Auckland WTS Grand Final 2012. Credit Delly Carr/ITU.
Lisa Norden wins Auckland WTS Grand Final 2012. Credit Delly Carr/ITU.

Sweden’s Olympic silver medalist and former World Champion Lisa Norden is jetting her way to New Zealand to set up camp for a few weeks as she looks to launch herself back into the ITU World Triathlon scene after a two year absence.

“I had a year off post the London Olympics, for a number of reasons really,” said Norden. “I was injured leading into the Games and with the pressure of the Olympics and doing well in the World Series that year, it was a massive push mentally and physically – I was kind of fried and needed a break from the travelling and pushing every day. Plus four years is a long time for the next Olympics, and I thought if I keep living this life I will be 32 and not have anything that is Lisa Norden the person to look back on, a place to live and memories of me outside of sport. So I had a break, I found my roots a bit, I guess I grew up and bought an apartment. I then got some mentoring from Craig Alexander into the long distance side of racing to get a change and a new flavour – something different.”

Don’t be confused though as Norden prepares to race at Sovereign Tri Kinloch this Sunday, the 30 year old is back with a serious intention on returning to the top of the sport she dominated in the lead up to the London Olympic Games.

“I am now feeling good – I had a good training camp in November, a good base back home, then a camp here in San Diego. This has been a good phase getting back into some good hard work, after a few injuries in the last year it is great to do all the sessions I am meant to do without being too cautious, doing every day as it is meant to be.

“I am bringing the speed work into the next phase in New Zealand, it is nice to be halfway through this initial phase and to contemplate getting back into the racing in the Sovereign Series at Kinloch and Takapuna and start to push the body a bit more at a higher intensity.”

One of Norden’s key aims is to earn vital ITU ranking points to enable her to get starts in some of the big ITU races this season and with Sovereign Tri Kinloch hosting the Oceania Sprint Champs and Sovereign Tri Takapuna an Oceania Continental Cup race, there are points to be picked up.

“This is an important start to season for me, I haven’t been racing much ITU post the World Series Grand Final in Auckland in 2012, apart from a couple here and there. I have two objectives, I need to pick up ITU points to move up on the rankings, and I haven’t raced in a long time, I simply need to get back into it, it is nice to come back in these races and build up from there toward the ITU World Series.”

Norden will be a star attraction in Kinloch this weekend and is looking forward to adding another New Zealand venue to her CV.

“I like New Zealand very much and enjoy racing there. At the moment there are a couple of the Swedish team in Cambridge at the Tri NZ base, with our Head Coach Frederick Lundin – also a swim coach. He is coaching me and another guy – I am meeting him at the airport on arrival for a two week camp along with some of our development athletes.

“I have never raced in Kinloch before but I love returning to New Zealand, my first World Champs as a junior was in Queenstown and I have raced Takapuna before but was coming out of injury and didn’t finish the run. Plus of course I have raced in Auckland and New Plymouth.

“I have heard that Kinloch is a brutal bike ride, that is what people are telling me, so I am looking forward to solid race. I am a bit terrified to be honest, it is a long time since I was racing and some of the New Zealand and Aussie girls will be young, hungry and fresh - racing already and coming off an endurance block. I expect a lot of pain on Sunday, I love that but secretly it is a bit terrifying.”

The Oceania (and New Zealand) Elite Sprint Championship fields will feature a strong contingent of New Zealand athletes, including London Olympian Kate McIlroy and 9th place finisher at the 2014 ITU World U23 Championships Sophie Corbidge (Auckland). The Kiwis will be up against a strong Australian team that includes world ranked junior Jaz Hedgeland, and former World Cup medal winner Natalie Van Coevorden.

The elite men’s race will feature athletes from New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Sweden as they too chase Oceania Sprint Titles and for the Kiwis’ New Zealand titles to add to their CV’s.

There will also be a great deal of interest in the U23 races, which again carry both Oceania and New Zealand championships status. The best young talent from around New Zealand is descending upon Kinloch for these races and will see the best go toe to toe on the fast and spectator friendly course for bragging rights.

Other racing on Sunday at Kinloch features events over the sprint (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run) and shorter distances (300m, 9km, 3km) to cater for beginners and social triathletes alike to experience one of the premier weekends of the sport under the banner of the Sovereign Tri Series while the Taupo Tri Sport Erin Baker Trophy race is contested over the standard (1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run) distance.

Visit www.sovereigntriseries.kiwi for entry and event details

For links to the ITU site and start lists for elite and U23 races, CLICK HERE

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