Samuels Hot Favourite At New Contact Venue

The Contact Tri Series heads to a new venue this weekend with the developing township of Pegasus, just north of Christchurch, hosting a Contact Series race for the first time on Sunday.

Once again in the women’s race Nicky Samuels (Wanaka) will go in a warm favourite, the winner in Wanaka a fortnight ago was far too strong in her home town and will go in to Sunday’s race in a similar mindset.

“This race features on my training programme as a session much the same as the Wanaka race- I hope to have a strong swim, leave everyone behind on the bike and then run off it with quick legs and good technique.

“However I am on a slightly easier week this week to allow for a hard training block so I am hoping to feel a bit fresher than I did in Wanaka. As expected in the Contact race in Wanaka I found my legs a bit fatigued from the training load that week so hopefully this week I am a little sharper.”

Samuels will be on some new machinery too and expects that might also play a part in Sunday’s sprint distance race.

“This week I have been on my new Giant bike and for the first time in my life within a few rides I have felt very comfortable. So I am going to be very interested in what some fresher legs and a new bike can do over the 20km sprint distance, I really want to have some fun out there.”

It is not the first time Samuels has raced on the course though, with Pegasus hosting an event in December last year.

“I raced on this course in December in the House of Travel Pegasus Bay Triathlon and loved it. It’s a great spectator course with the swim going under the bridge, the multi-lap cycle and nearly the entire run can be seen from the any spot around the lake. It is definitely a race to come and see.”

Samuels’ challengers include Rebecca Grant (Dunedin), Tanya Dromgool (Queenstown), Tess Molloy (Dunedin) and Janine Simpson (Tauranga). Dromgool will be looking to back up from her impressive run in Wanaka a fortnight ago when she was second quickest to Samuels in finishing fourth while Simpson will look to emerge from the water closer to the lead group after giving up too much time in Wanaka.

Like Samuels, Triathlon New Zealand Event Manager Haidee Stratford is excited about the new venue and all that Pegasus has to offer the sport.

“The House of Travel event in December proved what we already thought when we made the decision to come to Pegasus, that this will be a superb venue for triathletes of all abilities. The swim is fantastic and close to spectators, the roads are superb and safe and the run again is almost all within view in great surroundings. We have enjoyed wonderful support from the town of Pegasus and the Christchurch City Council, all the more so given what they have had to deal with since September last year and we look forward to a great day.”

The day sees events and distances for all age groups and abilities, with the children’s Contact 1:2:1 and beginners Contact 3:9:3 always popular around the country and expected to be no different on the flat and easy course around Pegasus.

Entries are open online at www.triseries.co.nz and are accepted on Friday at House of Travel Victoria Street from 3 to 5pm.