Triathlete Kris Gemmell is one of the favourites to take the Auckland Marathon title this year. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Triathlete Kris Gemmell is one of the favourites to take the Auckland Marathon title this year. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Rowan Hooper of Christchurch will tomorrow try to add the Auckland marathon title to the Christchurch and Dunedin titles that he has won in the past 18 months.

Hooper, 2008 winner Ben Ruthe of Tauranga and triathlete Kris Gemmell will start as favourites for the annual race across the Auckland Harbour Bridge and up and down Tamaki Drive.

Hooper has won the Dunedin marathon twice, in 2007 in a time of 2h 25m 27s and last year, the same year he won at Christchurch in 2h 21m 41s.

"I ran Christchurch this year and was third so it would be nice to go up to Auckland and do better than that," said Hooper.

"It's hard to know how the race will go and what form the others are in, but my training has been going well and I've just come off a good winter of cross-country running."

Hooper rates his flatmate Glynn Hadley, who was sixth at Rotorua in May in 2h 32m 37s, to finish in a high placing.

"We train together and we are keen to run a good first half and then see how it feels over the second half and bring it home."

The carbon analyst, who turned 31 today, will take in a few cross-country races in Europe early next year with the aim of making the New Zealand team to the world cross-country championships in Poland in March.

"I'll be back for the trial in Wellington at the end of January and hope to qualify - to represent New Zealand would be a great thrill," said Hooper.

Olympic Games triathlete Gemmell will start in the adidas-sponsored event and should make a bold showing over the 42.2km distance. Gemmell has won the ITU world cup championship four times.

Ruthe's time last year was 2h 28m 11s. But recent fatherhood has taken a toll on the time he has been able to get out to train.

His wife, Jess, is the favourite in the women's marathon.

"Jess has been out training while I look after Sam, so at the moment my training has been in the weekends," said Ruthe. "I'm weighing up whether to run with her or race.

"When she gets into a race she is pretty competitive, she will go out at 2h 50m pace and take it from there."

Johanna Bohlin of Sweden, who has predicted a time of 2h 50m, and Lara Phillips, Rotorua winner this year in 2h 55m 49s, should provide Jess Ruthe with plenty of competition.