Northland has become a hotbed for athletes representing New Zealand, and a duathlete has added herself to the list.
Mandy Edge finished 14th in the women's 50-54 division of the 2016 Aviles ITU Duathlon World Championships.
Out of a 31-strong New Zealand team, Edge was the only Northlander. She said it hasn't been easy to get to that point because of a lack of local runs.
"There are no Northland duathlon competitions so I raced in the Panasonic Series in Auckland."
Edge had to self-fund to get to Aviles, relying on her own efforts as well as funding from Rotary and Lions clubs, who she had dealings with through her work.
The help in financing the trip was vital as the costs of licences and insurance were high.
Edge put herself through rigorous training to get to the world championships.
"I started three months out. It consisted of a lot of early mornings. I trained six days a week; two hours during the week and a bit more on the weekends," she said.
"I did crossfit with Far North Cross Fit and competed in the Park/Run series. Everyone was really helpful as they knew what I was doing. I had to bike on my own, so I fit it in during work.
"Christine Fraser Kitchen was a big help. She helped set up my trainings and kept in contact while I was in Spain. She was there when anything came up."
The duathlon comprises a 5km run, a 20km bike and a 2.5km run to finish.
Edge has qualified for the next World Duathlon Championships in Penticton, Canada, from August 18-27. For Canada, Edge is hopeful she won't be the only Northlander present.
"Paul Sumich, Dennis Langford, Ruth Hutchinson, Kurt Coetzee and Fiona Southorn have all qualified for Canada," she said.
"Kurt's age group (16-19) is highly competitive, but I'm sure he'll come along."
The next Northland duathlon race is at Marsden Cove on September 28.