Tauranga's Tinman Triathlon attracts elite field of high performance athletes

Hayden Wilde is one of many stars who will contest this year's Tinman Triathlon. Photo / Photosport

A star-studded line-up is set to contest what could be the most competitive Tinman Triathlon ever.

Come November 8, another chapter in the history of the annual event will be written.

With Covid-19 preventing New Zealand's high performance triathletes from competing in Europe this winter, they will be in Tauranga eagerly anticipating the opportunity to race.

An elite series created by Triathlon NZ and the chance to earn prize money, the Tinman Triathlon means the event will once again be the unofficial start of the triathlon season and there are some great athletes taking up the challenge.

It's looking like a challenge between the short and long course distance athletes in the Suzuki North Island Standard distance champs with Tokyo Olympic hopeful Hayden Wilde and 2018 Youth Olympic gold medalist Dylan McCullough leading the way for the short course.

2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Nicole Van Der Kaay will line up for the Tinman Triathlon. Photo / File

Multiple Ironman New Zealand winner Cameron Brown and professional Ironman athlete Mark Bowstead are taking up the challenge for the long course athletes.

In the women's field, 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Nicole Van Der Kaay will go head to head with the defending champion and local professional triathlete Hannah Wells.

The Tinman event not only has the standard distance race, but something for everyone with a sprint distance race - which also has many top New Zealand high performance athletes racing - a short course for the 'Have a Go' triathletes and a Splash n Dash for the kids.

The North Island Para-Tri Championships are also being held as part of the Tinman event.

With all this racing taking place on the streets and base track of Mount Maunganui and Pilot Bay, there is no better place to kick-start the triathlon season.

For more information or to enter, go to: triathlontauranga.org.nz/events/tinman/