Hawke's Bay's former world junior waterski racing champion Jaaron Fritz will chase a bodybuilding world title this weekend.
Fritz, 28, who won the under-17 title at the 2007 world waterski racing championships in Rotorua, will be one of five Hawke's Bay competitors in the 18-strong New Zealand team at the ICN world championships in Melbourne which will involve more than 700 competitors. He will compete in the men's physique open class.
"You always enter an event with the aim of winning but I will be happy with a top five finish. If I can achieve that at my first worlds I'll be able to build on that in future," Fritz said.
A Taradale premier club rugby player from 2012 to 2015, Fritz, did his first bodybuilding competition in 2017 and was unplaced. Last year he focused on his business Activate Fitness and Nutrition and celebrated his return with a second placing in a Wellington-hosted competition earlier this year.
"Bodybuilding is definitely different from rugby and waterski racing. While there is less wear and tear on the body there are still hard parts. But I enjoy the discipline and routine aspects of bodybuilding," Fritz said after a training session at Napier's Anytime Fitness Centre.