The focus on multisport's big three could play into the hands of young guns in the 138km annual Coast-to-Coast event this weekend.
The 19th annual journey from Kumara Beach, on the West Coast, to Sumner Beach, near Christchurch, has drawn the event's big three - six-time winner Steve Gurney, three-time winner John Jacoby and recordholder Keith Murray.
They have not competed together in the Coast-to-Coast since Murray's record win in 1994.
While they will be racing each other in the one-day event, they are wary of a number of rising young stars. "All the focus on us has made things easier for the young guys to sneak in and do the damage," Australian Jacoby said.
The trio listed Gurney's Southern Traverse team-mates, Nathan Faavae and Jeff Mitchell, as possible winners, along with Heath de Garnham and Australian Novak Thompson.
"Novak trained with me in January and we tried to kill each other for the week, so I know he is in good shape," Jacoby said.
Taupo's Craig Stevens and Motu Challenge winner Neil Gellatly were singled out as two other likely challengers.
"We will be out there racing each other though, not the course," Jacoby said. "The time factor is not important to me. I will be racing the others."
Gurney endorsed the challenge of Mitchell and Faavae, but was concerned about defending women's champion, Jill Westenra.
"I know she has been training really hard this year," Gurney said.
Westenra finished 26th overall in her maiden Coast-to-Coast victory last year.
However, none of the big three expects a record because head winds are predicted for the final cycle into Sumner.
The two-day event begins at 7 am today and the one-day world championship at 6 am tomorrow. It is made up of a 3km run from Kumara Beach, a 58km cycle to Deception Footbridge, and a 26km mountain run over the Southern Alps to Klondyke Corner (the end of the first day ). Then follows a 15km cycle to Whytes Bridge, a 68km kayak to the Waimakariri River Gorge and a 70km cycle to Sumner.
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