Multisport: Jones off his bike for challenge

Carl Jones and partner Katie O'Neill at the Anzac Singlespeed Championships in Rotorua last weekend.

Rotorua mountain bike ace Carl Jones will take on two new disciplines at Waihi's Nugget Multisport Festival next month.

Fresh from his victory at the Anzac Singlespeed Championships last weekend, the 27-year-old has signed up to compete in the gruelling Full Nugget event on May 9.

The race will force Jones to jump off the bike and out of his comfort zone: stages in rough-terrain running and kayaking are sure to test the former New Zealand National Mountain Bike champion.

However, he is looking forward to the opportunity to push his fitness to the next level in a multisport event.

"The multi-discipline stuff really helps me for the longer mountain bike endurance events that I'm targeting. Now that I've started mixing my training up I feel really amped about multisport," he said.

While an accomplished national-level cyclist, paddling a kayak and running on rough terrain are unfamiliar territory for Jones.

The Full Nugget's opening 23km road cycle leg will allow him to test the field with his natural advantage, but the following 10km kayak stage may see Jones fall of the pace.

Following the kayak is the 10km road cycle stage, which will give a further opportunity to make up time. Then comes the real test: a tough 10km coastal run, which is likely to be hard on the cyclist's legs.

The 23km mountain bike stage presents a golden opportunity for the skilled offroader to get back in touch with the leaders.

And it's not over until it's over: the Nugget delivers a final twist with a 2.2km gallop around the historic Martha pit rim. If Jones does find himself at the front by that point, he might well be looking over his shoulder for the fast-finishing multisport specialists.

Jones admitted he hadn't done any kayak or running training for the event, but hoped the memory of past experience would stand him in good stead.

People close to him remember a schoolboy who was totally immersed in the multisport scene at Whakatane's Trident High School.

"I wasn't going to do the Nugget because I'm not really prepared for it; a friend convinced me, though, and I've heard it is a great course and a good event to break back into multisport," he said.

On paper, Jones' chances of a victory are perhaps slim when measured against former winner Dwarne Farley and young challenger Hayden Wilde, who have both been training hard in all disciplines.

But Jones will be hoping his determination and knack for winning races kicks in.

The "Mr Consistent" of mountain biking, Jones is currently ranked No3 in mountain biking's Cross Country discipline.

He has represented New Zealand five times at the World Championships, and won the local National Championship in 2011.