It doesn't matter if you are a competitive walker or looking at your first-ever event. Photo / XTERRA
It doesn't matter if you are a competitive walker or looking at your first-ever event. Photo / XTERRA
The stage has been set for Rotorua’s Blue Lake and Whakarewarewa Forest to host off-road triathletes competing in Triathlon New Zealand’s community-focused national championship.
The 2025 Tri NZ Suzuki Series Cross Triathlon Championships will be incorporated into the Xterra Rotorua Festival, Triathlon NZ said in a statement.
Tri NZ chief executive officer Pete De Wet said it was great to have Xterra join the Triathlon New Zealand events.
“Cross Tri is an important part of our sport.
“I am hopeful we can continue to grow the popularity of this sport with this new alignment with Xterra.”
The Xterra Rotorua festival is for people of all athletic backgrounds, with seven different events offered.
The Rotorua festival offers seven different events, including a 26km course for mountain bikers and general fitness athletes with experience. Photo / XTERRA
These include a 5km trail run, 11km trail run, 21km trail half-marathon, 26km mountain bike, a duathlon, a short-distance triathlon and a full-distance triathlon.
This additional event will serve as the qualifier for the World Triathlon Multisport Championships held in Pontevedra, Spain, from June 20-29 2025.
It is also a qualifier for the World Xterra Age Group and Xterra World Youth Championships.
The Rotorua festival will be held on April 5 next year, and participants can complete the bike and run legs off-road on mountain bikes and on trail runs.
Anna Russell, Tri NZ’s general manager of community, said she was confident the Cross Tri community would embrace the Xterra Rotorua Festival.
Triathlon New Zealand's Cross Triathlon event for off-road athletes will be staged in Rotorua's Blue Lake and Whakarewarewa Forest. Photo / XTERRA
“We are very excited to be partnering with Xterra Rotorua Festival this season to deliver a great Tri NZ Suzuki Series experience for our passionate Cross Tri age groupers,” Russell said in the statement.
Bengy Barsanti, executive director at Xterra NZ, said in the statement the Tri NZ Suzuki Series endorsement added further gravitas to the already popular Rotorua Festival.
“Rotorua is truly the trail mecca of the world, what better place to host the national cross tri championships than in trail paradise.”
The addition of the Cross Triathlon will see a total of eight events taking place in the 2024-25 Tri NZ Suzuki Series.
Tri NZ Suzuki Series - 2024/25 Schedule
2024:
August 4: NZ Sprint & Schools Duathlon Championships (Ambury Park/Auckland City Tri Club)
