Triathlon: Finish line only a step

Sam Warriner. Sandra Teddy / Getty Images

Sam Warriner and Bevan Docherty will carry not so much the weight of a nation on their shoulders when they go to the start line in the last World Cup triathlon of the year in New Plymouth on Sunday, but a huge slice of expectation.

And pressure?

Yes, according to Warriner. No, says Docherty.

Both hanker to finish their year on a high, but next year's Melbourne Commonwealth Games is higher on their list of priorities.

Warriner goes into Sunday's race following World Cup wins in Ishigaki (in May) and Hamburg (in August) split by a second placing in Salford in July.

Warriner is ranked sixth in the world - a feat made more remarkable as she mixes life as an elite professional triathlete with a career as a PE teacher at Whangarei Girls High.

There will be seven other world top-10 athletes in what promises to be a fantastic finale to the season.

"I think racing at home brings a little more pressure," says Warriner. "Everyone wants to win their own country's race. I have a group of friends from Whangarei who will be here to cheer me on so I won't lack for support but, again, it means some added pressure."

Warriner was surprised when she learned Emma Snowsill, who won the 2004 world championship in Queenstown, is not fronting.

"It changes the game plan in a way because she is such a strong runner. With her and Loretta Harrop out it will make a difference.

"Having Barb Lindquist here is great. That means the swim will be fast, which suits me."

Even so, Warriner is putting a lid on expectations.

"I'm fit but probably not in the same shape I was when I won the two World Cup races. I'm not peaking for this. The bigger goal is the Commonwealth Games. I will have a week or two off after Sunday and then start aiming towards them.

"I'm taking the first term off next year - the money I won in the World Cups allows me to do this," says English-born Warriner. She has lived in New Zealand for the past 10 years saying, "you have got me for the rest of my life". She lists watching Coronation Street as one of her hobbies.

Warriner feels she and fellow New Zealanders and the large Australian contingent have one slight advantage for Sunday.

"The swim will have a beach rather than pontoon start, which suits us. That and having to wade and dolphin-dive early in the swim will be a help, as will the 400m run over the sand between the water and transition."

Warriner, who has ridden the six-lap cycle leg, tags it as deceiving with one moderate hill.

"You will have to be within 30s of the leaders heading on to the run so it will be important to keep close to the front of the bike field. I know I will have to test myself, maybe hurt a bit, on the last lap."

The bike course has come under fire from Docherty, who was looking for something harder.

"The organisers had the opportunity to make it more demanding, but they chose not to use some of the hills they could have. It is not as demanding as we had in Athens. Yes, you could say I'm [annoyed]."

Organisers say the course was chosen in the interest of safety.

Docherty, who has finished seventh in one World Cup race (in Edmonton) and eighth twice (in Hamburg and Beijing) this year, said he had had "the kind of year I was expecting to have" after his world championship triumph and Olympic silver medal in Athens last year.

"All my year hinged on qualifying for the Commonwealth Games. I've done that, and now I feel I'm in pretty good shape to have a good race here. I want to have a good race for my family and my sponsors who don't get many opportunities to see me race.

"But I certainly don't see it bringing any added pressure."

Docherty still, understandably, basks in his Olympic glory.

"I was super happy with what I achieved there. Since then I have done a lot of public speaking and had a good look at that race and, yes, I can see one or two things I could have done differently and maybe got gold rather than silver, but I have no regrets.

"At least I was beaten by another New Zealander [Hamish Carter], which isn't too bad."

Like Warriner, Docherty has promised himself a short break and recharge after Sunday but with his focus too on the Commonwealth Games.

They are only three months down the track so it's all on.

Just as it will be on Sunday.

 

The challenge

Swim (1500m): Beach start (Ngamotu), then two laps of triangular 750m course.

Cycle (40km): 400m run over sand from swim finish to transition, then six laps in residential/city centre area.

Run (10km): Double out and back along the coastal walkway to finish at Ngamotu Beach.

Start times

Tomorrow: Age group race, from noon.

Sunday: Elite women 12.15pm; elite men 2.45pm.

 

The ones to watch

Women:

Sam Warriner (NZ)
Born: January 8, 1971
Height: 1.73m
Weight: 60kg
Occupation: Physical education teacher
Record: Won World Cup races in Hamburg, Ishigaki. Second in Salford. 18th Athens Olympics.
World ranking: 6th

Annabel Luxford (Australia)
Andrea Whitcombe (Britain)
Vanessa Fernandes (Portugal)
Michelle Dillon (Britain)
Liz Blatchford (Britain)
Kiyomi Niwata (Japan)
Andrew Hewitt (NZ)
Rebecca Spence (NZ)
Barb Lindquist (US)

Men:

Bevan Docherty (NZ)
Born: March 29 1977
Height: 1.87m
Weight: 69kg
Occupation: Professional triathlete
Record: In 2004, won World championship, Maderia; won World Cup Ishigaki; 2nd Athens Olympics. In 2005, 8th World Cup Beijing and Hamburg; 7th World Cup Edmonton.

Hunter Kemper (US)
Tim Don (Britain)
Brad Kahlefeldt (Australia)
Courtney Atkinson (Australia)
Andy Potts (US)
Greg Bennett (Australia)
Shane Reed (NZ)
Jarrod Shoemaker (US)
Clark Ellice (NZ)