Triathlon: Veteran Brown chasing nine wins

Cameron Brown. Photo / APN

Despite 10 Ironman New Zealand wins, eight wins at the Port of Tauranga Half and three podiums in Hawaii, Cameron Brown is not slowing down.

In fact the 39-year-old is actually doing more. Accordingly he's in sharper shape than for many years for next week's 23rd Port of Tauranga Half at Mt Maunganui.

As the years sneak up, Brown is keeping more active as a way of preventing injury. Often he has been less than 100 per cent at the time of the Half, as he works back into full race fitness following the world championships.

But now he finds he can ill-afford a break, with the result that he has already completed the Taupo Half and is looking to add a ninth title at Mt Maunganui on Saturday January 7th.

"I used to have a big break of a month or six weeks after Hawaii and Ironman New Zealand. But I have found that coming back after those breaks I developed injuries, and so now I tend to continue to tick over so that when I am ready to push hard in training, there's a better chance of staying injury-free," Brown said.

It is the running where he has most issues, battling calf strains and plantar fascia issues in recent years.

"I felt strong enough to compete at the Taupo Half, which is the first time for many years that I can remember racing at that distance in December. In the past, I would have only just got back into training.

"I had absolutely no running behind me in Taupo and got second, so I am pretty happy where I am at.

"Ironman New Zealand is still the main target but I love racing at Mt Maunganui. It's been five years since I last won and a ninth win there would be great."

He rates Taupo winner and defending champion Callum Millward as the man to beat.

"He's one of the younger guys who is doing really well. He has the speed and is looking to push through into the international scene.

"Tim Berkel from Australia had a great year with wins all around the world ... so he isn't coming over just to make up the numbers.

"Michael Poole is another good young prospect. And then there's Brodie Madgwick and James Bowstead who are among those other good younger guys on the scene."

The largely flat course at Mt Maunganui for the Port of Tauranga Half has some hurdles.

"Because it's flat on the bike, the speeds are really high. So if you don't get a good swim, it can be really hard to get back into the race.

"And the run around the Mount base track is tough. It's undulating and you do it twice. We strike it the final time at about the 17km mark and ... by that stage those undulations seem like pretty big hills."

After more than 20 years in the sport, Brown says he can't imagine not competing.

"I love it. It's my job but I love getting out there and training every day. I love the feeling of being fit and healthy. That's what still drives me.

"I'll keep going until I don't have that passion for going out training 40 hours a week. That's when I'll know that it's time to hang up the shoes."

It's a fair bet Brown will continue to set the standard for any aspiring Kiwi triathlete wanting to break into the international endurance scene.

Meanwhile two-time winner Jo Lawn is favourite for the women's title after claiming the title in 2011.

The main competition is likely to come from former Mt Maunganui triathlete Michele Bremer, who won Ironman Western Australia recently on debut and super-talented Australian Christie Sym.