MULTISPORT:Aaron Cox says he's average on a bike and runs "very carefully," but hopes his canoe ability will see him get to the finish in some style in today's Wanganui Gutbuster multi-sport feature around and in Wanganui.
Cox, who's lived in Wanganui just a year, is a former world downriver canoeing champion, teaming with New Plymouth's Andrew Martin and Phil Dooney to win the teams' title in Bala, Wales in 1995.
Since then he's competed in another four world championships, the last of them in 2002.
So it would only be sensible to consider that if he's within range of the lead when the canoe section starts in today's Gutbuster, that he will be terribly hard to hold out.
But first he has to get through the bike ride and the run (or walk) over the 20km distance up country.
"I bike averagely, and I run 'very carefully', but if I can hold on to the field through those, I will do okay," Cox said.
He's been out on the Whangaui River four times a week in recent times, putting in the miles.
His last international appearance was in Spain in 2003.
The event is also for teams, and will start from the Wanganui Multi-Sport Club's clubrooms in Anzac Parade at 7am. The bike section goes out to the Warrengate along State Highway 3, through to Fordell, and back via the Okoia Hill to the River Road, and to Atene.
The run then takes place from that point before the canoeists take to the river for the final 45km paddle to the finish.
The finish time of the first arrivals is expected to be around 2pm at the Aramoho Rowing Club.
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