City stars second and third seeds for Taupo

IN FORM: Gina Crawford (pictured) and Melanie Burke are seeded two and three for next month's Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand in Taupo.PHOTOS/FILE

Wanganui has two of the top three woman seeds in next month's Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand in Taupo.

While three-time winner Meredith Kessler is top seed, second seeding has gone to New Zealand's star performer, Wanganui's Gina Crawford, the 2009 champion, who has finished runner-up to Kessler in the past two years.

Crawford has enjoyed a remarkably consistent form, never finishing outside the top 10 in the past three years and, in 2014, she followed her second in Taupo with third in Ironman Europe and eighth at the Ironman World Championship.

Former Wanganui athlete, now based in Auckland, Melanie Burke, who could lay claim to one of the world's best "amateurs", is the third seed.

While mixing a corporate career, Burke was a former national rowing representative before turning to duathlon to win the long-distance world crown at Zofingen, in Switzerland.

She represented New Zealand at the road cycling world championships and now performs in Ironman with podiums last year in Cairns and Ironman Australia.

American star Kessler will be chasing a slice of history chasing her fourth straight victory in Taupo, which would make her the most successful international in the 31-year history of the world's oldest Ironman qualifying race.

The 36-year-old has been awarded the top seeding for the race on Saturday, March 7, which will offer more than $100,000 in prize money for professionals and 50 qualifying spots among the 1250 age-group athletes from 53 countries for the Ironman World Championship.

The American, who has seven Ironman victories to her credit, currently shares three victories in New Zealand along with Australian Jan Wanklyn, although still behind the top Kiwis Erin Baker with four wins and Jo Lawn with seven.

Kessler has carved out a niche in Taupo, which has become her second home in recent times. "When we were starting this journey, we never thought I would have the opportunity to win a race let alone win four in a row at one venue," says Kessler, who won five of her eight races of the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 last year.

"If you haven't competed in a triathlon race in New Zealand, you have missed the memo - it should be on everyone's bucket list.

"Taupo and New Zealand is a haven. It is a place where the pace slows in a positive way and we can take a step back and breathe clearly for a while."

Meanwhile, the remarkable career of Cameron Brown could have another twist after he was awarded top men's seeding.

The 42-year-old has already carved out a special niche in the sport. He is the only person to win the same Ironman race 10 times, which he achieved at the Taupo event in 2011.

Last year, he became the oldest male to win an Ironman event when he triumphed after a three-man battle on the run in Cairns.

After a superb return to form last year, Brown has emerged as a favourite for the 2015 Ironman New Zealand in Taupo.

A long break has given Brown a new lease on life, cemented with a strong third placing in the recent Ironman 70.3 Auckland event, which doubled as the Asia-Pacific Championship.

"Everything is back on track and going very well," says Brown, who celebrates his 43rd birthday in June.

"I was very happy with Auckland 70.3 and my speed.

"I want to go down to Taupo, give it a good shot and see if I can take the title again."