Carterton triathlete Scott Harpham is relishing competing in a grassroots event and is urging other athletes to line up in Saturday’s Wairarapa Multisports Club’s mountain duathlon.
Harpham progressed to the professional ranks last year, competing in major events in New Zealand and Australia, but has yet to race in the challenging duathlon, which is based at Mt Holdsworth.
Harpham is using Saturday’s long course race as part of his build-up for his next major targets – Ironman Australia in Port Macquarie in May and the Cairns Ironman in June.
The race will be his first competitive hit out since a frustrating Ironman NZ in Taupo earlier this month when he pulled out halfway through the marathon after struggling through much of the cycle and the run.
Saturday’s duathlon offers long and short courses and two run-only options over 12km or 5.2km.
The long course starts with a 400m run, followed by a 45km cycle around the Carrington circuit, a 12km mountain run, and a 21.3km out-and-back cycle leg to the finish, and the short course features two 21.3km cycle legs separated by a 5.2km run.
Competitors can race as individuals or as part of a team, and Harpham said that made it an ideal event for the budding multisports person or a couple of friends who want to form a team for the day.
Unlike the other competitors, Harpham’s day will start with an early morning swim over 4-5km before he heads out to Mt Holdsworth. Although he will treat the duathlon as a good hit out, he is looking forward to racing against some seasoned competitors and expects the race to be challenging, with a deceptive uphill on the bike legs, interspersed with the tough Hooper Loop run.
“In terms of race specificity, for me, it’s good to be working right the way to transition going uphill, and then you’re off your bike, the legs are a little bit tired already, and then you’re off on a mountain run that requires a whole lot of strength so that will be awesome.”
The long course duathlon starts at 10am, the short course at 10.15am, the Hooper Loop run at 11am, and the 5.2km run at 11.15am.
Competitors can enter at www.wmsc.org.nz or up to 9am Saturday at the Mt Holdsworth car park.
