Tri time on Xmas day

Serious triathletes rarely take a break – even on Christmas Day.

This Saturday several of the islands triathletes will gather at the Tikioki site for a recreational workout of a swim, cycle and run.

A good turnout is expected for the Christmas Day triathlon while the weekly Thursday duathlon will continue right through the festive season.

Since the start of the triathlon and duathlon season five weeks ago, some great results have been seen by regular triathletes including some new faces to the sport.

These events are put on by the Cook Islands Triathlon Association and mainly managed by the very capable Len Edwards and Terai Hill.

A few new faces have given this tough but exciting sport a try.

Scott Howley, one of the better runners on the island, has been running under four minutes per km on the run legs which puts him at the front after stage one of the duathlons and he is expected to do better still once he improves on the tough cycle leg.

Husband and wife tri team Nerys and Mark Case have also been grinding it out in the three discipline sport with Mark making some big gains in last Saturday’s triathlon to place fourth overall in the 400m swim, 20km bike and 4km run course in a time of 1:12:05.

But you don’t have to be a gun triathlete to get involved in the sport and if your body is up for it on Christmas Day – head to the Tikioki tri site and burn off that Christmas pudding in the recreation triathlon course.

Athletes prepare for Half Ironman - page 14