Claire Kirby competes in 2019 Taupo Ironman 70.3 Photo: supplied / FinisherPix
For one athlete a lot has changed since she was meant to compete in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Taupō.
The event was scheduled for 2020, but because of Covid was postponed, cancelled and then rescheduled.
The half Ironman race will finally be held in Taupō this weekend.
Claire Kirby (then Danae) completes 2019 Taupo Ironman 70.3. Photo: supplied / FinisherPix
Wellingtonian Claire Kirby was at her best as an age group athlete when she qualified for this race in 2019, since then she has had two children.
"It was probably my peak time as an athlete and then Covid hit and it all fell apart," Kirby told RNZ.
"I was trying to qualify for my third consecutive world champs and qualification for the world champs was really competitive because everyone wanted to compete at home."
With no racing Kirby and her husband decided to start a family and they now have two toddlers.
"I had this qualification in my back pocket and so I knew after having kids I wanted to get back into it and knowing I was able to defer until it was back in Taupō, that was the motivation to get fit again after having kids.
After talk that organisers might bringing it back in 2022 and then 2023, it was eventually confirmed for 2024.
Kirby, who now lives in Fiji, did qualify and five years later will finally get to compete at a world championship on home soil.
She admits her expectations for the race have now lowered somewhat as she moved up an age group.
"I know I'll have a good race but I won't be as close to the pointy end of the field that I would have liked but that is just part of the challenges of trying to train with young children."
Kirby is excited to see all of the triathlon community back together again and this weekend provides an opportunity for her extended whānau to come together and watch her race for the first time in a few years.
She knows of a number of overseas athletes who are travelling here for the event as New Zealand is seen as a bucket list destination.
Hannah Berry (nee Wells) of New Zealand wins the Ironman 70.3 Taupo, 2023. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Also excited to be racing the world championships at home is New Zealand's top female athlete Hannah Berry, a multiple winner over the distance.
"For us it's a huge deal, we've never hosted a world championships before," Berry told RNZ.
"We're so use to having to travel so far for the big championship races that it was such a huge thing to have it in New Zealand."
Barry is currently number seven in the Pro Series rankings.
She feels she will have an advantage with course knowledge.
"I've ridden that course probably 50 times, I know the wind directions, the tougher and easier parts of the ride.
"The crowd support will definitely be an advantage, there'll be a lot of people out there watching and that will be a huge motivation for me especially on the run."
More than 6200 professional and age group athletes will take part over the two days.
Athletes from 119 countries or territories are represented with the largest contingents from the United States, Australia, France, New Zealand and the UK, while 31 percent of the field is from Europe.
85-year-old Robert Heins of the United States is the oldest athlete competing.
2024 Ironman 70.3 World Championships, Taupō
- 14 & 15 December. Women's race Saturday morning, men's race Sunday morning.
- Originally scheduled for 2020, but deferred because of Covid.
- "70.3" refers to the total distance (in miles) covered in the race (half Ironman).
- Course 1.9km swim on Lake Taupō, 90km bike from Taupo to Reporoa and back, 21.1km run consists of two loops of course a course south of Taupō.
- The elite and age group race starts are staggered from just after 6am both mornings with the best men finishing in just over three and a half hours while some of the age groupers will take more than seven hours.
