CARTER PREDICTS THREE NZ TRIATHLETES IN WORLD'S TOP 10

By Ian Hepenstall

Wellington, Sept 9 - World No 1 triathlete Hamish Carter believes there
will be three New Zealand men in the top 10 in Monday's (NZ time) world
triathlon championships in Montreal. 

The New Zealand elite team are in top shape after eight weeks together at
altitude in St Moritz, Switzerland and in low camp in Ann Arbor,
Michigan,'' Carter told NZPA today. 

The 13-strong elite team fly in to Montreal today, keen to clear of the
hype surrounding this key world championships, one year out from Sydney
2000 where the sport makes its Olympic debut. 

Carter believes the strongest-ever New Zealand men's team will perform
strongly, even without last year' silver medallist Paul Amey, who is
recovering from injury. 

Carter, the world's No 1 ranked  athlete, leads a strong team including
Shane Reed 14th, Craig Watson 18th, Jamie Hunt 23rd, Matt Reed 50th and
Kris Gemmell, who replaced Amey. 

``Some of the other guys in the team are downplaying things, but we have
all trained really well and are in the best possible shape,'' Carter
said. 

``It's going to be an exceptionally strong and close race, particularly on
this course. We are all looking forward to the challenge. We have all done
the hard work.'' 

The Montreal course, unlike Lausanne last year and the Sydney Olympic
track, is flat for the 1.5k swim, 40k bike and 10k run. The swim is in the
1976 Olympic rowing venue, there's nine twisting laps on the bike and four laps
on the run on the Jacques Villeneuve motor race circuit. 

``More than likely there will still be a big bunch off the bike and it will
be a running race. It's going to be a mental thing, to lift to another
level. 

``I'm in the best possible shape and I've done all the work. Now I've got
to go out and do the business.''  Carter still smarts from missing a medal 
in Lausanne last year when he had stomach cramps on the run.  

He is desperately keen to make amends and become the first New Zealand man
to win a world triathlon title. He won silver in Perth in 1977 and bronze
in Manchester in 1993. The other New Zealand men to win medals were Amey's
silver last year and Auckland's Rick Wells who picked up a bronze and
silver. 

``I was in great shape last year and had a bad run. That was my mistake and
it has been on my mind since.'' The 28-year-old feels no extra pressure going 
into the race as the world No 1. 

``I've had that ranking for more than a year and got used to it. I've been
competing at this level for six years and I feel I now have the experience
to just focus on myself and my own performance. That's the only thing I can
control. 

``There's no extra pressure for me. I'm aiming to be the top and so I'm my
harshest critic.'' 

He has no particular game plan but believes it will be vital to adapt to
the situation. 

``There's so many things that can happen in a triathlon. It's not an exact
science. There's 80-odd athletes fighting for room in the swim. There's the
transitions which are vital. There's the mechanical aspects and how well
your pack works on the bike. 

``I am pleased that it will be a non-wetsuit swim because it will make the
swim more honest and perhaps allow the race to develop better. 
``It's a very big race for me. And I'm looking forward to the challenge.'' 

Carter has targetted the world championships, racing lightly this year. He
was fourth in Japan and Sydney world cups in April and May and only
returned to the circuit with victory in Hungary a month ago. 

The most improved Kiwi this year is Christchurch's Craig Watson, sixth in
this year's world cup standings with four top-10 finishes. Watson, 28, who 
has concentrated his career on the professional circuits in France for the 
last five years, has jumped from 73rd to 18th on the world rankings over 
the last six months. 

There is particular interest in the form of the Reed brothers Shane and
Matt, the Kiwi-born, Australian-domiciled triathletes who switched
allegiances to their native New Zealand. 

Shane Reed was ranked sixth in the world two years ago but missed selection
for the 1997 Australian six-man team. After dropping in the rankings last
year, he has found strong form since changing to the black singlet with
five top-10 finishes including second behind Carter in Hungary. 

Younger brother Matt has not been as consistent but has three top-10 world
cup placings this year. 

There will be pressure on Auckland's Jamie Hunt, in the world's top 10 two
seasons ago, but has not regained his form since a serious crash during the
Sydney world cup race last year. 

The women's team is anchored by last year's bronze medallist Evelyn
Williamson of Wellington, in the absence of two-time world champion Jenny
Rose who is bypassing this year's championships. 

Williamson, the world's 22nd ranked triathlete, has recovered from knee
surgery over summer to record personal best times in training although the
flat course in Montreal will not be playing to her strengths. 

The Waikanae athlete believes a top-10 finish will be a realistic goal
while she will be supported by Lousie Soper (Queensland), Megan Evans
(Waikanae) and Shanelle Barrett (Taupo), having their first starts in a
world championship elite women's field. 

Gisborne's Chanelle Owen starts in the elite junior race (11pm Sunday NZ
time), Nathan Richmond (Auckland) and Nathan Stretch (Christchurch) in the
elite junior boys race at 2am, with the elite women at 5am and elite men at
8am. 
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WILLIAMSON LONGS FOR THE HILLS

WAIKANAE triathlete Evelyn Williamson, who burst on to the world stage last
year with a bronze medal in the world championships, warns another podium
place may be beyond her this weekend. 

Williamson anchors the New Zealand women's team for the world triathlon
championships in Montreal on Monday (NZ time). 

Despite some excellent form in training, Williamson believes the flat
course at Montreal will count against a medal this year. 

``I'm not negative but realistic. I'm a strength triathlete and so I come
into my own on courses like Lausanne last year and Sydney's course for the
Olympics,'' Williamson told the Dominion from Montreal today. 

``This world championships is so important with the Sports foundation
basing their funding on performances here. 

``But it is a dead flat course. There's going to be 80 women pumelling
eachother in the swim, and with nine-laps on a flat bike course they might
as well cut out the swim and bike and make it a 10k running race.'' 

Williamson's strong form last year saw h3r world ranking jump to 15 but has
slipped back to 22nd following knee surgery in New Zealand over the
summer. 

``Basically I did not run seriously for six months. In my first world cup
races in japan I ran like a brick. My coach Richard Lindroos told me it
would improve gradually and it has. 

``I set personal bests with my running over the last couple of weeks and so
I am in really good shape now.'' 

Williamson has been encouraged by the New Zealand team buildup with five
weeks at altitude in St Moritz, Switzerland and three weeks at Ann Arbor,
Michigan. 

``There's a really good feeling amongst the team. It's been really
motivating and it's been good to be aware from the hype and distractions in
Montreal,'' with the team due to fly in to the race venue today. 

``I have done all the hard work and I know I am in good shape. There's
noithing more I can do. Now it's a case of waiting which is the hardest
part.'' 

The former Waikane schoolteacher, who turned 28 last week, believes a
top-10 finish is a realistic aim on Monday in an event she predicts will be
dominated by the Australians. 

There's the winners of eight previous world titles on the start line
including the champion Australian quartet of two-time winners Michellie
Jones and Emma Carney, 1996 winner Jackie Gallagher and defending champion 
Joanne King. 

However Williamson beleives it may be another Australian Loretta Harrop is
the athlete to watch. 

Harrop, with three world cup wins to her credit this year, is likely to be
clear in the swim along with another Australian Nicole Hackett and American
Barb Lindquist. 

``They are world-class swimmers and if they get too far ahead, they could
stay away on this course. 

``The key will be to get through the swim unscathed and have group which
works hard together on the bike. Sometimes on a flat course a bunch with
good runners will just sit there and dwadle around.  

``But if I can get into a group which works well then I know if it's my day
I can do it. I've just got to put it all together.'' 

Williamson is joined in the elite women's field by fellow Waikanae athlete
Megan Evans, national champion Shanelle Barrett (Taupo) and Queensland-based 
Louise Soper. 

She predicts the New Zeland men's team, with four ranked in the top 25 in
the world including world No 1 Hamish Carter, can repeat last year's effort
with three in the top 10. 

The elite women's race is at 5am Monday (NZ time) with elite men at 8am.