NEED A COACH ?
Contact Tony O'Hagan for professional coaching from Sprint Distance to
Ironman for all abilities.  Tony is a TriNZ accredited coach and winner of 5
NZ titles.  Email tony.ohagan@paradise.net.nz
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THREE DOWN FOUR TO GO
The Weetbix Kidz Tryathlon series is well under way.  The first three events
in Wellington, Christchurch and Tauranga have all attracted good numbers.
This weekend the series heads to Nelson.  Auckland in March 11th,  Mosgiel
on March 18th and the season finale will be in Ironcity Taupo on March 25th.
Check out the website at www.kiwikids.co.nz
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TAUPO ACCOMMODATION
there is still a small amount of accommodation available at the Tui
Oaks-lake Terrace complex which is about 500m from T2, 1.5km from Great Lake
Centre and right on the swim, bike and run course
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IRONMAN LIVE UP AND RUNNING
The Ironman live website  www.ironmanlive.com  is already up and running
with some great preview stories written by Nick Munting. If you can't make
it down to Taupo then you can get live blow by blow Ironman race day
coverage at www.ironmanlive.com
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IRONMAN PREVIEWS ON TV
Checkout TV 3's 6pm news tonight ( Tuesday ) for a preview story on this
weekends Air New Zealand Ironman.
Tune into TV 1's 6pm news on Thursday for a story about John & Judy Collins
competing in the New Zealand Ironman
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SELECTOR APPLICATIONS CALLED

Triathlon New Zealand invite applications for positions on the Triathlon New
Zealand selection panel.

Please check the Tri NZ website for details.  www.triathlon.org.nz
Applications including CV’s to Triathlon New Zealand office P.O. Box 1293
Gisborne by 7th March 2001
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STOLEN BIKE
Stolen from Harbourview Rd Whangamata.  Expensive bike -Apex brand coloured
metallic green with Whangamata Mowers and Cycles sticker on frame.  This is
a rare bike the police say.  Contact Actg Sergeant Paul Newman  @ Whangamata
Police Station Ph 07 865 0300
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Last weekend saw the Air New Zealand Triathlon Pro Tour race over a sprint
distance in Pauanui on the Coromandel's East Coast.
Sorry no race report but here's the top 10's finishing order.
Men
1    Nathan Richmond   56.21
2    Kieran Doe 56.29
3    Brent Foster   57.20
4    Graham O'Grady 57.31
5    Stephen Farrell   58.23
6    Terrenzo Bozzone 58.57
7    Wayne Shackleton 1.00.12
8    Mike Gilbert 1.00.37
9    Paul Angland  1.00.50
10    Paul Leitch  1.01.20

Women
1    Evelyn Williamson  1.04.34
2    Linley Smith   1.05.43
3    Vanessa Palmer  1.06.44
4    Udi-Ann Delport   1.06.45
5    Sue Clark   1.07.08
6    Tracey Fromow   1.07.17
7    Debbie Tanner   1.09.16
8    Lorene Smith  1.10.28
9    Gayle Clark   1.11.20
10   Clare Mandeno  1.11.58
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NOT JUST IRONMAN
while most people are focussed purely on Ironman this week for another group
of competitors it is qualifying for the Manchester Commonwealth Games  and
the Goodwill Games that has their attention.  ITU points are up for grabs in
Tasmania on March 11th.  New Zealand will have a strong contingent of men
and women racing for their share of those ITU points.
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ROWLANDS WINS RAIL TRAIL

Dunedin athlete David Rowlands retained his title in the grueling 150km
Otago Central Rail Trail duathlon at the weekend.  A hot and windy day on
Saturday changed dramatically on Sunday when rain made the course muddy and
damp for the 215 competitors.

"There was a bit a head wind today which made things harder but I didn't
need as much fluids," Rowlands said.

With Scott Molina in the field, Rowlands said it was nice to see a bit more
competition. He retained his title in a time of 6:24:06.

In second place was Tim Pearson, 6:40.44 and third was Glen Bathgate,
6:51:20.

Scott Molina dropped back in the field after suffering a puncture while in
third place. However, he came back to finish  fourth in 6:59:27.

"I really didn't come down here with any expectations of placing I just came
to see the area," Molina said.   The rail trail was a great track in an area
which almost resembled a desert, he said.

The women's individual competition was won by Carolyn Taylor in 8:10:41
followed by Marzanne Burger on 8:22:08.
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Race week for the 17th Air New Zealand Ironman hotted up with two
traditional lead-up events in Taupo at the weekend.

A number of competitors joined in the 4.2km Across Lake Taupo swim .
Local swimmer Craig Stewart headed home a field of 124 swimmers in 52:30
with another noted pool swimmer Luke Keenan 1min 30sec behind.

Ironman Malaysia champion Bryan Rhodes (Taupo) was the first of the Air New
Zealand Ironman competitors home in third place in 55.01.

The leading woman was Germany’s Nina Kraft in 57.54, recovering from a
serious viral complaint suffered recently in Australia. She is still to
confirm if she will start on Saturday.
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TARA-LEE SIGHTS THIRD IRONMAN WIN
12 FEBRUARY 2001
By BEVAN CHOAT

After missing out on the Air New Zealand Ironman event in Taupo last year
because she was in Calgary in Canada making a bid to qualify for the New
Zealand women's bobsled team, 31-year-old Tara-Lee Marshall has returned to
tackle the Ironman on home territory on March 3.

It was immediately after she qualified for the bobsled team during a month
long camp in Canada during March and April last year that Tara-Lee was faced
with a career decision - bobsled or triathlon?

Staying with triathlon proved the wise choice for the professional
triathlete who met with immediate success.

She took the Canadian duathlon championship title in May and then blitzed
the record time for the event when winning the Victoria half Ironman during
the provincial championships in Canada in June.

A top five women's time saw her win the Ironman Switzerland in August with a
9h 15m effort and a 91/2-hour effort gave her the Ironman Florida title in
November.

Tara-Lee arrived back in the country from Canada last week and was adamant
she could build on her last two wins.

"I badly want to win locally as there is no greater feeling than winning the
top Ironman event at home before your very own local crowd in your own
country," says Tara-Lee.

"I want to win, this event, that's my aim.

"I produced the fastest bike and fastest run in Florida and Switzerland and
even though my swimming is not so strong, if I can produce a good all round
effort I know I can do it.

"Not a lot of good swimmers win an Ironman and although swimming is my weak
point I'm always there at the end of the event where it matters.
"It will depend I guess on the day," Tara-Lee says.

She has been training solidly in Canada, even though her running has often
been in knee-deep snow in temperatures of minus 15 degrees, while her
cycling has been on a compu-trainer indoors and swimming at an indoor pool.
"I have certainly put in the time and built up the toughness and I have six
weeks to get acclimatised at home.

"I started the day I arrived home, have already shaken off the jetlag and
I'm already down to business and on course to tackle my objective," she
says.
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STORY ON CHRIS LEGH
Last weekends Sunday Star Times carried a great ( almost full page ) story
on Aussie Chris Legh who will be amongst the front runner in this weekends
Air New Zealand Ironman.   Legh can be expected to push the pace throughout
the cycle leg.
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2001 NZ CHAMPIONSHIP AND SELECTION RACES
***************************************************************

*Mar   3rd - Ironman (3800/180/42) – Taupo
*Mar 11th - Triathlon Selection Race (1500/40/10) - Christchurch
*May 13th - Duathlon Championships ( 10/42/5 ) - Palmerston North

National Secondary School Championships
**************************************************
* April 8th - Triathlon  - Picton
* July 14th - Duathlon - Nelson
* Sept 29th - Multisport - Tauranga
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Results from the final round of the KIA Formula 1 series held in Queesland
Australia
Round 3 - Men
1. Courtney Atkinson (AUS), 23:33;
2. Miles Stewart (AUS), 23:39;
3. LeviMaxwell (AUS), 23:44;
4. Simon Whitfield (CAN), 23:47;
5. Paul Amey (NZL),23:49
11. Kris Gemmell (NZL);
13. Craig Watson (NZL);
17. Matt Reed (NZL);
21. Shane Reed (NZL).

FINAL Standings, Men -
1. Courtney Atkinson (QLD), 59 points
2. Miles Stewart (QLD), 51
3. Chris McCormack (NSW), 49
4. Paul Amey (New Zealand), 49
10. Kris Gemmell (New Zealand), 29
11. Shane Reed (New Zealand), 26
13. Matt Reed (New Zealand), 25
19. Craig Watson (New Zealand), 18

( there were a total of 24 competitors )
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Taupo’s future ironmen and ironwomen hit the streets on Sunday competing in
the Ironkidz Triathlon 2001.  Over 200 children took part in Taupo’s mini
version of the Ironman.

Co-organiser Lorraine Pilkington says the idea behind the event is to get
children involved in the build up to the big race and give them the thrill
of competing in their own version of the Ironman. “It’s something a child
can do to be part of all the hype. Who knows – it may encourage some of them
to compete in the Ironman itself in the future.”