Canterbury's Andrea Hewitt is the best placed of the New Zealand triathletes to earn a world championship medal come the end of the international season.
Canterbury's Andrea Hewitt is the best placed of the New Zealand triathletes to earn a world championship medal come the end of the international season.
The ITU grand final is in Chicago this weekend with double points up for grabs in the race to the year-end world rankings.
Hewitt currently sits in fourth place with a chance of finishing inside the year end top three for the fifth time in seven years with a strong performance in Chicago.
Andrea Hewitt (L) and Nicky Samuels celebrate their podium finish at the World Championship Grand Final. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
New Zealand triathletes Andrea Hewitt (left) and Nicky Samuels celebrate after strong performances at last year's season finale in Edmonton.
Other New Zealanders lining up with her in Chicago on Saturday morning are Simone Ackermann, Rebecca Clarke and Rebecca Spence.
Aucklander Ryan Sissons will compete in the men's elite competition.
Triathlon New Zealand head coach said he's expecting Hewitt and Sisson to perform well after altitude training.
"Both are gaining momentum in form now while many others are declining. The key for Ryan will having a decent swim as usual but he's feeling confident after Stockholm when he was close to the leaders out of the water and finished a strong 6th over the sprint distance."
Sissons is the sole New Zealander in the elite men's field, following the recent withdrawal through injury of Tony Dodds.
He goes into the race ranked 28 in the world however his sixth placing in Stockholm a fortnight ago suggests that the hard work in training might be starting to pay off, especially in the swim where he has been working on overhauling his swim stroke with the Rio Olympic Games in mind.
