Karl McDonald found a format that suits him, the new aqua bike event, comprising a 3km swim and 120km ride. Photo/supplied
It took Karl McDonald a year of watching his friends compete in triathlon before he gave it a go himself.
Five years on, he is about to compete on the world stage.
McDonald is one of five Hawke's Bay athletes competing in the Penticton Multisport World Championship this weekend.
He is competing in the new aqua bike event, which consists of a 3km swim and 120km ride.
McDonald is well suited to the event as a strong swimmer and cyclist.
"I have found a format that suits me as I am not a runner. I am very excited to focus on the swim then give it a really strong effort for the bike leg and not have to think about running at the end," he said.
It was helping a friend with his swimming that drew him into the triathlon world.
"It took me a whole year of watching the Tri Hawke's Bay events before I gave it a go for myself."
He started off racing sprint distance and built up to New Zealand Ironman 2015, which was one of his favourite memories.
Colin Hutchison also heard about Triathlon Hawke's Bay through friends and bought a road bike in 2012 with the aim of getting fit and losing weight.
"Given I could swim already, I thought I should give triathlon ago as all I needed to do was learn to run and I should be able to finish a race," he said.
After a month of training, Hutchison tried a club race at Pandora Pond in Napier.
"I had no wetsuit so it was cold but I was completely hooked."
Now, six ironmans in, he sees triathlon as a lifestyle and is excited to be racing the long course (3km swim, 120km cycle, 30km run) at his first world championships in Canada.
Michele Frey is another athlete tackling her first long distance world championship.
Frey is a former Central Districts Hinds cricketer but when that campaign finished for her about four years ago, she started looking for a new challenge.
"I thought I was a weak swimmer, then a friend encouraged me to be part of a quarter ironman team - that was my ticket into the sport."
She built up to half ironman distance and completed Ironman Cairns last year.
"I will be getting out there to give this race my best shot. I aim to finish having given it everything, nothing left in the tank. I have some time goals for each discipline.
"If I pace myself, get my nutrition right, and nothing unexpected happens, then there's no reason why I can't achieve them."
Tony Weber is an experienced runner, with 18 marathons under his belt and five ironman finishes. So, the long distance course will be a different challenge. He is eyeing up a top 20 finish.
"I've improved my times and had a good training block so hoping to go hard, if these niggly injuries would behave."
Kathy Eggers returns to the world championship long course after finishing 5th in her age group at the championships in Oklahoma last year.
"I am looking forward to the challenge. It will be nice to be amongst new scenery, bar the hills and more hot heat, but it beats sitting on my bike for hours in the rain."
The Andersens enjoyed a 100% winning rate this past week.