Andrea Hewitt
Triumphs in triathlon will always hinge heavily on the final leg, but Andrea Hewitt's hopes of a podium place on her home course may be determined much earlier.
Hewitt will once again fly the Kiwi flag at the Barfoot & Thompson World Triathlon in Auckland tomorrow afternoon, with injury seeing Nicky Samuels and Kate McIlroy withdraw from the women's race earlier in the week.
And if Hewitt has any chance of emerging in front of a talented assembly of Americans, including warm favourite Gwen Jorgensen, any gains must be made in the opening two disciplines.
There will be no conserving energy for the run - very much Jorgensen's domain - and the firm focus for Hewitt will instead be on swimming at the front of the field before attempting to separate herself on the cycle leg.
"Whatever I can do on the swim and bike to be at the front of the course," she said of her aims early in the race. "I don't like racing from behind, it's harder to catch, especially on the run where there's so many fast girls. It's not only Gwen, there's lots of Americans who are doing well and stepping up.
"I'll be trying to stay in front on the swim and getting a good start, then on the bike I'm not going to be sitting back. I'm not going to be waiting for the run - it's not going to be one of those races."
Happily for Hewitt, that strategy will be aided by a typically tough bike course in downtown Auckland, with three hills featuring on each of the five eight-kilometre laps.
"It's really tough, there's not free rides on this course," Hewitt said. "Especially with the forecast on Sunday as well, with the rain, it's going to be even more challenging. But I think it's going to be good for the New Zealanders, who like the hills and who are strong athletes."
Swede Lisa Norden described the bike as Jorgensen's "weak link", with the reigning world series champion finishing 12th in Auckland last year after being caught up in a crash. And Hewitt agreed that was an area where the other contenders would make their move, tipping an almost impossible task if the American enters the final transition near the front.
"Gwen's definitely the favourite," Hewitt said. "She's won the last six races in the world triathlon series so all the pressure's on her and we just have to do our best races. If we're ahead after the bike, then that's better for us. She's running pretty fast at the moment."
Katie Zafere will also be one to watch, having crossed second behind Jorgensen in the season-opening sprint race in Abu Dhabi, with Lindsey Jerdonek finishing sixth and rounding out the trio of American threats heading into Sunday.
Hewitt managed fifth in Abu Dhabi and, encouragingly, recorded the third-fastest split on the run, eventually crossing 39 seconds behind Jorgensen.