MULTISPORT - One chance to make world champs

Whangarei duathlete Katherine Anton has learned you never really know what is going to happen while racing - and the first event in the Contact National Duathlon Series at Christchurch is no exception.
"There is the possibility of gale force northwesterlies coming through," the 33-year-old competitor said.
"But at least if there are northwesterlies, it won't be as cold as it has been down there," she said, seeing the positive side of things.
If it is blowing a gale during tomorrow's race, it could make the 10km run, 40km cycle followed by another 5km run hard yakka and the cycle potentially dangerous, Anton said.
"But you just need to deal with it on the day," she said.
When asked if she was feeling confident before tomorrow's hitout - Anton replied that, barring any mechanical issue or weather worries, she was fit and ready.
The Duathlon Series consists of three events - in Christchurch, Auckland and Palmerston North - but tomorrow's leg at Rangiora was the sole selection race for the New Zealand team to compete at the World Duathlon Championships in North Carolina during September.
"I need to come between first and third to qualify for the elite team for the worlds," she said.
Qualifying for the world championships has been Anton's focus for this half of the year.
Her lead-up to the New Zealand Duathlon Championships included the Auckland Half Ironman, which Anton won - plus the end of summer fun triathlons at Kai Iwi Lakes and Mangawhai, and more recently she said she has been doing more specific speed work under the direction of coach Ian Babe, before tapering for tomorrow's event.
"I've been doing all the training I needed to. I've had a good taper and am feeling rested," she said.
Anton qualified for last year's world championships but was unable to race due to illness.
However, in 2007, Anton travelled to Hamburg, Germany, for the World Triathlon Championships where she won her age-group (30-35). But since then she decided duathlon was more her scene.
"My swimming is weak ... in triathlon it is important to be in the front bunch if you want to come anywhere.
"I'm a much stronger cyclist and runner, so I decided to focus on duathlons."
Tomorrow's field will be a strong one - with Anton and Christchurch local Julia Grant the hot favourites to take out the open women's division.
New Plymouth's Nathan Coombes and recently crowned Contact Schools Champion Michael Poole from Auckland look the favourites to take out the men's division.