Northland triathletes are hoping that next weekend's 2012 ITU World Triathlon Championship Series will help boost participation in the sport in years to come, says Sam Warriner.
The last New Zealander to win the ITU World Cup title, she said this weekend's event was special to her.
"From my perspective Auckland is all about capturing future talent, it's an opportunity for us to leverage off the event and increase participation in the sport we all love," she said.
Auckland will host the most prestigious race on the ITU calendar this year and it will decide this year's world champions.
The four-day event will run from Thursday until Monday at Queens Wharf and draw the sport's biggest superstars but also a host of Northland triathletes excited to be competing in the biggest event of their lives.
The Whangarei Triathlon Club has more than a dozen athletes who have qualified for the New Zealand Age Group team with Christine Fraser, DJ Gillming, Denise Limby, Jane Young, Marion Maxwell, Sioux Campbell, Mike Gillming, Mike Hardiman, Robert Haynes, Murray Healey, Graeme McDonald and Chris Seeley all ready to battle with international competitors from more than 20 countries.
Warriner will also compete in one of the teams events - her first race after giving birth to her first child Lola-Rose, who is now over 2 months old.
Her main interest in the event will be to follow the progress of the seven athletes she has been training who will compete in the age group championships or in TriNZ Short Teams events, like James Edwards, Louis Poot, Kieran King and Kerikeri's Harry Pearson.
With another former pupil, Nicky Samuels, competing at the elite level on Sunday, Warriner will also watch as Simone Ackermann tackles Saturday's U-23 Elite Olympic distance race.
Ackermann, who is now Auckland-based, will be joined by father Johan, mum Robyn and sister Odette who have also qualified for racing over the weekend.
All the Northland competitors are proud to represent New Zealand in their respective age group races and will band together to support the other athletes, in particular the junior Northland triathletes who have an opportunity to experience the thrill and excitement of a major triathlon.
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Limby, spokesperson for the Whangarei club, said they hope the world championships will have the same effect as the World Cup had for rugby in New Zealand last year.
She said triathlon is for everybody not just aspiring Olympians.
"People really enjoy the challenge of triathlon - no matter what your age or ability. You can even do it with your kids just be prepared for them to beat you."
She acknowledged the help of Pub Charity in helping to fund the entry fees for the international event.