Triathlon: Dot Kiwi joins Tri NZ to promote sport online

New Zealand triathlete Ryan Sissons is currently ranked 13th in the International Triathlon Union world standings. Photo / ITU

Dot Kiwi Limited CEO Tim Johnson experienced a minor technical faux pas during a presentation in Auckland yesterday announcing the company's alignment with Triathlon New Zealand.

This came with news that Tri NZ have joined forces with Dot Kiwi, an internet domain-name company amplifying the internet revolution in New Zealand, signing a five-year partnership aimed to help deliver and support the sport's summer Tri series.

Johnson, who has a history in developing and managing IT systems, is enthusiastic in developing and maintaining a Kiwi community online as well as promoting Tri NZ's digital image globally.

Despite the technical glitch momentarily disrupting proceedings, Tri NZ CEO Chris Waugh believes the innovative partnership has the potential to take the sport's governing body into the future.

"If you put the money aside it's going to bring some stability, it's going to bring innovation, it's going to bring more weight to our strategic plan in terms of the voice and the way we can progress the sport in the market-place.

"It ticks the box of the third evolution of the sport which is really neat."

New Zealand triathlete Ryan Sissons, currently ranked 13th in the International Triathlon Union world standings, is optimistic at the potential to expand his online presence after he was gifted a personalised ryansissons.kiwi domain name during yesterday's unveiling.

"I made my email address up when I was about 14-15 and I used my whole name and middle name ... it just becomes difficult," Sissons said.

"I'm an international athlete so I race around the world but I'm from New Zealand so I've always had a .com or .co.nz.

"Obviously as a New Zealand athlete you still want to attract international people so I guess with .kiwi it's going to be out there and it's really good to have a personalised domain or address for yourself."

The big news was presented in conjunction with the launch of this summer's Dot Kiwi Tri series starting on December 8 with the Tinman Triathlon to be held at Mt Maunganui.