Multisports: Olympians come out for bit of fun

Sarah Ulmer and Hamish Carter will be out of the limelight. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

There will be a change of pace for 2004 Athens Olympic champions Hamish Carter and Sarah Ulmer when they line up in today's New Zealand Xterra Championships at Rotorua's Blue Lake.

The focus will be on the individual events, with qualifying spots at October's World Championships in Maui at stake, but there will be passing interest in the Olympians, who insist they are turning out purely for fun.

Carter, who won the national championship at the same venue in 2006 and went on to win the World Championship in Maui the same year, will ride the 26km mountain-bike leg in a three-man team, while Ulmer is to run 11km in the first-off walk/run this morning.

"It is hard case, really," said Carter. "Sarah is running and I'm doing the bike."

Asked how fit he is, Carter said: "I will find out on Saturday. I'll be happy to follow everyone else. It is a really neat event and I was happy to join in when asked by a couple of friends."

Carter, who won the three national Xterra Championships and the one world championship he contested, said he is "certainly not in shape these days". He surfs once a week and may go for a jog but hasn't been on a bike in ages. "But it should be a bit of fun."

Does he miss the world of triathlon in which he was so dominant? "I miss the travelling and the lifestyle but after 15 years of that, I certainly don't miss the training," he said. "I still have a fair bit to do with triathlon - and probably will for the rest of my life."

The racing, particularly in the elite men, promises to be as competitive as ever. Terenzo Bozzone, so impressive in winning a year ago as he sought to shrug off the disappointment of missing Olympic selection, is back to defend his title.

But he might find the relatively short break after finishing a courageous second to Cameron Brown in Bonita Ironman New Zealand counts against him in today's 1km swim, 26km cycle and 11km run.

Mark Leishman (Wanganui), who chased Bozzone all the way last year and finished just seconds back, will again be contender, as will former champion Tim Wilding.

NZ XTERRA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Where: Blue Lake, Rotorua
When: Today from 8am. Xterra Championship 11am (individuals), 11.45am (teams)