KEY POINTS:
Triathlon New Zealand has assembled an impressive team for the 2007 world championships in Hamburg.
They include world No 3 Bevan Docherty, No 4 Kris Gemmell and No 10 Shane Reed.
Docherty won the 2004 world championship but luck has deserted him in the past two years, while
Gemmell finished a career-high fourth in Lausanne last year.
The women's side is equally strong and boasts two athletes in the top 10 - Samantha Warriner (No 3) and Debbie Tanner (5). Taryn McLeod (78) and wildcard selection Evelyn Williamson (61) are also in the team.
No 4 Andrew Hewitt (Christchurch) and No 28 Nicky Samuels (Whangarei) have opted to compete in a World Cup race in Beijing.
Two-time former world junior champion Terenzo Bozzone, Kiwi No 4 Clark Ellice and James Elvery are also in the men's team for Hamburg.
Bozzone has had a slow start to the season while recovering from knee surgery but is keenly anticipating the races in Hamburg and Beijing two weeks later.
Warriner has had an up-and-down year so far, with the disappointment of a first-up 27th at the opening World Cup race in Australia well shaded by a win in Vancouver and a second in England at the weekend.
Given she won the 2005 Hamburg World Cup race, it is no surprise Warriner is looking forward to her sixth shot at a world title on a familiar course.
"One of the first goals I set myself in triathlon was to get to the world champs and the event continues to be of huge importance to me," she said.
Warriner's best finish was 13th in 2004. "Every year, I say I'd like to win worlds and, every year, it's the one race where things go wrong for me.
"But every year I return, intent on changing that and this year's no different.
"I feel I've had my fair share of bad luck so it's got to be about to change, surely."
Tanner is another podium chance and her form gives her confidence.
"I was second on the same course at the corresponding World Cup race last year so I'm relatively comfortable with its detail.
"The whole season has been about this stretch to Hamburg and then Beijing so I am looking forward to it immensely."
Timing in a pre-Olympic year, however, means the NZ team will not include Hewitt or Samuels.
The Beijing World Cup race on September 15-16 doubles as NZ's first Olympic qualifying race.
Triathlon NZ high performance manager Stephen Farrell said the timing of the Hamburg and Beijing events was unfortunate.
"Some of our more seasoned athletes are able to cope with two important races in the space of two weeks but, after discussion with their coach, John Hellemans, Andrea [Hewitt] and Nicky [Samuels] have decided to by-pass the world champs to concentrate on the Beijing World Cup," Farrell said.
"For obvious reasons, Beijing is the first and major selection race for the NZ team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"While clearly it is a difficult choice for both athletes to miss the world champs, they and John agree the closeness of the two races and their relative inexperience mean they might struggle to do well at both events."
Triathlon NZ said it had included Kapiti Coast's Williamson after her coach, Richard Lindroos, submitted a wildcard application.
The 61st ranked Williamson had not met all criteria due largely to illness but has a consistent record of top 20 finishes at world championships, including a third in 1998.
This will be her 10th world championship.
NZ TEAM
Elite men: Bevan Docherty (Auckland) ITU ranking 3, Kris Gemmell (Palmerston Nth) 4, Shane Reed (New Plymouth) 10, Clark Ellice (New Plymouth) 66, Terenzo Bozzone (North Shore) 73, James Elvery (Auckland) 90.
Men's under-23: Martin Van Barneveld (Wellington) 156, William Curtayne (Auckland) 176, Tony Dodds (Wanaka) 219, Ben Visser (North Shore) 376.
Junior men (under-19): Ben Hoetjes (Christchurch), Jos Hoetjes (Christchurch), Ryan Sissons (Auckland).
Elite women: Sam Warriner (Whangarei) 3, Debbie Tanner (Auckland) 5, Evelyn Williamson (Kapiti Coast) 61, Taryn McLeod (Dunedin) 78.
Not available: Andrea Hewitt (Christchurch) 4, Nicky Samuels (Whangarei) 28.
Women's under-23: Kelly Bruce (Maungaturoto) 212, Sarah Bryant (Dunedin) 260, Jacqui Seebold (Auckland) 303, Anna Hamilton (Auckland) 332.
Junior women (under-19): Rebecca Spence (North Shore) 262, Nicola McKay (Tauranga), Tracey Steens (Tauranga).
- NZPA
