Triathlon: Docherty, Hewitt in Hamburg

Bevan Docherty and Andrea Hewitt lead New Zealand's quest for championship points in the fourth round of the triathlon world series at Hamburg, Germany, this weekend.

They are aware that opportunities to move up in the rankings before the season-ending Grand Finale in Budapest in September are running out.

Ranked fifth, Docherty recognises that urgency, with him having targeted the German race at the start of the season.

"It's the make or break part of the series; this is where the key players show their cards. I'm very happy with where I'm placed in the rankings, but still have a lot of work to do."

That work will include holding off a field that includes former world champion Javier Gomez, of Spain, 2008 Beijing Olympic champion Jan Frodeno, of Germany, and Australian Courtney Atkinson, presently ranked third in the series.

Russia's Alexander Brukhankov leads the championship rankings with a narrow advantage over his compatriot Dmitry Polyansky, and both are on the start list for Hamburg.

Docherty has targeted the next month as being crucial to his hopes of a championship medal this season, with the Hamburg round followed a week later by London and then Kitzbuhel in mid-August.

The United States-based athlete is in good shape, having prepared with a win two weeks ago at the Philadelphia triathlon.

"I missed the last race in Madrid in order to train for these next races. The training has been going really well, and I'm in great shape," Docherty said.

Other New Zealand men competing this weekend are Ben Pattle, Callum Millward and James Elvery.

Hewitt enters the women's race as the best ranked New Zealander at eighth in the world after a steady if unspectacular start to the season.

Series leader Barbara Riveros Diaz, of Chile, has decided to sit out the Hamburg race but among those present will be defending world champion Emma Moffatt, of Australia, her fellow countrywoman Emma Snowsill, Japan's Mariko Adachi, Switzerland's Nicola Spirig and Daniela Ryf.

The other New Zealand women include Teresa Adam and Rebecca Kingsford, who are both looking to gain further experience in elite company.

The men's race starts late tomorrow night (NZT) with the women racing close to 24 hours later.

- NZPA