Triathlon: NZ U23 Triathlon team named for Rotterdam

Nicole van der Kaay at OTU Kinloch Triathlon, 2017. Photo / ScottieTPhoto

Elise Salt, Nicole van der Kaay, Tayler Reid and Trent Thorpe will represent New Zealand at the WTS Final in Rotterdam later this year.

The Rotterdam course will be highly technical with over 170 corners throughout the 40 kilometre bike leg.

HP Director, Mark Elliott said, "with every athlete selected having a strong swimming pedigree we will be expecting them all to be in the hunt by the end of the bike leg."

"It's been superb seeing both Tayler and Elise showing top 16 places in major World Cups on the world stage this year, and we look forward to seeing them progress further over the next few months," he said.

Nicole has also seen some international success to kick off her season winning at the Gamagori ASTC Sprint Triathlon Asian Cup over the weekend.

"I'm doing a small racing stint here in Japan, practicing shorter and faster formats especially now that super sprint team relays have been added to Tokyo 2020," she said.

The upcoming WTS races in July and early August (Edmonton and Montreal) will be a massive focus for the Taupo athlete who will be looking to gain some valuable competition points.

"I'd love to be more competitive amongst the more senior and experienced athletes," she said.

After an injury stopped her road to Cozumel last year, Nicole will be looking forward to racing and spending time with family in Rotterdam.

All the athletes will be racing in the Northern Hemisphere by the end of the month.