Kiwi Andrea Hewitt aiming to take title at the ITU World Championship Final

Her thoughts are with those at home but the devastation in Canterbury after the earthquake has to be put to one side this weekend for Christchurch triathlete Andrea Hewitt as she heads into this weekend’s ITU Dextro Energy World Championship Grand Finale in Budapest knowing a world title is within her grasp.

Hewitt is second in the overall standings behind Emma Moffat (AUS) after an outstandingly consistent season that has seen her feature in sprint finishes at just about every event she has contested. But the 28 year old knows this is the big one.

“This is clearly the biggest race of the year and I am really looking forward to it. Training is going really well and this season obviously has gone well. I just want to finish off strongly and maybe win the overall World Championship.

The race will have a tactical element to it though that might be a little different from other events this season.

“The aim in each event is always to win but because of the nature of the series and with Emma just 52 points and one placing in front of me the aim is to be in front of Emma and at the same time keep an eye on the other leading competitors to make sure they don’t overtake us both.”

Hewitt is not concerned that she has not been able to win too many races this year in the close sprint finishes that have become a feature of the World Championship Series.

“Each of the races has presented a different set of circumstances and conditions and I wasn’t rested for any of them really with the travel and training required through the season. But I am really prepared for this race in Budapest and should be stronger and fresher at the end of the race this time. My swimming is going fantastic, the bike is going well and at the moment the run is where the big guns are firing so that is where the improvement needs to come on the weekend.”

Like team mate and leading Kiwi male this weekend Kris Gemmell, Hewitt will depart for Budapest just days before the race, something that was planned well in advance.

“This year we decided to base ourselves here at Font Romeu and go back and forward to races. We have been here three months now since Des Moines up here in the Pyrenees. At altitude you don’t have to train so hard but when you go down to sea level you can breathe easier so it just makes you do that much better on race days.”

Hewitt has had an eye on home though and feels for everyone suffering the effects of the earthquake that hit the Canterbury region last weekend.

“What happened was such a shock and we are thinking of everyone effected by the earthquake. Luckily for my family everyone is fine at home. Mum and Dad left on Friday night before it happened, they are in France now and will be in Budapest for the race. My sister’s house is fine but her office building is closed and so much of town is closed so they are working from home at the moment.”

Hewitt will race at midnight on Sunday night NZT and have Nicky Samuels, Debbie Tanner and Kate McIlroy for company with all four Kiwis ranked inside the top 30 in the world heading into the final race when points are at their highest value in the series.

29th ranked Samuels is looking forward to capping off her ‘comeback’ season with a strong performance.

“Coming into Budapest is very exciting for me this year. Last year I was not ready, I was still struggling with my comeback from my stress fracture through my pelvis and then last year I wasn’t ready yet on the Gold Coast so this year I can only do better. I can finally feel my running is coming back from the ‘pre stress fracture’ days. Hence the excitement!

“The lead up has been going well; training has been perfect with everything except the cold here in Germany going in my favour so I am happy with my preparation. My work all this year has been aimed towards this race so my motivation is high, I’m as ready as I can be, all I have to do is stay healthy this week and give it my best, I can’t ask for more.”

ITU Dextro Energy World Triathlon Championship Series
Grand Finale
Budapest

New Zealand athletes listed

Saturday 11th September
8.45pm:                   U23 Women
Teresa Adam (Auck), Rebecca Kingsford (Tirau)
11.05pm:               Elite Men
Kris Gemmell (Palm Nth), Clark Ellice (New Plymouth), Ben Pattle (Auck), Martin van Barneveld (Wellington). Note: James Elvery (Auck) is on the standby list for a start.
Sunday 12th September
1.15am:                   U23 Men
Tony Dodds (Wanaka), Ryan Sissons (Auck), Tom Davison (Christchurch)
Midnight:             Elite Women
Andrea Hewitt (Christchurch), Debbie Tanner (Auck), Kate McIlroy (Wellington), Nicky Samuels (Wanaka)
Monday 13th September
2.15am:                   Junior Women (U 19)
Maddie Dillon (Auckland), Maddie Brunton (Waikato)
3.30am:                   Junior Men (U19)        
Aaron Barclay (Southland), Sam Osborne (Dunedin), Edward Rawles (New Plymouth)