First time ever in a race for this almost 53 year old! Support from the team, volunteers and spectators was fantastic in helping me achieve a finish, I really appreciated the ironmen competitors who encouraged me onwards as  I struggled through to a cycle finish for my team, thanks everyone!

The event is unique, full-stop. I'd say it's like the Wildflower triathlon of the southern hemisphere. Tough but gorgeous - these two seem to go hand in hand usually anyway! Local support was great in town, but given most of the course is out in the wild don't expect much cheering along the way. But hands down the people from the area seem to really love this event and having the athletes around so in that respect local support is great. 

Logistics leading up to the event were pretty straightforward, no long queues for registration, transition area easy to navigate etc. I think the organisers overall did an amazing job tackling two seperate distances on the same day. 

The swim was chilly, but the lake the cleanest I've ever seen.. I could actually see the bottom which is pretty rare for lakes. Deep water start, and looking at the majestic mountains surrounding you while waiting for the gun to go off is really something.. Sighting and buoys were fine, the last stretch towards the finish can be an issue though as the sun is right on your eyes, I would recommend using the shadow of the large hill behind as a marker to guide you to the exit. Worth practicing that the day before as it can easily cost you a few mins.

Bike was tough, the brutal wind made it tougher.. some slow times this year across the board. Scenery however is amazing and more than makes up for the difficult course. I suggest a lot of hill training before this event. Road quality is great with no potholes or tricky surfaces, but it's not smooth asphalt (some sort of chipped surface, perhaps to improve traction during the winter months) so expect a good degree of steady vibration on the aerobars throughout the leg. Also most of the bike course is not closed roads, so some caution is needed for ongoing traffic

Run was basically a trail run for the most of it, really reminded me of Wildflower at certain parts. Beautiful paths along a pristine river. I suggest lots of hill training for this also, and avoid my mistake of using light racers as the gravel will make you regret that decision quickly. 

Overall it was an unforgettable experience. Not a PB course but probably one of the most unique races you'll ever do. Make sure you spend time in the area after the event, tons of amazing hiking options and the cycling around there is just awesome. Recommended for families/couples.. if you're looking for an active nightlife i'd suggest you spend a few nights in Queenstown as Wanaka can get quite sleepy after 9-10pm. Make sure you try the Federal Diner for breakfast/lunch.