Auckland (February 7, 2025) – Trans-Tasman ally AusTriathlon has generously agreed to step in after Triathlon New Zealand’s strategic decision to relinquish hosting rights to this summer’s Oceania Sprint, Mixed Relay and Para Championships.
Originally scheduled for Mt Maunganui in late March, the event will now be hosted in Australia.
Firm details will be announced in the coming days with the races likely to be morphed into dates already locked into the Oceania Triathlon calendar.
With the vast majority of New Zealand’s leading triathletes already planning to race the Australian events, it means there will be no reduction in racing opportunities during the Oceania summer, nor any additional travel costs enforced on athletes.
The decision to surrender hosting rights comes as Tri NZ strategically reprioritises spending early in the new Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games cycle.
Tri NZ and AusTriathlon traditionally alternate hosting the Oceania Standard Distance Championships and the combined Oceania Sprint, MR and Para Championships each year. Per that agreement, New Zealand will return as host of the standard distance championships in 2026.
Tri NZ’s annual World Cup stop remains unaffected by Friday’s announcement with Napier again set to host the summer’s showpiece event on February 23.
World Cups are the second tier of World Triathlon racing and a step above the relinquished continental event.
While not a decision “taken lightly”, Tri NZ CEO Pete De Wet said the national governing body was looking at the “bigger picture” as the countdown to LA 28 begins. He thanked AusTriathlon CEO Tim Harradine for the assist which means there will be negligible impact on New Zealand’s leading talent.
“We have a great working relationship with AusTriathlon and a longer-term alignment on events,” De Wet said.
“We also have some really exciting opportunities in the next Olympic cycle and we didn’t want to jeopardise that.
“We’re dealing with a 17.5 percent reduction in Government funding for the LA cycle compared to Paris so we’ve strategically decided that some early sacrifices are necessary to achieve our longer term ambitions. This is the option of least impact.”
“We’re grateful to World Triathlon, Oceania Triathlon and our partners at Tauranga City Council for their understanding and to AusTriathlon for stepping in to help their Oceania cousin.”
