Triathlon Team Cook Islands

The line up of Triathlon Team Cook Islands for the Pacific Mini Games is looking like the usual top five triathletes of Rarotonga.
Competition Manager Kevin Henderson says gold was probable for the Palau Mini Games if only they had female athletes in the team events. The three favorites for the team at the Cook Islands Pacific Mini Games are Rangi Apera, Apii Napa and Jennie George though not yet confirmed, Team Cook Islands Triathlon is very capable of achieving silver and bronze in the team event and given the motivation, they may surprise everyone and take the gold.
Henderson was of the option if Jennie George had another year of swimming under her belt; she could have come home with a bronze medal from the Samoan Pacific Games.
The French Polynesian women of New Caledonia and Tahiti may be getting on in years, but they are still very competitive. But on a positive note, Henderson is confident Team Cook Islands Triathlon is definitely in the running for a medal at the Pacific Mini Games.
Again unconfirmed, the favoured male trio for the games appears to be Thomas Henderson, Roland Neururer and Geoff Stoddart.
Henderson's son Thomas was a bronze medalist at the Palau Mini Games. He says that is always hard competing against New Caledonia and Tahiti. These two countries tend to use the games to boost younger athletes in their development process mentored by their top experienced athletes.
The individual events could be battled out between New Caledonia and Tahiti, but in front of a home crowd, the adrenalin could boost the pride to battle for gold for our local heroes.
The event will start from the Western Marina of Avatiu Harbour with the swim, cycle section is two circuits from the wharf start line to Pokoinu Rd, around the are metua in Nikau at the back of the airport,to the Avatiu round-a-bout, back towards the start line and finishing at the start line on the second time around. Off the bike and into running starts for three circuits of the running section from the harbor to the Catholic burial ground and back; finishing on the third leg back at the harbour start line.
Terry Sheldrake and Juliet Fahey from New Zealand are the technical delegates, with Sheldrake as the race referee.