Budding triathlete loses over 70kg's ahead of Auckland Triathlon

The incentive in taking part in the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Triathlon for 36 year old Matt Somerville of Mairangi Bay has been to lose weight.

The temporary recruitment consultant who has recently lost well over 70kgs said that in the past his weight has held him back.

But since training for the Contact 300m swim, 9km bike and 3km run at Takapuna in February the weight has come off and he will line up again on April 7th on the Auckland waterfront to round out his summer.

“I train five days a week at the Millennium Institute in the pool and in the gym as well as road sessions,” said Somerville.

After finishing 147th in 50m 58s at Takapuna he has set his sights on the Barfoot and Thompson event in the city on April 7.

“I’m doing the sprint tri (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run) and I’m looking forward to it as I’ve never been able to do anything like this before.

“I’ve been busting to get the weight off and this is a totally new experience for me. I just want to be able to finish it and then look long term to moving up to the standard distance,” he added.

“I’m loving life and I wanted to do this sort of event, but never been able to up till now. I’ll be there to finish and watch this space next year I’ll be back to smash it.”

The North Shore athlete attended Westlake Boys’ a school renowned for a number of top international sporting stars who attended the school, including Paul Amey triathlon representative at the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games and basketball players Kirk Penney, Tom Abercrombie, and Corey Webster.

ENDS

COURSE INFO
The courses are contained to the waterfront and CBD with the athletes getting to enjoy much of the same course that the elites will compete over on the Saturday, albeit in a different direction; course maps are available online at www.triauckland.co.nz

In between all the action for the everyday Kiwi’s taking part is the opening round of the International Triathlon Union World Triathlon Series, with the best in the world kicking off their 2013 seasons with the elite women’s and men’s races on Saturday afternoon.

Late entries are accepted for the event at registration on the Friday and Saturday, full details can be found at www.triauckland.co.nz

Barfoot & Thompson ITU Triathlon
April 5-7
Auckland
Queens Wharf

Friday 5th April
12.00pm to 8.00pm              Sport & Lifestyle Expo Open
6.30pm                                   Twilight Swim/Run
Saturday 6th April
8.00am to 5.00pm                Sport & Lifestyle Expo Open
9.30am                                   Brunch 5km run
12.06pm                                 Elite Men ITU WTS
3.06pm                                   Elite Women ITU WTS
Sunday 7th April
9.00am to 5.00pm                Sport & Lifestyle Expo Open
7.00am                                   Sprint, Open and Team Triathlons
12.00pm                                 Paratriathlon

Entry open now at www.triauckland.co.nz