🦘 Who said triathlon is a solitary pursuit? The 265-strong Kiwi team set for next month’s World Triathlon Age Group Championships in Wollongong conclusively proves otherwise.
In addition to the strong club allegiances and the unbreakable bond in black, Team NZL is very much a family affair. How so? Try nine father/mother and/or son/daughter combos, three sets of brothers, the Evans sisters of Manawatu, Millie and Lucy, and nine husband and wife duos.
Heck, the team even boasts two sets of twins (pictured above): Xavier and Oliver Christie from Whakatane (Hayden Wilde country!), and the decorated Miller twins of Triathlon Tauranga fame, Liam and Blake. The Miller’s have six world championship medals between them, four of them gold (Blake x 3, Liam x 1), and will want more in Australia.
But wait, there’s more. The Christie twins will be joined in ‘The Gong’ by their father Scott (pictured below) who will also proudly fly the Eastern Bay of Plenty Triathlon & Multisport Club flag in the 50-54 sprint triathlon.
Check out Team NZL’s family affair below:
Fathers & Sons
Scott Christie, Xavier Christie, Oliver Christie
Kevin Henderson, Thomas Henderson
Tim Hodgson, Henry Hodgson
Greg Weston, Kian Weston
Fathers & Daughters
AJ Cornwall, Hayley Cornwall
Jonathan Linyard, Keisha Linyard
Mother & Daughter
Debbie Fransen, Petra Fransen
Father, Daughter and Son
Jeremy Webber, Sophie Webber (elite), Eliot
Mum, Dad & Son
Brenda Wotton, Michael Wotton, Nick Wotton
Brothers
Blake Miller, Liam Miller
George Skinner, Oscar Skinner
Sisters
Millie Evans, Lucy Evans
Husbands & Wives
Hugh Parris & Kerri Dewe
Hayden Goldsack & Ange Wall
Graham Johns & Natalie Weinberg
William & Tracey Kelsey
Martin Hill & Michelle Laughton-Hill
Andrew & Rachel McCulloch
Steve Mellsop & Sue Mellsop
Dean & Raelene Rees
Mike & Reiko Trees
That’s a lot of relations, and relationships to navigate when the training gets tough and the pressure bubbles over just before race time.
Which brings us to a friendly The Full Send warning for any singles on the loose in Wollongong. You’d better watch out because Team NZL manager Mel Saltiel reports romance often manifests itself at world championships; 2025 Wollongong team-members Aleisha Williams and Liam Miller (Ibiza) and Ryan Marfell and Brooke Goodall (Torremolinos) connected at previous worlds.
For the record, Team NZL’s father-son count would have been one higher but sadly a tumble on the slopes means young Filip Martin is sporting a broken wrist and won’t be able to compete alongside his Manawatu Triathlon Club dad Andrew.
For anyone still with us at this point, herewith follows the breakdown of athletes per club headed to Wollongong, per Manager Mel’s insider intel:
50 – Auckland City Triathlon Club
46 – Triathlon Tauranga
24 – North Harbour Triathlon Club
22 – Tri Wellington
21 – Canterbury Triathlon Club
18 – Manawatu Triathlon Club
15 – Overseas Kiwis: AUS (13) UK (1) USA (1)
14 – Tri Hawke’s Bay
12 – Hamilton Triathlon Club
7 – Dunedin Triathlon & Multisport Club
5 – Eastern BOP Triathlon & Multisport Club
5 – Taranaki Triathlon & Multisport Club
5 – Tri-Sport Taupo
4 – Hibiscus Coast Triathlon & Multisport Club
4 – Nelson Triathlon & Multisport Club
3 – Southland Triathlon and Multisport
2 – Whangarei Triathlon Club
1 – Eastland Triathlon & Multisport Club
1 – Mid Canterbury Triathlon & Multisport Club
1 – Oamaru Multisport Club
1 – Tri Wanaka
1 – Waitakere Triathlon and Multisport Club
For those jealously left behind in Aotearoa, mark your diaries to keep tabs on family, friends, club-mates or perhaps your future significant other with the Wollongong age group schedule here (all times local, Cove Beach unless stated):
October 15: Parade of Nations (5pm, Lang Park)
October 16: Standard Triathlon (from 7:45am), Standard Aquabike (from 10am).
October 17: Sprint Triathlon (from 8am)
October 19: Mixed Relay (from 10:30am, Cove Beach Marina)
• This story first appeared in The Full Send, Tri NZ’s weekly newsletter out each Friday. Two families were unwittingly omitted from the original copy. TFS apologises unreservedly for the honest oversight which has been corrected above. If we’ve missed anyone else, please let us know and we’ll rectify it.
