It’s back to the future with return of Taupo junior tri festival

🏆 The Future ChampioNZ Triathlon Festival, once a highlight of the Tri NZ junior calendar, is back!

The three day festival, to be hosted for the first time since 2019 by Tri-Sport Taupo from December 12-14, will serve as the second round of the 2025-26 Tri NZ Junior Series.

The event provides the opportunity for juniors to race multiple events over the weekend with different formats to challenge skills and race craft.

At its peak, Future ChampioNZ attracted more than 200 athletes and sent athletes that are household names today – the likes of Tayler Reid and Kyle Smith – on their way to international stardom. Japan once even sent a team to the series which was originally formulated and lead by Stephen and Samantha Bradley as a spin-off of the popular AusTri Runaway Bay Junior Series.

Future ChampioNZ 2025 will feature a series of rapid-fire, skill development focused racing:

Friday, December 12
Race 1: Le Mans Criterium (Duathlon), 4pm at Taupo MotorSport Park. U20 and U17 (Youth)

Saturday, December 13
Race 2: Try Off-Road Aquathlon, 7am Waikato River (U20s only)
Race 3: Eliminator (multiple laps of swim/run), 1pm at Wharewaka Reserve

Sunday, December 14
Race 4: Triathlon – The Finale, 8am at Wharewaka Reserve

Athletes earn points in each race with their accumulated total over the weekend deciding the podium and Tri NZ Junior Series points.

There will also be education sessions with guest speakers on the Saturday after racing, offering athletes, caregivers and coaches an invaluable opportunity to up skill across numerous topics.

The Tri-Sport Taupo website says it best: “This isn’t just about competition… it’s about giving young people a chance to grow, connect and take the next step in their triathlon journey. We’re creating a space where athletes, parents, coaches and the wider community can come together to support the future of our sport.”

The Tri NZ Junior Series has moved to a North/South model for 25-26 to remove the necessity for athletes to travel, ahead of Grand Finals where the best of the best will converge for a shot at national glory.

Triathlon Tauranga’s “Tinman” kicks off the series on November 23. Future ChampioNZ’s follows in December with the Blue Lake Multisport Festival (January 25-26) rounding out the North Island events.

The South Island dates are: Waitomo Triathlon Festival (December 14), Canterbury Classic (February 1), Canterbury Schools (February 19) and South Island Schools (March 1).

The Grand Finals will be held at the Napier Triathlon Festival (Junior U20) on March 1, and the Bay Radiology NZ Schools Championships (Youth U17) in Tauranga on March 26-27.

For more info and to enter Tri NZ Junior Series races, click here.