No Matthew Hauser. No Dylan McCullough. No Tayler Reid. No Luke Willian. No Brandon Copeland. No Callum ‘pantomime villain’ McClusky. No worries for Hayden Wilde?
That’s the only logical conclusion to be drawn ahead of the combined elite/U23 men’s race at the Oceania Triathlon Sprint Championships, with due deference to the talent that will line up on Sunday.
Aussie Luke Schofield, at No.52, is the closest to the Kiwi talisman on the World Triathlon rankings list but a pole apart in terms of pedigree. Wilde’s position at No.23 also reflects his focus on the T100 circuit last year – and recovery from that Tokyo training ride crash – rather than a true reflection of his ability.
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Watch for his ranking to right itself quickly as he returns to short course racing with clear WTCS-T100 double ambitions in 2026.
Of course, nothing in life is guaranteed and others have Olympic ambitions too, albeit not as lofty as Wilde’s stated LA aim of gold.
James Corbett, the former Team NZL rep turned Irishman-in-waiting, looks fit coming off a big training block on the Gold Coast. Schofield, his twin Jayden and compatriot Lachlan Jones will look to have a say at Ahuriri Beach too, along with the most combative of the U23s assembled in Napier.
Let’s not forget either that Wilde has uncomfortable history to wrestle with as he transitions from his impressive Elite Road Cycling Nationals campaign in Te Awamutu to the build for Abu Dhabi and the opening round of the WTCS on March 28.
Remember the last time out in Napier when the eventual Paris silver medallist was near last out of the water and needed all his reserves to run up to second place behind a Falcon-esque flapping McClusky at World Cup Napier 2024?
The Turbo Corbo / Abele Effect
So, as ever, a lot will depend on Wilde’s swim and how much of a bridge on the bike is required.
If history were to repeat itself in Hawke Bay on Sunday and a combo such as Corbett and Ivan Abele (an early season beast on the bike) get away, perhaps in a group featuring the likes of U23 contender Jack Crome, Jones and Kiwi Saxon Morgan? Well, Wilde might just have a tougher day than most predict.
But anything else than a win for the Whakatane Falcon? About as high as us ever forgiving McClusky for his finishing chute celebration on Ahuriri’s foreshore two summers ago.
A friendly reminder, just in case anyone fancies repeating McClusky’s flappy faux pas should the unthinkable happen on Sunday. The soaring Falcon is trademarked by a two-time Olympic medallist, the reigning T100 World champion and PTO World No.1 and should be avoided at all costs on any blue carpet anywhere. Especially by Australian journeymen.
We transgress.
With Reid out nursing a rib injury and McCullough back training but with no timeline for a return to racing beyond reaching “full fitness and health”, only four Kiwis will line up in the elite race: Wilde, Morgan, Aussie-based Joel Lange and Wellingtonian Christian Davey.
For the likes of Morgan, Sunday is a chance to gather world ranking points which will become increasingly valuable when the LA ’28 Olympic qualification window opens on May 18. The higher your world ranking, the better chance you have of WTCS starts and thus the flywheel effect towards Los Angeles gathers momentum.
But with just nine elites in Sunday’s 42-strong field, the 33 left chasing U23 honours makes for an altogether more compelling narrative.
McMecking Leads U23 Charge
Sadly, Palmerston North’s Sam Parry and Tauranga’s Finnley Oliver won’t be part of the conversation as they fight back from health and fitness challenges.
But there is ample Kiwi interest to give the likes of Aussies Logan Campbell, swim star Jack Crome and Oscar Wootton and uncomfortable afternoon.
Henry McMecking is the highest ranked Kiwi hope and deservedly so after producing, arguably, the breakout year of any inside the Tri NZ HP programme in 2025.
The 22-year-old Cantabrian opened his year with 16th at World Cup Napier, scooped U23 bronze (and 7th overall) at the Oceania Standard Champs in Tasmania and another 3rd at Asia Cup Gamagori before finishing a slightly disappointing 39th in the U23 Worlds in Wollongong. Is a fringe hope for Los Angeles but the real target is Brisbane ‘32 and he’ll be aware how important steady year-by-year progress in that journey.
Grayson Westgate, who finished just off the U23 podium in Tasmania to announce his arrival, is the next highest ranked Kiwi while Gus Marfell’s return after nearly a year out with a back stress fracture will be closely watched.
Marfell has fond memories of Napier, finishing the second-best Kiwi at last year’s World Cup in 13th.
Cantabrian Benjamin Airey is another on the comeback trail after battling myriad aliments – including long Covid – and racing just twice last year.
Expect Abele to bring his aggressive style to the fore early while Robbie White will look to kick on from his breakout 2024. Will Taylor, Alex Ball and Cam Maunder are among those with little to lose; the longer they can stick on the feet of the fastest swimmers, the better their days will be. There is also Mixed Relay starts to chase on Monday with more men nominated than spots available so keep tabs on the back end of the individual race for late surges between the Kiwi hopefuls.
One interesting watch will be Auckland teen Caleb Wagener. Still in the Junior (U19) ranks, the 18-year-old showcased his potential by claiming the World Triathlon Junior Men’s Duathlon Championship in Pontevedra last June and wasn’t content with his 17th in the Junior Worlds in Wollongong.
Wagener is a racer at heart – strong in cross country and on the track – and will undoubtedly have big plans for 2026 and further along to Brisbane ‘32.
Men’s start lists
Elite
U23
