• Suzuki NZ named Official Supporter and Exclusive Motor Vehicle Partner
• Additionally joins Port of Tauranga as Official Volunteer Programme Partner
• Partnership spans 2026 World Triathlon Cup, 2027 WTCS Tauranga and the 2028 WTCS Grand Final
• Suzuki NZ to provide vehicles central to the operational delivery of the Triple Crown
Suzuki New Zealand brings its long-standing commitment to New Zealand triathlon to the world stage
Auckland, (April 2, 2026) – Suzuki New Zealand has been unveiled as an Official Supporter of Tauranga’s triple crown of World Triathlon events through 2028, locking in one of the sport’s most enduring commercial relationships for what shapes as the most significant three-year period in New Zealand triathlon history.
The agreement grants Suzuki NZ exclusivity across the motor vehicle category and positions the brand at the operational heart of the series through a key partnership role in the triple crown’s Volunteer Programme, a critical function that keeps world-class racing moving. Suzuki joins the Port of Tauranga, announced earlier, as a cornerstone partner of the programme.
The events Suzuki will support across the three-year term are:
- 2026 World Triathlon Cup Tauranga
- 2027 World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) Tauranga
- 2028 World Triathlon Championship Series Grand Final Tauranga
For Triathlon New Zealand CEO Pete de Wet, securing Suzuki wasn’t a commercial transaction, rather a natural progression of a partnership that has been built over years on mutual respect for the sport. The renowned Japanese manufacturer are long-time title sponsors of Tri NZ’s annual series of grassroots, mass-participation national championships, the Tri NZ Suzuki Series.
“It’s awesome to have such an important anchor sponsor of triathlon get in behind Tauranga’s triple crown of events in 2026, 2027 and 2028,” de Wet said.
“Suzuki has shown great commitment to our sport for such a long time, so it just feels right to have them as the official vehicle partner for the series. They’ll also be a key player in the Volunteer Programme, providing vehicles to assist us in ensuring the event can be delivered successfully.”
The volunteer workforce underpinning three consecutive global events is one of the most logistically complex undertakings in New Zealand sport. Suzuki’s support across that programme isn’t peripheral, it’s foundational, and through the provision of vehicles, will enable the kind of seamless athlete and official movement that World Triathlon demands.
For Suzuki New Zealand CEO and Executive General Manager Automobile Gary Collins, the partnership reflects something deeper than brand exposure. It reflects who Suzuki is.
“Suzuki New Zealand is delighted to partner with Tri NZ for the upcoming World Cup and World Triathlon Championship Series events in Tauranga,” Collins said.
“Suzuki has been a long-term local supporter of triathlon in New Zealand so the involvement with the world’s premiere showcase of the sport is a perfect fit for our brand. We’re the masters of making a little go a long way with our range of affordable, efficient vehicles. But most of all we’re about having fun and enjoying life. So it is a pleasure to be able to assist Kiwis to compete on the world stage in our backyard.”
With a World Triathlon Cup, a WTCS round and a WTCS Grand Final set to call Tauranga home across three successive years, the region is entering an unprecedented chapter as a global destination for the sport. Suzuki New Zealand, practical, efficient, community-rooted, and built for the long haul, is the right partner to drive it forward.
About Suzuki New Zealand
Suzuki is one of the world’s most successful brands, enjoying a reputation as an innovative leader in compact car, motorcycle, marine and 4WD technology. The Suzuki brand symbolises outstanding quality and value and the team at Suzuki New Zealand and its nationwide dealer network are dedicated to providing New Zealanders with a fun and rewarding ownership experience.
