Kiwis chase big money in Des Moines

Over 100 of the world's fastest triathletes will converge on West Des Moines, Iowa this Sunday in hopes of grabbing their share of the largest triathlon prize purse in the world and Kiwis will be right in amongst it on Monday morning New Zealand time.

With a total of US $1 million up for grabs, and $200,000 going to both the male and female winners, the fourth annual Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon Elite Cup is sure to be one of the most exciting events of the season. The stacked start list includes three Olympic gold medallists, four former world champions and the current number one ranked male and female triathletes in the world.

And New Zealanders will be in the chase for the prize money with Bevan Docherty and Kris Gemmell headlining the men’s field while Andrea Hewitt and Debbie Tanner lead a host of Kiwis will line up in the women’s race. In all twelve New Zealanders will be on the start line on Monday morning NZT.

Ones to watch include returning champion Simon Whitfield of Canada, who won a thrilling, five-man sprint finish at last year's event. If the 2000 Olympic gold medallist wants to repeat in Des Moines, he'll have to top 2008 Olympic champion Jan Frodeno of Germany, who is only five weeks removed from winning the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Seoul.

Auckland’s Ryan Sissons will also line up and is hoping for a strong showing.

“I’ve had one of my best build-ups possibly here in Boulder, Colorado training day in and day out with Kris Gemmell. We have been living up in Nederland, a little town on the outskirts of Colorado up in the mountains at 2500m above sea level! Breathing up there has been pretty difficult but the increase in red blood cells will hopefully help when it matters most on race day.”

In the women's race, Hewitt will need to be at her best in an increasingly competitive field and the Aussies are likely to be the strongest contenders including returning champion Emma Moffatt, who blew away the field at last year's event. Moffatt is coming off of a remarkable 2009 season, in which she won four Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series events. Perhaps he biggest competition will come from teammate and 2008 Olympic gold medallist Emma Snowsill, who finished as the runner-up in Des Moines last season.

Hewitt, Moffatt and Snowsill will have to contend with newcomer Barbara Riveros Diaz who has been brilliant so far in the 2010 season. The 22-year-old Chilean currently leads the world rankings after winning the Series opener and Sydney and finishing second in Seoul. Riveros Diaz finished 11th in Des Moines in 2009.

Other's to watch in the women's race include Switzerland's Daniela Ryf and Great Britain's Helen Jenkins.

New Zealanders in Des Moines
Women
Andrea Hewitt, Debbie Tanner, Kate McIlroy, Nicky Samuels, Teresa Adam, Rebecca Kingsford
Men
Bevan Docherty, Kris Gemmell, Ryan Sissons, Clark Ellice, Martin van Barneveld, Callum Millward

Hy-VeeTriathlon.com will carry a live video stream of all the weekend's events. Be sure to tune in at 5.30am Monday NZT for the women's race and 8:30am for the men's contest.