Napier Triathlon Festival
Sunday 23 February
Napier will again host the opening round of the World Triathlon Cup season in 2025.
After a dramatic debut at Ahuriri Beach in 2024 highlighted by Hayden Wilde’s run from second-to-last out of Hawke Bay to the men’s silver medal, World Triathlon Cup Napier 2025 will again be the centrepiece of the Napier Triathlon Festival on Sunday, February 23.
Napier will also benefit from being scheduled a week after World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) Abu Dhabi. That means a number of the world’s best triathletes, likely including all of New Zealand’s regular WTCS campaigners, are set to jet into Hawke’s Bay fresh from competing in the opening round of the global governing body’s top tier circuit.
“We’re absolutely rapt to host the World Triathlon Cup for the second year in a row,” Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise said. “It will be fantastic to showcase Napier to the rest of the world and really turn it on for athletes and their supporters. Triathlon has really gained in popularity during the past few years and it’s wonderful seeing our New Zealand athletes shining on the world stage.”
Race Director Shanelle Barrett is confident of even bigger crowds in 2025 with the Napier Triathlon Festival featuring age group races for all levels including beginners, right up to the New Zealand Sprint Distance Championships.
One of the key events of the Tri NZ Suzuki Series, the sprint champs double as a qualifier for the 2025 World Triathlon Age Group Championships to be held in Wollongong next October. With Wollongong being on New Zealand’s back doorstep, big fields are expected to chase selection in Napier before enjoying the elite men’s and women’s World Cup action.
“We are excited to be preparing to deliver another World Cup in Hawke’s Bay,” Barrett said. "The course will remain the same as 2024 which provided great viewing for spectators at Ahuriri Beach.”
Tri NZ CEO Pete De Wet is delighted to return to Napier for the showcase of what is a huge domestic summer at the start of a new Olympic Games cycle, including a series of key Oceania Triathlon events on both sides of the Tasman.
The Napier Triathlon Festival will also feature the final round of the Tri NZ Junior Series featuring the country’s leading U16 (super sprint) and U19 (sprint) talent.
“I’m really pleased to have the World Triathlon Cup return to Hawke’s Bay in 2025, as part of the Napier Triathlon Festival,” De Wet said.
“Last year proved to be very popular and it will be even more special this coming February with our age group athletes having the added incentive of qualifying to represent New Zealand at the World Triathlon Age Group Championships in Wollongong.
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