22 Nov 2011

Tricky formula for NZ men's triathletes

5:10 pm on 22 November 2011

The New Zealand double at Sunday's year-ending triathlon World Cup in Auckland could open up a third Olympic spot for the men.

Canterbury's Andrea Hewitt completed her standout year with a third ITU win in the women's race - the world number two's the only local athlete to already qualify for the 2012 Games.

But Palmerston North's Kris Gemmell's 1-2 with Bevan Docherty has raised the chance of New Zealand earning enough points to get three men to the starting line in London.

However the final Olympic permutations won't be known until after the world series event in Sydney in April.

Three spots will be up for grabs, which presumably will be filled by Gemmell, two-time Olympic medalist Docherty and Ryan Sissons, who finished eighth in Auckland.