Fitter Radio Triathlon Podcast

Mike shares his thinking behind his decision to protest at the recent Loan Market Tauranga Half. We discuss the implications of the newly announced Pro Series, the importance of course familiarity and the evolving dynamics of drafting rules in triathlon. He also reflects on his past races, the impact of technology on race fairness and his plans for upcoming competitions including IRONMAN New Zealand in March
After four pros inadvertently rode a shortened section of the bike course at the Loan Market Tauranga Half, protests were lodged, an appeal was heard and the final outcome saw a 2:26 time penalty added to their results. We break down exactly what happened on course and behind the scenes and discuss why we believe the final ruling reflects the proper application of the rules once the facts were established.
00:00 – Kathmandu Coast to Coast
12:24 – Loan Market Tauranga Half Protest
25:29 – Mike Phillips
LINKS:
Follow Mike Phillips on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mikephillipsnz/
Loan Market Tauranga Half at https://mountfestival.kiwi/events/tauranga-half/
Kathmandu Coast to Coast at https://www.coasttocoast.co.nz/
IRONMAN New Zealand at https://www.ironman.com/races/im-new-zealand

On 31 January 2026, 16-year-old New Zealand running sensation Sam Ruthe ran a world-record indoor mile time of 3:48.88. New Zealand middle-distance runner Sam Tanner is a two-time Olympian and currently holds several national records and titles. Both Sam's are coached by Kiwi Craig Kirkwood. We chat to CK about his coaching philosophies and his incredible success with the development of young athletes in New Zealand. He emphasises the importance of competition, his experiences of managing injury and the role of plyometrics in training.
We also chat to CK about his success in creating a supportive training environment for his athletes and the ripple effect that has in inspiring younger athletes in New Zealand.
Shay McLeod won the free race entry to IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong. We find out more about him.
SuperTri change their race format to a draft legal, sprint distance – we look at what that might look like for the sport.
00:00 – The Winter Olympics
12:25 – SuperTri
18:16 – Race entry competition for IM703 W Sydney
20:31 – Shay McLeod
35:29 – Craig Kirkwood
LINKS:
IRONMAN 70.3 Western Sydney at https://www.ironman.com/races/im703-western-sydney
Craig Kirkwood at https://www.ckcoaching.co.nz/
Shay McLeod at Symmetry Physio https://symmetry.physio/
SuperTri at https://supertri.com/

We chat about the impact of the new 20m draft ruling and how it might affect racing going forward.
The Loan Market Half results hang in the balance as we await a decision from race officials regarding 4 pro athletes having gone off course at the start of the bike and re-entered further up the road - effectively missing at least a kilometre of the course.
We chat to Kiwi Professional Triathletes Jack Moody and Hannah Berry about the upcoming IRONMAN New Zealand race – the new bike course and the new 20 metre draft rule.
00:00 – Tri News and Racing
09:02 – The new 20m draft rule
15:16 – Loan Market Half controversy
26:48 – Jack Moody
45:46 – Hannah Berry
LINKS:
Follow Jack Moody on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jacktmoody/
Follow Hannah Berry on Instagram at  https://www.instagram.com/dr_hannah_wells/
Loan Market Half at https://mountfestival.kiwi/events/tauranga-half/
Race Ranger at https://www.raceranger.com/
Challenge Sir Bani Yas at https://www.challenge-sirbaniyas.com/en
IRONMAN New Zealand at https://www.ironman.com/races/im-new-zealand
Craig Kirkwood at https://www.ckcoaching.co.nz/

Jeff Morris, Race Director Ultraman Australia shares his journey into the world of triathlon and the unique challenges of organizing the Ultraman race. He discusses the decision to bring the Ultraman event to Wanaka, New Zealand, highlighting the course details, community engagement and the family atmosphere that surrounds the race. 
We have a free race entry to giveaway to the IRONMAN 70.3 in Geelong in March.
00:00 – Challenge Wanaka
06:36 – Ultraman
12:02 – Jeff Morris Ultraman
53:21 – IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong
58:26 – Free race entry competition to IM703 Geelong
LINKS:
Ultraman at https://ultramanoz.com.au/
Challenge Wanaka https://challenge-wanaka.com/
IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong https://www.ironman.com/races/im703-geelong
Hawea Epic https://www.lakehaweaepic.co.nz/
Ruby Island Swim https://www.swimrubyisland.co.nz/
T100 https://t100triathlon.com/

We chat about the racing from the Loan Market Half at the weekend including the incredible performances and the use of race ranger.
We catch up with James Elvery from Race Ranger about the recent developments in drafting distance testing for triathlons, particularly in relation to IRONMAN events. He shares insights from recent tests where they experimented with different drafting distances, including 12 meters and 20 meters. James emphasizes the importance of accurate data collection and the feedback from athletes regarding their experiences with the Race Ranger system.
The discussion also delves into the future of Race Ranger, particularly its expansion into age-group events. James outlines the steps being taken to prepare for a larger rollout, including the development of new devices and the logistics of managing them at events.
00:00 – Tim's back from Aspen
06:00 – Mount Festival of Sport race review
34:35 – James Elvery of Race Ranger
LINKS:
Race Ranger - https://www.raceranger.com/
Jack Moody on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jacktmoody/
Nicole van der Kaay at https://www.instagram.com/nicolevdkaay/
Mount Festival of Sport at https://mountfestival.kiwi/