@t100triathlon
While much of the triathlon world is deep in off-season training, a handful of athletes are already testing their fitness. Among them are New Zealand standouts Kyle Smith and Hayden Wilde, who lined up at the Waitoa Mount Festival Half Marathon this weekend.
For Smith, the result carried particular significance. After a 2025 season disrupted by injury and setbacks, the Kiwi delivered a confidence-boosting performance, taking the win in 1:11:27 on the notoriously challenging course.
Smith’s victory was anything but routine. He edged out Julian Oakley – New Zealand’s top distance runner and the current course record holder – by just 13 seconds, underlining the quality of the performance.
For context, Korban Bastiaanse won the 2025 edition in 1:14:16, while Oakley’s course record of 1:07:27 was set in 2023.
Smith’s run serves as an early signal that his off-season work is paying dividends, and suggests he may be ready to enter the 2026 triathlon season with renewed momentum.