Happy camper ready to defend Xterra title | Rotorua Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Rotorua

Defending Rotorua Xterra champion Gina Ferguson doesn't need a fancy motel to rest up for an event.

She's been roughing it in a tent at the Tikitapu (Blue Lake) motor camp for the past couple of days, close to the 1km swim/33km mountainbike/11km run Xterra course.

She's out to defend her title with local Sonia Hill (nee Foote), a former title holder, picked to provide her toughest competition.

Camping meant Ferguson could come to Rotorua from Christchurch a few days earlier.

"I'd rather come up here early and look at the course then stay at a fancy motel."

She travels light anyway - tent, equipment and a support crew of one, partner Brett.

"It's nice to have someone there, it helps me relax before a race."

The 26-year-old won the Triathlon New Zealand national series this year and came sixth in her first Ironman in Taupo last month after a third at Tauranga's Half Ironman. She's excited about tomorrow's race, although her preparation has been limited, given her focus on Ironman.

"It's an end-of-season thing for me, more of a 'fun' race. I feel really confident with my swimming and running but the mountainbiking is really just getting through. I'll go as hard as I can - if I win, that's great."

Hill, who came third last year, used the summer triathlon series as training, specifically targeting Xterra after shifting her focus from mountainbiking.



With the aim of going to Maui for the Xterra worlds in October, Hill says the Rotorua event will serve as a benchmark. She previously won an age group title in Maui and just missed the top 10 in 2005 after becoming sick. She was forced to take a break from training recently through illness but reckons it did her good, both physically and mentally.



While conscious of Ferguson's potential form, 28-year-old Hill prefers to focus on her own performance. She juggled training with teaching science and senior biology at Putaruru College but is confident she's done all she can.

"You have to train smart - more doesn't always equal better ... [Gina] will have done everything she can as well and ... it's settled on the dirt after that."

About 3000 competitors, including individuals and team racers, are entered for the event, which begins at 8.30am.