Lauren Parker hopes the only hurdle she faces on Saturday in Devonport will be the conditions after the 32-year-old had to overcome a few hiccups on the way to a dominant win in Newcastle last weekend.
The Novocastrian broke a swim splint for her legs then sustained a flat tyre during the cycle leg of the City of Newcastle Paratriathlon.
It was the third straight victory in her home town and Parker is also the back-to-back defending champion in Devonport.
But the Paralympic gold medal hopeful prefers racing in hotter conditions.
"The water is freezing down here," Parker told the Newcastle Herald from Tasmania during the week. "I've never dealt with the cold very well. Last year it was 16 degrees. It's my biggest hurdle in Devonport."
The Newcastle event was Parker's first paratriathlon race in around 12 months due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
"I haven't done a lot of training this week, just freshening up, but I haven't felt too bad after the race last weekend," Parker said. "It will be good to get race practice again, focusing on transitions and getting them right and having to practise under race conditions."
Parker is also trying to qualify for two hand-cycling events in Toyko.
"I want to push out some big numbers on the bike, to show Cycling Australia," Parker said. "That could help me in my qualification for cycling if I can produce some good numbers."
She will be racing for glory against compatriots Emily Tapp and Sara Tait.
