Lance eyes Kiwi triathlon

Wellington - Lance Armstrong will compete in a sprint-distance triathlon in New Zealand in January.

Organizers of the Blue Lake Multisport Festival at Rotorua on New Zealand's North Island said Monday that Armstrong was a confirmed starter in the Jan. 29-30 event.

The triathlon comprises a 750-meter (500-yard) lake swim, a 16-kilometer (10-mile) cycle and a 5.5-kilometer (3.4-mile) run through forest.

The seven-time Tour de France champion became a professional triathlete aged 16 and was American national sprint champion in 1989 and 1990 before concentrating on cycling.

Armstrong has indicated that Australia's Tour Down Under from January 16-23 will be his last professional race outside the United States.