Jake Jackson-Grammer is all about multisport.
The 19-year-old University of Otago student will represent New Zealand at the world duathlon championships in Adelaide in October.
Originally from Palmerston North, Jackson-Grammer moved to Dunedin last year to study civil engineering.
The Caversham club runner has been juggling study with up to 20 hours' training a week for the race in Adelaide, which consists of a 10km run, 40km cycle and 5km run.
An especially icy Dunedin winter has made training ''hard'' for Jackson-Grammer, who has had three heavy falls in icy conditions.
He is a former national age-group triathlon champion, and came fifth in the 16-19 years section at the world championships in Edmonton last September.
He prefers triathlon, but hopes for a top-10 finish in the junior elite race in October.
''I will have to be running about 15 minutes for the 5km to get into the front group,'' he said.
''If I can do that - my strength is in cycling - so if I can get in a break on the bike and hold it for the last run, then hopefully I can get top 10.''
Coached by former Olympic triathlete Shane Reed and wife Tammy, who are based in Feilding, Jackson-Grammer has been focusing on cycling in a pack to take advantage of drafting, a technique where cyclists race in single file to block the wind for those behind.
''The last few months have been a lot of base work,'' he said.
''So I will definitely be getting in a bit of speed the next couple of months.''
Jackson-Grammer flats with Caversham clubmate Joshua Baan, who won the senior men's race at the Otago cross-country championships earlier this month.
The two do most of their training together, and Jackson-Grammer believes all the cross-country running he is doing is helping his form.
''I really enjoy the cross-country running down here. It's probably one of the best places to run it in New Zealand, with all the different clubs. There is nearly a race every weekend.''
While Jackson-Grammer could not complete the junior men's 8km race at the Otago cross-country because of flu symptoms, he is set to compete at the national championships in Christchurch this weekend.
As well as competing in club duathlons, he plans to compete in the Clyde to Alexandra road race on August 22.
He will spend about a week in Adelaide before the championships, which start on October 14.
