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This week’s episode goes inside Mauna Apparel with co founders Gonzalo and Philip. They break down why the brand started, what was broken in the custom kit world, and what it actually takes to develop fast kit that holds up on race day. Jenna Caer (@jennacaer) is joined by Josh (@joshmvernon) and Fede (@fedemultisport), with the crew also sharing training updates, Team Mauna camp prep, and a clear rundown of Supertri’s major changes for 2026.

A shorter bonus segment closes the episode, Fede sits down with Jane Sharman, Race Director of Challenge Wanaka, to unpack why this race has become one of the sport’s most iconic destination events.

Highlights

Guests Gonzalo and Philip share how Mauna Apparel started from a real gap in club kits, quality, pricing, design flexibility, and missed turnaround timelines

What product development really looks like, fabric sourcing, prototyping, athlete testing, and why new product lines can take a year or more

Wind tunnel testing, why aerodynamics are personal, and what it means when off the shelf suits consistently test well across multiple athletes

Pro athlete partnerships and why trust, fit, innovation, and long term commitment matter when signing top talent

Team Mauna camp scouting in Scottsdale, dry desert conditions, hydration, and what athletes can expect

Why the Mauna Racing community keeps growing, global presence, race weekend meetups, and the value of having people in your corner on race day

Industry insight from inside the business side, where the sport is thriving but professionalism often lags behind athlete commitment

Supertri changes for 2026, three qualifier races feeding a Grand Final, more draft legal sprint racing, and a major prize purse at the final

Challenge Wanaka Interview
Fede interviews Jane Sharman, Race Director of Challenge Wanaka, ahead of the event’s 20th anniversary. She shares how the race began with early discussions in 2006 and the first edition in 2007, making it one of the first Challenge Family events outside of Challenge Roth. Today it has grown into a three day festival with racing for every age and ability, from preschool kids on scooters and slip and slides, to juniors, to seniors, and a full pro field.

Jane explains how the event is run by a charitable trust that uses community grants to subsidise junior racing, keeping the festival accessible for local kids. She also walks through sustainability initiatives, including major waste minimisation efforts and a push toward a disposable cup free event.

On the course, she highlights a lake swim in Lake Wanaka, a two lap 90k bike course with one lane bridges and cattle grids to be aware of, plus a two lap run course that is flatter and faster than the previous Glen Dhu version. She also shares why the event hub design is a win for spectators, with swim, bike, and run all lapping through the same central point.

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Another Triathlon Podcast is brought to you by Mauna Apparel (@maunaapparel)
Host, Jenna Caer Seefried, @jennacaer
Josh, @joshmve

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Stay connected with us! Follow us on social media - @anothertriathlonpodcast with hosts Jenna-Caer, Fede and Josh to keep up with the latest. And if you have any burning questions for the coaches, feel free to shoot them over to Jennacaer@maunaendurance.com

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Jenna and Josh catch up on training, travel, and the early season triathlon buzz. Josh is rebuilding his run carefully ahead of Tokyo while stacking big swim and bike weeks. Jenna-Caer is back from Qatar and still feeling the Samla 100, a wild 100 km multi sport race that delivered five transitions, deep sand, and a finish rate that made the cutoff times feel very real. They also dig into one of the biggest pro racing updates of the year, Ironman officially moving the pro draft zone from 12 metres to 20 metres, plus a quick look ahead to Challenge Sir Bani Yas and the rest of the season’s chaos.

Highlights
• Josh’s training update, back running after 10 to 11 days off, with short easy runs, strong swim consistency, and big bike volume
• Tokyo mindset shift, prioritizing getting to the start healthy over chasing a risky time goal
• Jenna’s Samla 100 recap, 3k ocean swim, 21k run, 22k mountain bike, 4k kayak, 22k mountain bike, 28k desert run
• Why Samla felt harder than an Ironman, 49k of running with long stretches in soft sand and a day that moved slower than expected
• Surprise pro start line in Qatar, including Rachel Klamer and Jess Learmonth, plus a stacked men’s field
• Pre race chaos and highlights, course preview in the desert, riding camels, and getting the full “pro treatment” experience
• Mountain bike reality, constant dismounts, pushing up sand dunes, and shoes full of sand
• Race logistics and broadcast notes, impressive production for a first year event in the desert, including multi box coverage
• The number that stuck, an estimated 30 percent finish rate
• Race preview, Challenge Sir Bani Yas with a strong early season pro field and an unusual cruise ship travel setup
• The big news, Ironman moves the pro draft zone from 12 metres to 20 metres for the 2026 season
• What Ironman shared, testing indicated a meaningful reduction in draft benefit at 20 metres, plus a more transparent media call with Scott Derue
• Age group note, no change for age group draft rules at this time
• Bingo board segment, predictions on doping news, first time world champions, Paula Findlay’s full distance debut, Supertri short shoot impact, and whether Cam Wurf can win a pro series race

Quickfire Q and A
• What was Josh’s biggest win this week? Building swim fitness fast, and returning to running without the old pain flaring
• What surprised Jenna most about Samla 100? How much of the running was soft sand, and how quickly pace stopped mattering
• What was the easiest leg? The kayak, unless your kayak sinks
• What is the biggest rule change discussed? Ironman shifting the pro draft zone from 12 metres to 20 metres
• Does this change anything for age group racing? No, it applies to pros only at this point
• What are they most excited to see this season? How the 20 metre rule reshapes race tactics and creates more genuine come from behind stories

Follow the show on instagram or Youtube @anothertriathlonpodcast

Jenna @jennacaer
Josh, @joshmvernon
Fede, @fedemultisport

Support the show

Stay connected with us! Follow us on social media - @anothertriathlonpodcast with hosts Jenna-Caer, Fede and Josh to keep up with the latest. And if you have any burning questions for the coaches, feel free to shoot them over to Jennacaer@maunaendurance.com

https://www.instagram.com/anothertriathlonpodcast/

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This week on Another Triathlon Podcast, Josh (@joshmvernon) and Fede (@fedemultisport) sit down with Ray Maker, aka DC Rainmaker (@dcrainmaker), who you will know from his popular YouTube gear reviews HERE, for a no fluff conversation about the gear choices triathletes obsess over every off season. Ray joins from Amsterdam, mid move, surrounded by boxes and pallets, and still manages to deliver exactly what he has built his reputation on for 15 plus years, honest reviews, clear explanations, and consumer first advice.

Jenna (@jennacaer) is deep in race prep for Qatar, so this one is a Josh and Fede episode, and it hits every big question athletes ask when they are trying to buy speed, buy simplicity, or just avoid wasting money on something that looks cool but does not work.

From beginner watch setups and bike computers, to heart rate straps vs armbands, HRV trends, crash detection, satellite SOS, and why swim tech has barely moved in a decade, Ray lays out what actually matters and why.

Highlights
• How DC Rainmaker started, from an Ironman training blog to the most trusted tech reviews in endurance sport
• Why price matters, and why every product review should be framed through value
• What makes a product good, does it do what it claims, do new features work, do old features break, is it worth upgrading
• Swim tech reality check, why innovation has been minimal, what breaks open water GPS tracks, and why Form goggles are the one company pushing forward
• Bike tech today, what has improved, what hasn’t, and why pacing tools and course planning are the real gains
• Beginner triathlon setup, what to buy first, where to save money, and why older top tier watches can be incredible value
• Power meters, why Favero pedals are the sweet spot, and when it makes sense to add a power meter at time of bike purchase
• HRV, what it’s good for, why trends beat day to day obsession, and how alcohol, sickness, and poor sleep show up instantly
• Optical heart rate in 2026, when wrist sensors are great, when they struggle, and why armbands might be the accuracy king
• Ray’s simple race day gear list, mid range bike computer, power meter pedals, and a high end watch, plus why Coros wins on value

Quickfire Q&A
• What should a beginner triathlete buy first, a good value triathlon capable watch, then decide if a bike computer and power meter actually match your goals
• Chest strap, wrist, or armband, armband is often most accurate, especially when sweat and cold weather mess with chest straps
• Is HRV worth paying attention to, yes, but use it as a trend and an early warning, not a daily scoreboard
• What is the hardest part of auto transitions, T2 to run, because the watch cannot know where that exact line is
• What is Ray showing up with in a few years, a trusted mid range bike computer, Favero power meter pedals, and a high end Garmin watch as a reference level setup

Guest: Ray Maker

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Support the show

Stay connected with us! Follow us on social media - @anothertriathlonpodcast with hosts Jenna-Caer, Fede and Josh to keep up with the latest. And if you have any burning questions for the coaches, feel free to shoot them over to Jennacaer@maunaendurance.com

https://www.instagram.com/anothertriathlonpodcast/