People's Triathlon Series

    Darryl won a $10k NICH frame. You could be next.

    Darryl Soljan’s white and Ferrari red NICH frame

    ← Stories & event updates
    People’s Triathlon Series · 6 October 2026 · 2 min read

    Darryl Soljan won a NICH bike frame worth $10,000 last season. This season, every entry into the Barfoot & Thompson People’s Triathlon Series is another chance to win a NICH Cycling NZ frame.

    Darryl Soljan’s white and Ferrari red NICH frame
    Darryl’s custom NICH prize frame: white, Ferrari metallic red and his own personal details.

    Darryl’s rather good upgrade

    Well, that’s one way to sort your next bike build.

    Darryl won a NICH frame worth $10,000 last season, then worked with the NICH team to make it his own.

    His inspiration? Eddy Merckx’s 1969 Tour de France-winning bike, a nod to Darryl’s birth year. White and red, with that classic FAEMA detail.

    Getting the red right mattered. Darryl says Sam Wilkinson even went to Continental Cars to get a swatch of the Ferrari metallic red he wanted for the custom paint job. That’s a fair bit more personal than choosing a colour from a dropdown.

    Darryl described Kevin Cantwell and Sam Wilkinson from NICH New Zealand as “awesome to work with, and very generous”. His verdict on the finished bike:

    “The bike looks fantastic and rides beautifully.”

    Darryl Soljan · last season’s NICH winner
    Close-up of the Ferrari metallic red paint on Darryl’s NICH frame
    Ferrari metallic red, matched to the colour Darryl wanted.
    Darryl’s DS initials and New Zealand flag on the custom NICH frame
    His initials and the New Zealand flag.
    Red FAEMA lettering on Darryl’s white NICH frame
    A nod to the classic FAEMA colours.
    White and red FAEMA road bike supplied as the inspiration for Darryl’s NICH paint scheme
    The FAEMA bike reference behind Darryl’s custom colour scheme.

    Huge congratulations, Darryl. We’re only a little bit jealous.

    See Darryl’s win on Facebook ↗

    How do you get a chance to win?

    Enter a race in the 2026–27 People’s Triathlon Series. Every event entry this season is another chance to win a NICH Cycling NZ bike frame.

    Every entry. Another chance to win.

    Choose your event at Maraetai Beach or Mission Bay, pick your distance and complete your registration through our official entry page. Coming back for another race? That entry gives you another chance too.

    There are four race days to choose from across the season. Have a look at the races, or check the Series Pass options if you’re planning your summer around a few of them.

    Meet the people behind NICH Cycling NZ

    NICH Cycling NZ is our bike partner, and there’s a family of triathletes behind the business. Founder Kevin Cantwell started triathlon at 70. His son Dane has raced at Kona and the 70.3 World Championships.

    They know the training, the race mornings and the temptation to have a very long conversation about bikes.

    NICH’s range includes carbon road, time-trial, gravel and mountain bikes, with custom colour options. If you’ve been eyeing up your next build, their range is well worth a look.

    Meet NICH Cycling NZ and explore the bikes ↗

    Kevin and Dane Cantwell with their NICH bikes
    Kevin and Dane Cantwell from NICH Cycling NZ. Photo: NICH Cycling NZ.

    Your turn?

    You’ve already got a good reason to race: a goal to work towards and a morning out at the beach. The chance to win a NICH frame is a fairly convincing extra.

    Pick your race. Get your entry in. Maybe the next winner’s story will be yours.

    Enter People’s Tri →

    Got a question about the NICH prize draw? Get in touch with our team.

    Get ready to race.

    Your first triathlon: what to expect →Mission Bay or Maraetai Beach? →What gear do you need? →

    THE PEOPLE BEHIND PEOPLE’S TRI

    Good people.
    Great race days.

    You bring the effort. Our partners help bring race day to life.

    TITLE PARTNER

    Barfoot & Thompson

    Proudly backing your start line.

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