Port of Tauranga Half Ironman organisers have pulled off a 'massive coup” in luring five-time world champion Craig Alexander across the ditch for 2015's event.

Come January 10, the Australian triathlete, commonly known as 'Crowie”, will line up alongside Kiwi triathlete Ryan Sissons and New Zealand ironman legend Cameron Brown for what should be competitive clash.

Five-time World Ironman champion Craig Alexander. Photo: Supplied.

Alexander has won the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in 2008, 2009 and 2011, and is the current course record holder. He is also the winner of the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in 2006 and 2011.

His inclusion adds some serious spice to Brown's tilt at an unprecedented 11th POT Half Ironman title – after taking out the 2014 edition.

The 2km swim, 90km bike and 21km run event is iconic in the NZ triathlon calendar, doubling as Triathlon New Zealand's Long Distance Championship.

'Having Craig Alexander is a massive coup for us,” says Mount Festival general manager Lauren Watson. 'He hasn't raced in New Zealand for the last 10 years.

'You just don't get this kind of calibre of athletes down to New Zealand - it's pretty special.”

Watson says a major draw for Alexander is the newly-created Mount Festival of Multisport, unveiled after months of speculation surrounding the future of the country's premier Half Iron distance event.

The three-day inaugural festival from January 9-11 will see the hallmark Half Ironman event on Saturday, between a short distance triathlon event on Friday, and the Weetbix Kids Tryathlon on Sunday.

The cut-off point for the POT Half is 1200 entries and all signs are pointing to it being as popular as recent years.

'We have a really good field of athletes this year, and a lot of really top age groupers,” says Lauren.

'It's probably one of the best fields that the event has had for a few years now, especially at the top end.”

Added excitement for organisers is the granting of Oceania Championship status for the New Zealand tag team Championships on the Friday.

The inaugural event follows on from the event's debut at this year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with tag team triathlon likely to become an Olympic race very soon.

The event sees teams of four each complete a 250m swim, 5km bike, and 2km run before tagging the next team member.

Lauren says it is 'gigantic” in the fact that the event now doubles as the NZ and Oceania Championships – allowing qualification for the 2015 World Championships.