Matthew Clough 

My name is Matthew Clough, I am 17 years old and I live in Ashburton, New Zealand. I'm an up and coming multisport athlete. I have had a very successful past couple of years as a competitive swimmer and a triathlete.

Following my success at the 2016 World Championships, I automatically qualified for the 2017 World Champs and represented New Zealand in the Aquathlon at Penticton, Canada in August 2017 where I placed 2nd.

Over the past couple of years, I have been doing a lot of mountain biking and off-road running. I have thoroughly enjoyed being on the mountain bike and running on off-road trails. Because of this, I decided to shift my focus from the traditional Triathlon to the Xterra/Cross-country type triathlons and Multisport events.
This change has brought immediate success. In February this year, I competed in the Coast to Coast Mountain Run Race and won the U19 Schoolboys section and placed 2 overall in the open men.  A couple of months later in Rotorua, I entered my first Xterra Race at the NZ Xterra Champs.  I placed 1st in the open men's short course race.  This has given me the encouragement and enthusiasm to continue in these events and next year will race in the long course event against the likes of Braden Currie and Sam Osbourne. I hope to qualify for the 2018 Xterra World Champs.

Along with the Xterra events, I'm training to compete in the 2018 Coast to Coast 2 day race.  This is an exciting challenge and involves learning to kayak which puts new events on my horizon.

The later half of 2017 has come with some great successes in great local races, with more events to come as I continue towards Coast to Coast

• 2nd ITU World U19 Aquathlon Championships (Penticton, Canada)

• 1st Open Men's Salmon Run Multisport Event

• 9th Overall Twizel Hard Labour Kayak

• 2nd Junior Twizel Hard Labour MTB

• 1st Overall Twizel Hard Labour 10km Run

• 2nd Junior Mission Mt Somers Half Marathon

• 1st Open Men's Half Marathon Long Beach Coastal Challenge

• 2nd Open Mens 23km MTB Long Beach Coastal Challenge

In the future, I'd love to be involved in a professional adventure racing team and compete on the global circuit.
Using the right equipment and gear can make all the difference.  I've been wearing the NZ Sock Company socks for a number of years and swear by them.  From training in the park to racing through the Southern Alps in the Coast to Coast they provide comfort and support.  After running 32km over boulders, bush and through multiple river crossings - not a blister in sight.

You can follow my adventures through my Facebook page @mattclough.multisport

I'm grateful to the NZ Sock Company for their ongoing support and look forward to many years of comfort and warmth.