ROBBO PUTS HIS HAND UP TO HELP TRI KIDS ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS
December 5, 2011: Australia’s triple world champion and dual Olympian Peter “Robbo” Robertson will join a who’s who of elite Australian and international triathlon coaches and athletes on the Gold Coast later this month when a group of the sport’s most talented youngsters attend the annual National Development Camp.
The future stars of the sport, aged 16-19 years will converge on the Sports Super Centre at Runaway Bay between December 16 and 21 for an intensive six days of competition and training.
The week will be divided in two parts – the annual and unique Super Sprint Race Weekend from December 16-18 which has already attracted over 90 starters before the camp proper from December 18-21 for the country’s leading 46 competitors.
DOWNLAOD SELECTED ATHLETES AND COACHES LIST
The Super Sprint, the opening round of the 2012 Australian Junior Triathlon Series, will feature Australia’s finest young athletes contest a gruelling race format that has been purposely designed to challenge the athletes, testing them in a high intensity, high pressure environment.
The long weekend is comprised of seven events; including pool swimming races; an 8km Criterium cycle race; a 1km track running race; an Aquathon and three short Triathlons of varying distances.
Each athlete collects points over the weekend depending on their finish position in each race, which results in a seeded position in the Grand Final Triathlon.
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The camp will see a select 45-athletes put through their paces and mentored by a who’s who of coaches and some of the most experienced former triathletes, who will provide an insight into what it takes to become an elite triathlete.
Triathlon Australia is excited that Peter Robertson has put his hand up to help show these youngsters the way to the top. The ITU World Champion in 2001, 2003 and 2005 and an Olympian in 2000 and 2004 has turned his hand to coaching in Victoria and will join:
· Fellow Sydney 2000 Olympians Craig Walton and the Czech Republic’s Jan Rehula. Respected Olympic gold medal coach and AIS Coach of the year, Walton and the Sydney 2000 Olympic bronze medallist Rehula who until recently had been at the helm of the Triathlon program in Korea, are now an integral of Australia’s National Talent Search program.
Leading athletes, former ITU World Duathlon Champion Jenny Alcorn, and 2011 Australian Ironman Champion Amelia Pearson.
Internationally acclaimed, former South African and USA Triathlon and endurance running coach Bobby McGee.
Established National Talent Camp coaches Keiran Barry and Chris Lang and respected Australian coaches Dan Atkins (AIS) and Josh White (QAS) and;
Noted international “coaching guru” and recently appointed Triathlon Australia’s National Manager Coach Development, Wayne Goldsmith.
Camp co-coordinator and Triathlon Australia’s National Manager Athlete Development Craig Redman said the intensive racing and camp activities for the country’s next generation of triathletes would serve as a major stepping stone in their careers.
“Triathlon is now one of the most competitive sports in the world and the racing is getting more and more intense, you cannot afford to have a weakness,” said Redman, who has witnessed first hand the development of Great Britain’s Brownlee brothers Alistair and Jonathan, the names on everyone’s lips in the lead up to London 2012.
“We have to ensure that our youngsters have the best possible skill development and skill acquisition to prepare them for what may lie ahead.
““We have seen Britain with the Brownlees, Helen Jenkins and their dominant under 23 men; the USA with the transition of two of their best track athletes into triathlon and the depth of all the European countries such as Russia, Spain and Germany including the emergence of athletes from countries like Japan and Canada.
“We are genuinely excited about the next crop of juniors in Australia and we determined to give them every opportunity to develop their skills. There are some real outstanding prospects in this group and we have to show them what it takes to be an elite triathlete.
“Our aim is to have the best possible athletes ready for 2016 and 2020 and exposing them to the best coaches in the country will help them get there.
“That’s why it is exciting to have someone like a Peter Robertson, who has attended a few camps with Triathlon Victoria, put his hand up and we are ecstatic that he wants to be involved.
“You cannot buy his Olympic and World Championship experience and put him together with the likes of Craig Walton and Jan Rehula and our other coaches and we could not ask for a better group.”
• Media Invited to cover the Super Sprint events and are also invited to attend the camp – all at Runaway Bay on the Gold Coast
LEAD UP SUPER SPRINT AND CAMP INQUIRIES
Ian Hanson
Hanson Media Group
(0407 385 160)
ON THE DAY CONTACT - SUPER SPRINT AND CAMP INQUIRIES
Craig Redman
Triathlon Australia
National Manager Athlete Development
(0424 506 909)