EMERGING AUSSIE TRI STARS CONVERGE ON RUNAWAY BAY

Posted in Other News

Triathlon, December 11, 2012: The cream of Australia’s emerging triathletes will converge on the Gold Coast this week for Triathlon Australia’s Super Sprint Race weekend/the first round of the 2013 Scody Australian Junior Triathlon Series at the Sports Super Centre at Runaway Bay.

The weekend will also include the annual National Development Camp, with the cream of Australia’s coaches heading the weekend program.

Organisers have received record entries from all around Australia for three full days of racing after which the Australian selectors will name an eight-strong team for next month’s 2013 Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) in Sydney.

The 2013 AYOF will see the top three (3) athletes overall, automatically selected with the fourth and final spots left to the discretion of TA Elite Selection Committee (TAESC).

The number one seed in the women is Western Australia’s Jaz Hedgeland who will be joined by Gold Coasters Brittany Forster from Miami and Robina’s recently-crowned ITU World 18-19 years Age Group champion Jenna Fulton, who will be among the front runners.

Queenslanders Christian Wilson, Luke Willian and Matt Roberts will be among the favoured men, alongside Victorian pair Joel Tobin-White and Ben Anderson and Tasmania’s rising star Jacob Birtwhistle.

The AYOF, to be held from January 16-20, is the sixth edition of the prestigious event, with the first taking place in 2001 as a legacy of the Sydney Olympics.

Triathlon, one of the original AYOF sports will again include ITU Juniors, with racing set down for Penrith on Friday and Saturday, January 18 and 19, 2013.

To be considered for selection for the 2013 AYOF, Australian triathletes must be 16-19 years of age with age determined on 31 December 2013 (Athletes must be born in the years 1994, 1995, 1996 or 1997 only). Athletes must also be endorsed as ITU Juniors by their respective State associations and Triathlon Australia.

The 2001 AYOF saw the emergence of 2008 Olympic champion Emma Snowsill who won the women’s triathlon while 2012 London Olympic bronze medallist and 2012 ITU World Champion, Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) won the AYOF gold medal in 2009.

Triathlon Australia’s National Manager of Athlete Development, Craig Redman is excited with the response.

“We are overwhelmed with the response and to have over 140 athletes coming to the Gold Coast for the Sprint weekend and our National Development camp says wonders the sport of triathlon,” Redman said.

“It is exciting times for these athletes and their coaches and to have this much talent converge on the Gold Coast is very exciting for our future.

“There is no where else in Australia that could accommodate us and we are grateful to the Gold Coast and especially to the Sports Super Centre at Runaway Bay for their hospitality.
“We have so many of Olympians come through this camp and to have the next generation on the Gold Coast will be very exciting.”

And for the eight athletes named on the AYOF team, a unique experience awaits them to join young athletes from all over the world with the opportunity to compete in Olympic venues, under Olympic conditions and to learn the Olympic values of fair play, sportsmanship, respect for teammates and opponents, friendship, national pride, honesty and humility.

“The AYOF prepares and nurtures athletes who are bound for the elite ranks,” AOC President John Coates said.

“At the start of the new year, we will once again have the chance to see hundreds of athletes competing at the highest level in their sports and among them will no doubt be the stars of the Rio 2016 Games and beyond.”

Issued on behalf of Triathlon Australia.