Record entries for 2012 Super Sprint Race Weekend on the Gold Coast

Posted in Other News

Triathlon, December 13, 2012: The next generation of Australia’s triathletes are preparing for a frenetic three days of racing at the 2012 Super Sprint Race Weekend on the Gold Coast.

A record 170 of the country’s best ITU Junior and ITU Youth multi-sport athletes will converge on the Runaway Bay Super Centre from tomorrow and competition will climax with the grand finals on Saturday (Youth) and Sunday (Juniors).

The non-stop weekend of racing features Round One of the Scody Australian Junior Series and includes selection for next month’s Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney, before the 2012 National Development Camp (December 16-19).

But the Super Sprint Weekend is not all traditional triathlons.

Tomorrow’s swimming action will be confined to the 50m Olympic pool with combined times over 50, 100 and 200m before a Criterium bike race and then an exciting track running session.

Saturday’s events will include an Aquathon, a Super Sprint Triathlon and an Ultra Sprint Triathlon before Sunday’s Top 16 line up in the ITU Junior Grand Finals, worth double points. The ITU Youth competitors will contest their grand final on Saturday night.

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

Previous winners of the Super Sprint Race Weekend include 2012 London Olympian Emma Jackson (2008) and former Junior World Champion Ashleigh Gentle (2006, 2007) as well as 2012 ITU World Champion team members, U/23 Josh Amberger (2007) and Junior Marcel Walkington (2011).

“It is certainly a great breeding ground for our future stars, that’s for sure,” said Triathlon Australia’s National Manager of Athlete Development, Craig Redman.

“They will be under the watchful eye of our best coaches and it gives them an opportunity to work on their skills under pressure and set them up for what they can expect when they graduate to the elite level.

“We have been overwhelmed with the numbers which have swelled from 140 to170 – a record for the Super Sprint Weekend, which is a huge confidence booster for the sport of triathlon.”

The Program of events are as follows:

FRIDAY, December 14, 2012

Event One (12Noon-3.30pm)
Swimming: 50,100,200m (Races are swum individually and fastest determined on Combined times)

Event Two (3:30pm-6pm)
Bike: ITU Junior (6km – 3 laps); ITU Youth (4km – 2 laps)

Event Three (6pm-9pm)
Track Run: ITU Junior – 1km; ITU Youth – 800m

SATURDAY, December 15, 2012

Event Four (7am-10am):
Aquathlon: ITU Junior: 400m swim/2km run; ITU Youth: 200m swim/1.2km run

Event Five (10.30am-3pm):
Super Sprint Triathlon: ITU Junior: 300m swim/6km bike/1.6km run; ITU Youth: 200m swim/4km bike/1.2km run

Event Six (3:15-6.30)
Ultra Sprint Triathlon: ITU Junior 200m swim/4km bikr/1.2km run; ITU Youth Grand Final: 300m swim/6km bike/1.6km run

SUNDAY, December 16, 2012

Event Seven (8am-12.30pm)

ITU Junior Grand Finals: 400m swim/8km bike/2.4km run (Double Points) A Finals (Approximate start times) - Women 11:15am and men 12.30pm

FACTS AND FIGURES

ITU Youth (Ages 13-15)
ITU Junior (Ages 16-19)
All events are based on points
Overall points from Friday and Saturday will determine final categories for Sunday (eg. Top 16 into A final; 18-32 in B Final; 33-48 into C Final etc)
Grand Final events will be worth double points
Top 3 in ITU Junior Pointscores for men and women will gain automatic selection into AYOF; fourth positions will be determined by TAESC.
A record 170 entries have been received

Full wrap up of weekend’s results will be provided at the conclusion of competition on Sunday…

Issued on behalf of Triathlon Australia.