Local boy Peter Kerr adds attitude to altitude for Geelong Sprint Tri

Posted in Other News

Triathlon, February 8, 2013: Local triathlete Peter Kerr will take a dose of attitude, altitude and a new found confidence into Sunday’s 2013 URBAN Geelong ITU Oceania Cup, which doubles as the Australian Sprint Championships taking in a 750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run.

The 24-year-old, who lives just one kilometre from the transition area on the Geelong foreshore, has taken an enormous amount of confidence from his victory in the Noosa Triathlon over the Olympic distance last November.

Kerr produced a stirring finish to walk away with the $12,000 winners cheque leaving a host of big names in his wake.

Just over two months down the track and after a punishing four-week high altitude training camp with his Victorian team mates at Falls Creek and Kerr is ready to take another leap forward.

Peter Kerr’s stirring win at the 2012 Noosa Triathlon

But he knows there are a host of young Australian men who are about to join the challenge in the lead up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“I had some discussions with several higher profile athletes about the confidence thing after Noosa and they all agreed it plays a major part in transferring your talents to a higher level when it comes to stepping up in a race,” said Kerr.

“There is no doubt that my Noosa win last year will live long in my memory and has given me a huge confidence boost and set me up for 2013.

“But I know I have to race with attitude and confidence. I have to take a change of attitude to the start line.

“In the past I have produced some 50/50 performances and I know I have to cut out a lot of silly mistakes and put together the best race I can to start the season.

“To have a race in my own backyard in front of my family and friends is an ideal way to start the season proper and over the sprint distance too will be a good hit out.

“The four-week stint at Falls Creek was great and I only just started to hurt towards the end of the camp so that was good timing.”

Kerr will also contest the OTU Sprint Triathlon Oceania Championships in Devonport, set down for February 23, that will also feature the Age Group Olympic Distance Australian Championship and the 2013 Scody Australian Junior Triathlon Championship.

Other young Australians to keep an eye on for Sunday will be the likes of Jamie Huggett, Cameron Good, Kenji Nener, Matt Brown, Marcel Walkington, Jacob Birtwhistle, Christian Wilson and Luke Willian.

Birtwhistle recently won the Australian Youth Olympic Festival gold medal in Sydney from Willian and Sunday will be a step up into elite company for the emerging stars of the sport.

Two-time New Zealand sprint champion Tony Dodds will head the international contingent joining competitors from France, Ireland, Malaysia, Germany, Japan and Great Britain in both the men’s and women’s fields.

Dodds finished third in the corresponding Oceana Sprint event last year and will no doubt be one of the favourites in the 41-strong field which also includes the recent Wollongong Australia Day Aquathon winner, Gregory Rouault from France.

Rouault produced the run of the day after trailing Australian boys, Under 23 ITU World Champion Aaron Royle and Michael Murphy out of the swim to hold off American Matt Chrabot with Royle third.

Meanwhile the small but talented women’s field will be head-lined by Queensland’s London Olympian Emma Jackson who will be having her first serious hit out of the season.

Jackson, who finished a creditable eighth in her Olympic debut in London, has eased her way back into serious training under QAS coach Steve Moss after a solid base block late last year.
She is looking forward to racing, especially over the sprint distance, but is placing no expectations on herself.

“I have placed a lot of emphasis on enjoying the start of the season and I am really looking forward to racing in Geelong without putting any pressure on results,” said Jackson.

“It will be good to have a hit out and just see where I’m at as we look towards what will be another busy season ahead with Devonport and Mooloolaba (ITU World Cup) coming up before the ITU World Championship Series.

“I will definitely kick off the ITU season in Auckland after missing last year’s Grand Final – it will be my first time there and from what I have heard there are no places to hide on the ride so I know I will have to be ready for those hills.

“I will then head to Europe and finish up with the ITU World Championship Grand Final in London.”

Jackson can expect plenty of opposition in Geelong from gritty Japanese girl Yuko Takahashi and New Zealand foursome Rebecca Kingsford, Sophie Corbridge, Maddie Dillon and Rebecca Clarke.

Takahashi, the ITU Murakami Asian Cup winner, finished sixth over the ITU Sprint distance in Stockholm last year, was 13th in the ITU Olympic distance in Yokohama and was fourth to Australia’s Felicity Sheedy-Ryan in the 2012 ITU World Duathlon Championships in Nancy, France.

Among the emerging Australian girls will be Sarah Deuble, Chloe Turner, Ellie Salthouse and WA’s recent AYOF winner and 2012 Australian Junior Champion Jaz Hedgeland.

Hedgeland was unavailable for the 2012 ITU World Championships, deciding to concentrate on her Year 12 exams but is now back in full swing in Perth and has now set herself to qualify for
this year’s ITU World Championships in London.

More event information www.geelongmultisport.com.au

Event Start:
Women: 2:00pm
Men: 3:15pm

Issued on behalf of Triathlon Australia by

Ian Hanson

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