Youth Olympians Matt Hauser and Brittany Dutton headline record numbers for Youth Championships

Triathlon Australia, March 12, 2014: A record number of 174 entries have been received for this week’s Australian Youth Triathlon Championships kicking off at Novotel Twin Waters Resort on the Sunshine Coast tomorrow.

Triathlon’s stars of tomorrow including Kira Hedgeland (WA) and Queensland’s National Talent Academy trio Matthew Hauser, Brittany Dutton  and Calvin Quirk who are just four of the rising talents on show.

Hauser and Dutton have already secured their places on this year’s Australian team for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Nanjing, China in August and Hauser, at 15 became the youngest ever winner of the Scody Australian Junior Series with his Oceania Championship win in Devonport.

The popular two-day event will feature individual races for13-14 years; 15-16 years and 17-18 years tomorrow (Thursday, March 13) and the Mixed Teams Triathlon Relay for 13-15 years and 16-18 years on Friday (March 14).

Individual events will get under way tomorrow from 9:15am with the 13-14 years females and will conclude with a 2.30pm start for the final race of the day for the 17-18 years males.

The 13-14 years will race over 400m swim; 12km bike; 3km run; the 15-16 years over 600m swim; 16km bike and 4km run and the 17-18 years over 750m swim; 20km bike and 5km run.

Friday’s three-person Mixed Teams Triathlon Relays will start at 9am (13-15 years) and 10.30am (16-18 years) with all competitors covering a 200m swim; 4km bike and 1.2km run.

The Honour Roll since the first Youth Championships in 2012 include 2013 ITU World Championship representatives Jaz Hedgeland, Sophie Malowiecki and Luke Willian.

This year’s event will again feature the youngest Hedgeland sister, Kira, who has already emerged as a major contender for this year’s ITU World Championship team for Edmonton after her stirring second place finishes to big sister Jaz in the Australian Junior Championship in Brighton and the OTU Oceania Championship in Devonport.

She will face the likes of December’s Youth Championship Race Weekend winner Jessica Claxton (WA), second placegetter Laura May (NSW) and last year’s 13-14 years winner April Scurr (QLD) in the 15-16 years females.

Other athletes to watch include:

• ACT’s Ellie Hoitink (13-14 years females) who was third in December’s Youth Championship Race Weekend on the Gold Coast.

• Caleb Agostino-Morrow (NSW) who won the Youth Championship Race Weekend on the Gold Coast and placegetters Jace Grant (QLD) and Braelan Renton (QLD) who will face off against Australian Junior champion Hauser in the 15-16 years males and;

• Last year’s 15-16 years winner and Race Weekend Junior Champion Calvin Quirk (QLD), the improving Matt Roberts (QLD) and Jack Van Stekelenburg (VIC) in the 17-18 years male race;

While YOG representative Brittany Dutton, Kirsty Deacon (VIC) and Grace Hoitink (ACT) are among the 17-18 years females.

ssued on behalf of Triathlon Australia Ian Hanson by

 

Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia
Managing Director
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