Paratriathletes chase National Titles at Robina en-route to Rio
Triathlon Australia, January 8, 2016: Australia’s remarkable group of Paratriathletes led by world champions Bill Chaffey, Katie Kelly and Sally Pilbeam will headline the starting line-ups for Sunday’s National Paratriathlon Championships at Robina on the Gold Coast.
The National Championships for paratriathletes will be featured as part of the Gatorade Queensland Tri Series weekend that will also feature Australia’s leading “Gen Next” triathletes in tomorrow’s Scody Australian Junior Triathlon Series and the cream of Australia’s Age Groupers.
But for the paratriathlon group, it will; be a major start to what will be the most exciting year for the sport which will make it’s Paralympic debut in Rio this year.
Both Gold Coast local wheelchair triathlete, five-time ITU world champion, Chaffey and Canberra’s vision impaired reigning world champion Kelly have qualified an automatic slot in their class for Australia by winning World Championships in Chicago last year.
“They just need to confirm they are the best Australian athletes this summer to earn nomination for selection by the Australian Paralympic Committee,” said Kathryn Periac, National Manager Paratriathlon for Triathlon Australia.
“Chaffey is expected to dominate the PT1 men, behind him though there are three athletes Nic Beveridge (ACTAS), Matt Brumby (TAS) and Scott Crowley (SA) who could all finish second and are all trying to earn a possible second position for Australia in Rio.
“The PT4 men also has a competitive group, who are all trying to earn a possible position for Rio.
“Jack Swift (VIS) and Joshua Kassulke (QLD) are the favourites for gold in the PT4s ahead of Tony Scoleri (SA) and Michael Lyddiard (QLD).
“Vision impaired Jonathan Goerlach (ACT), who has relocated to Melbourne, is racing and will have interesting opposition in PT5 from triple Paralympian Gerrard Gosens (QLD), who is making his debut in triathlon.
“Two-time PT3 world champion, arm amputee Sally Pilbeam and Chicago bronze medallists Kate Doughty and Justin Godfrey will also be chasing National gold.”
In the build up to Robina, coach Fab Andreoni’s athletes Glen Jarvis and Godfrey have been at Falls Creek while National Head Coach Corey Bacon’s PTC athletes Kelly, Doughty, Beveridge and Swift have been at Jindabyne and then on the Gold Coast this week rehearsing their heat acclimatisation routine for Rio with AIS Senior Physiologist Jo Vaile.
Action gets underway on Sunday from 8:20am with National title medals up for grabs.
The next race for the Paratriathletes will be Oceania Championships in Devonport on February 20 before the WPE in Penrith on April 24 and Yokohama on May 14 to cement ITU Paralympic Ranking list positions.
CHICAGO GOLD RUSH FOR AUSSIE PARATRIATHLETES
SCODY AUSTRALIAN JUNIOR TRIATHLON SERIES
2pm Male Youth
2:45pm Female Youth
3.30pm Male Junior
4:30pm Female Junior
ROUND ONE WRAP
SUNDAY
Australian Paratriathlon Championships
From 8:20am – Wave starts
RACE THREE will be the Australian Junior and Youth Championships (including Mixed Teams Triathlon Relay) in Devonport, Tasmania on 20-21 February 2016 with the OTU Oceania Championships in Gisborne, NZ on March 19-20.
Issued on behalf of Triathlon Australia by
Ian Hanson| Media Manager
Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia Managing Director
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