Monday, June 29, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
AWESOME
A great day for Canada with world class racing from Simon, Lauren and Brent, and promising racing from the next generation.
Whitfield gets Beijing Revenge
(June 27, 2009 )
www.triathlon.org
Canadian Simon Whitfield’s renown sprint finish did not let him down today at the Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon Elite Cup. In what seemed like a replay from the Beijing Olympic Games, four men came into the finish straight together side by side: Whitfield, Germany’s Jan Frodeno, who was the man to pip Whitfield in Beijing, Australia’s Brad Kahlefeldt and New Zealand’s Kris Gemmell. Unlike Beijing however, Whitfield would cross the line first with an elated roar one second ahead of his chasers in a time of 1 hour 49 minutes and 43 seconds, claiming triathlon’s top payday. After a photo finish review, the third of the season, it was determined Australia’s Brad Kahlefeldt just nipped the tall German at the line for second with Frodeno in third. Gemmell finished fourth.
Full article.
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Emma's win big at Hy-Vee
(June 27, 2009 )
www.triathlon.org
Current points leader Emma Moffatt of Australia continued her dream season with a win today at triathlon’s largest payday in a time of 1 hour 59 minutes and 46 seconds. With over $1million USD in prize money up for grabs this weekend it was the Beijing Olympic bronze medallist who powered her way through the Olympic calibre field to claim the $200,000 first place prize in the Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon Elite Cup this morning. In second was the other Aussie Emma, Emma Snowsill, 1 minute 33 seconds behind. And in third, Canada’s Lauren Groves another 12 seconds back.
Full article.
Friday, June 26, 2009
DES MOINES THIS WEEKEND
Big races this weekend with the Des Moines World Cup on Saturday (prize money goes 75 deep!) and the World Team Relay Championships on Sunday. You can catch all of the races via live video feed on the ITU website.
STELLAR FIELD AT HY-VEE ELITE CUP
From www.triathlon.org.
The ITU circuit moves across the USA from Washington, DC to Des Moines, Iowa for the Hy-Vee Triathlon Elite Cup and Triathlon Team World Championships.
With the largest prize money for any triathlon race in the world on offer, the big guns are eyeing up the $200,000 first place positions, making Hy-Vee one of the most sought after and exciting competitions for spectators and athletes alike. However the athletes will have to battle the oppressive conditions as well as each other with temperatures likely to peak in the mid-thirties on race day.
Full pre-race article here.
----------------------------
TEAM WORLD CHAMPS ON SUNDAY
From www.triathlon.org.
With the IOC selections for additional events for the London 2012 Olympiad approaching, the International Triathlon Union will be showcasing its latest World Championship race in Des Moines, Iowa, this Sunday with the running of the ITU Triathlon Team World Championships.
The event will bring together the world’s top triathlon nations as their teams of two women and two men battle it out over the 250m swim, 7km cycle, 1.8km run. Each athlete will complete one leg with a transition area set up allowing them to tag their compatriots. The mixed format will see the women start before handing over to a male compatriot, and then back to the second woman leaving the second man on the final leg to bring the home team. Unlike in athletics where a baton is passed between the competitors, the triathletes will use a tag system in a transition zone.
Full article here.
STELLAR FIELD AT HY-VEE ELITE CUP
From www.triathlon.org.
The ITU circuit moves across the USA from Washington, DC to Des Moines, Iowa for the Hy-Vee Triathlon Elite Cup and Triathlon Team World Championships.
With the largest prize money for any triathlon race in the world on offer, the big guns are eyeing up the $200,000 first place positions, making Hy-Vee one of the most sought after and exciting competitions for spectators and athletes alike. However the athletes will have to battle the oppressive conditions as well as each other with temperatures likely to peak in the mid-thirties on race day.
Full pre-race article here.
----------------------------
TEAM WORLD CHAMPS ON SUNDAY
From www.triathlon.org.
With the IOC selections for additional events for the London 2012 Olympiad approaching, the International Triathlon Union will be showcasing its latest World Championship race in Des Moines, Iowa, this Sunday with the running of the ITU Triathlon Team World Championships.
The event will bring together the world’s top triathlon nations as their teams of two women and two men battle it out over the 250m swim, 7km cycle, 1.8km run. Each athlete will complete one leg with a transition area set up allowing them to tag their compatriots. The mixed format will see the women start before handing over to a male compatriot, and then back to the second woman leaving the second man on the final leg to bring the home team. Unlike in athletics where a baton is passed between the competitors, the triathletes will use a tag system in a transition zone.
Full article here.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
COTEAU REDUX
Some final quick notes on Coteau, as that race quickly becomes ancient history.
In contrast to the Birds Hill race, we had moderate temperatures, no rain, fairly warm water (19C, just barely wetsuit legal) and a pontoon start. Similar to the Birds Hill race, the event was very well organized & executed, the course was flat, and the fields were large (45 junior men, 29 junior women) and competitive. The quality and depth of the junior series is certainly getting better.
The races played out a bit differently than two weeks ago. In both races, we still saw a lead pack of 5-7 riders stay away during the bike, but they came into T2 with a 45-55" lead, rather than 2+ mins. The other big difference was that the majority of the competitors were all in a large chase pack (approx. 30+ in the mens race), rather than several smaller chase packs. In both races, athletes from the lead pack claimed 1st and 3rd, with a chase pack athlete running up for 2nd. In the junior womens race it was Kyla Coates who moved to the front out of T2, and never looked back, with Joanna Brown posting a blazing run split to claim second, and Christine Ridenour coming home for 3rd. In the mens race, it was Connor Hammond (PTC) who ran away from the lead pack athletes, with first year junior Tristan Woodfine (ByTown) smashing the run to claim second, and Marc-Antoine Christin (QC) posting a very solid race to round out the podium in 3rd. Unfortunately, Birds Hill winner Matt Sharpe (BC) flatted during the bike, and Aaron Thomas (BC), Tyler Bredschneider (ON), and Zorian Maksymec (ON), were coming back from recent injuries, so look for strong performances from those guys in a few weeks.
Overall, the Ontario juniors had a very good day, with two men on the podium, and five in the top 10. We had breakthrough performances from Tristan Woodfine (ByTown), Alexander Hinton (PTC), and Taylor Reid (C3) on the mens' side, and Joanna Brown (ByTown) and Domi Jamnicky (Domi, who's your new coach?) on the womens' side. The BC junior women continue to impress, with a "BC Express" basically at the front for the entire race. It was great to see several Ontario teams represented, with a good mix of some familiar names and brand-new juniors out there racing hard: Bytown (Matt Vierula, Jade Gregory), Hammerheads (Forbes twins, Chelsea Mackinnon), C3 (Karsten Madsen, Pauline Skowron), OREA (Derek Quick, David Hopton, Johnny Rasmussen, Sarah Rasmussen), & Koalas (David Mackie), Peak Centre (Lindsay Anderson). Hopefully I haven't missed anyone, but apologies if I have.
As I wrote in an earlier post, this race also served as Ontario Provincials for the juniors. Our Provincial medallist are:
MEN
1. Connor Hammond
2. Tristan Woodfine
3. Alexander Hinton
WOMEN
1. Joanna Brown
2. Domi Jamnicky
3. Lindsay Anderson
The elite races were different from the junior races, with a fairly large field for the men in which the lead and chase packs came together, thanks in large part to the efforts of Sean Bechtel (C3). Elvery (NZL) ran away for the win, with AP B-Smith finishing second, and Andrew Yorke (C3) running to his first ITU Continental Cup podium in 3rd. In the womens' race, there was a much smaller field, and some strong riders who moved through the field over 40k bike course. The front pack of 3 (Paula Findlay, Kerry Spearing, Tenille Hoogland) came into T2 with a large lead. Findlay ran off the front for the win, with Spearing running well to secure 2nd and Ayesha Rollinson posting a strong run split to move up from the chase pack for 3rd.
A big thanks to the race organizers for their hard work in pulling this event together. It was a great opportunity to compete in a high quality event, against strong competition, on Canadian soil.
Go here for some great race photos taken by coach (and Canadian Triathlon legend) Mark Bates.
Club Links:
Bytown Storm Triathlon Team
Canadian Cross Training Club (aka C3)
Hamilton Hammerheads
OREA
Fighting Koalas
Peak Centre
In contrast to the Birds Hill race, we had moderate temperatures, no rain, fairly warm water (19C, just barely wetsuit legal) and a pontoon start. Similar to the Birds Hill race, the event was very well organized & executed, the course was flat, and the fields were large (45 junior men, 29 junior women) and competitive. The quality and depth of the junior series is certainly getting better.
The races played out a bit differently than two weeks ago. In both races, we still saw a lead pack of 5-7 riders stay away during the bike, but they came into T2 with a 45-55" lead, rather than 2+ mins. The other big difference was that the majority of the competitors were all in a large chase pack (approx. 30+ in the mens race), rather than several smaller chase packs. In both races, athletes from the lead pack claimed 1st and 3rd, with a chase pack athlete running up for 2nd. In the junior womens race it was Kyla Coates who moved to the front out of T2, and never looked back, with Joanna Brown posting a blazing run split to claim second, and Christine Ridenour coming home for 3rd. In the mens race, it was Connor Hammond (PTC) who ran away from the lead pack athletes, with first year junior Tristan Woodfine (ByTown) smashing the run to claim second, and Marc-Antoine Christin (QC) posting a very solid race to round out the podium in 3rd. Unfortunately, Birds Hill winner Matt Sharpe (BC) flatted during the bike, and Aaron Thomas (BC), Tyler Bredschneider (ON), and Zorian Maksymec (ON), were coming back from recent injuries, so look for strong performances from those guys in a few weeks.
Overall, the Ontario juniors had a very good day, with two men on the podium, and five in the top 10. We had breakthrough performances from Tristan Woodfine (ByTown), Alexander Hinton (PTC), and Taylor Reid (C3) on the mens' side, and Joanna Brown (ByTown) and Domi Jamnicky (Domi, who's your new coach?) on the womens' side. The BC junior women continue to impress, with a "BC Express" basically at the front for the entire race. It was great to see several Ontario teams represented, with a good mix of some familiar names and brand-new juniors out there racing hard: Bytown (Matt Vierula, Jade Gregory), Hammerheads (Forbes twins, Chelsea Mackinnon), C3 (Karsten Madsen, Pauline Skowron), OREA (Derek Quick, David Hopton, Johnny Rasmussen, Sarah Rasmussen), & Koalas (David Mackie), Peak Centre (Lindsay Anderson). Hopefully I haven't missed anyone, but apologies if I have.
As I wrote in an earlier post, this race also served as Ontario Provincials for the juniors. Our Provincial medallist are:
MEN
1. Connor Hammond
2. Tristan Woodfine
3. Alexander Hinton
WOMEN
1. Joanna Brown
2. Domi Jamnicky
3. Lindsay Anderson
The elite races were different from the junior races, with a fairly large field for the men in which the lead and chase packs came together, thanks in large part to the efforts of Sean Bechtel (C3). Elvery (NZL) ran away for the win, with AP B-Smith finishing second, and Andrew Yorke (C3) running to his first ITU Continental Cup podium in 3rd. In the womens' race, there was a much smaller field, and some strong riders who moved through the field over 40k bike course. The front pack of 3 (Paula Findlay, Kerry Spearing, Tenille Hoogland) came into T2 with a large lead. Findlay ran off the front for the win, with Spearing running well to secure 2nd and Ayesha Rollinson posting a strong run split to move up from the chase pack for 3rd.
A big thanks to the race organizers for their hard work in pulling this event together. It was a great opportunity to compete in a high quality event, against strong competition, on Canadian soil.
Go here for some great race photos taken by coach (and Canadian Triathlon legend) Mark Bates.
Club Links:
Bytown Storm Triathlon Team
Canadian Cross Training Club (aka C3)
Hamilton Hammerheads
OREA
Fighting Koalas
Peak Centre
Monday, June 22, 2009
CANADA GAMES TEAM
(Edit: It's unofficial until after the appeal deadline), Ontario's Canada Games Triathlon Team has been selected, following the races at Coteau-du-Lac.
MENS TEAM
1. Connor Hammond, London, ON
2. Ian Donald, Ottawa, ON
3. Tristan Woodfine, Cobden, ON
4. Alexander Hinton, Kingston, ON (alternate)
WOMENS TEAM
1. Dorelle Hinton, Kingston, ON
2. Joanna Brown, Carp, ON
3. Dominika Jamnicky, Cobourg, ON
4. Angela Quick, St George, ON (alternate)
Congrats to all Ontario athletes who posted impressive performances in pursuit of Ontario's Canada Games Team this year. Qualifying for the Canada Games Team was a very difficult task in Ontario, given the depth of talent in the province. The Teams will compete in a sprint distance draft-legal triathlon and a triathlon relay, at the Canada Summer Games in August.
MENS TEAM
1. Connor Hammond, London, ON
2. Ian Donald, Ottawa, ON
3. Tristan Woodfine, Cobden, ON
4. Alexander Hinton, Kingston, ON (alternate)
WOMENS TEAM
1. Dorelle Hinton, Kingston, ON
2. Joanna Brown, Carp, ON
3. Dominika Jamnicky, Cobourg, ON
4. Angela Quick, St George, ON (alternate)
Congrats to all Ontario athletes who posted impressive performances in pursuit of Ontario's Canada Games Team this year. Qualifying for the Canada Games Team was a very difficult task in Ontario, given the depth of talent in the province. The Teams will compete in a sprint distance draft-legal triathlon and a triathlon relay, at the Canada Summer Games in August.
Connor Hammond
Ian Donald
Tristan Woodfine
Alexander Hinton
Dorelle Hinton
Joanna Brown
Domi Jamnicky
Angela QuickSaturday, June 20, 2009
QUICK RESULTS
Short post for now, with a proper update to follow in a day or two.
Full results for Coteau du Lac available at SportStats. You'll also find Guelph Lake results (Ryan Power in the sprint today, Tom Lokody in the Olympic tomorrow...go TL!) at SportStats, too.
A huge thanks to Phil Bertand and Alex Maclean for hosting a great event, and for allowing us to host Junior Provincials at this race.
Our 2009 Junior Provincial medallists are:
MEN
1. Connor Hammond
2. Tristan Woodfine
3. Alexander Hinton
Full results for Junior Men.
(L-R: Alexander Hinton, Connor Hammond, Tristan Woodfine)
WOMEN
1. Joanna Brown
2. Domi Jamnicky
3. Lindsay Anderson
Full results for Junior Women.
(L-R: Lindsay Anderson, Joanna Brown, Dominika Jamnicky)
Congrats to all athletes on some very impressive racing - there is some great depth in all junior series races this year.
Full results for Coteau du Lac available at SportStats. You'll also find Guelph Lake results (Ryan Power in the sprint today, Tom Lokody in the Olympic tomorrow...go TL!) at SportStats, too.
A huge thanks to Phil Bertand and Alex Maclean for hosting a great event, and for allowing us to host Junior Provincials at this race.
Our 2009 Junior Provincial medallists are:
MEN
1. Connor Hammond
2. Tristan Woodfine
3. Alexander Hinton
Full results for Junior Men.
(L-R: Alexander Hinton, Connor Hammond, Tristan Woodfine)
WOMEN
1. Joanna Brown
2. Domi Jamnicky
3. Lindsay Anderson
Full results for Junior Women.
(L-R: Lindsay Anderson, Joanna Brown, Dominika Jamnicky)
Congrats to all athletes on some very impressive racing - there is some great depth in all junior series races this year.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
COTEAU-DU-LAC
I thought that this post would be the 300th post on the PTC blog, and I thought it would be fitting that it dealt with ITU Racing and Junior Provincials. Unfortunately, I read the counter wrong, and the Wipeout post was the 300th. Maybe that's equally fitting.
Saturday is the Coteau-du-Lac Triathlon which serves as one of only two ITU Pan Am Cups in Canada this year. Before the elites hit the water, the top juniors in Canada will toe the line in the 2nd Junior National Series race of the year. This race has a little extra meaning for the Ontario crowd, as it's serving as Ontario Provincials, our final Canada Games Qualifier, and the Eastern Canadian Junior Championships.
I'll be on site at 2:30pm Friday for a pre-race bike/run, followed by the Junior Pre-Race Meeting (4:00pm) and Elite Pre-Race Meeting (5:00pm). I'll also be on site all day Saturday to support Ontario athletes in both junior and elite races.
By Saturday afternoon, we'll crown our 2009 Junior Provincial Champions, and we hope to have the Canada Games team named by Monday afternoon.
Looking forward to a great day of racing on Saturday. Go Ontario!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
WW: WIPEOUT
Just under the wire with Website Wednesday after a busy day. The last two WW's have been triathlon-related, and maybe even informative and useful. The PTC squad wanted something a little more entertaining, preferably in video format. I therefore humbly submit the greatest show on television: Wipeout. Note the addition of the Motivator this season (0:41). I've ordered my very own Motivator to get Connor into the pool in the morning; it should arrive any day now. Sadly, the catapult was backordered....which is a probably good thing, because we'd need a long course pool to avoid landing on the deck.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
COACH OPPORTUNITY
Received this e-mail today (below). I have no further information, but interested coaches can follow the link to obtain contact info.
I am a doctor in Mississauga who runs a sports rehab clinic; I am looking for a triathlon coach who would be interested in creating an office presence; by creating a testing centre for your athletes and clients out of our facility.
We currently do 3D Motion Analysis of Cycling biomechanics and Running mechanics. If coaches are interested we will also arrange to do lactate testing and computrainer testing. For more information on 3D and its use in assessing cycling biomechanics go to http://www.swinglink.ca/edu_cycle.htm
FRIDAY UPDATE
No video, but here's the training for the day:
AM SWIM
WU: 800mix
MS1: 20x50 @ :50" as (5 Cruise/1 Fast, 4C/1F, 3C/1F, 2C/1F, 1C/1F)
MS2: 2x(15x100 @ 1:30) as (3 Threshold/1 Steady, 4T/1S, 5T/1S) 1st round Free, 2nd round P/P*
CD: 300 easy
*we ran out of time and had to change to 8x100@1:30 p/pull threshold on the 2nd round. need to get in earlier next time.
AM BIKE
2 hours hilly base ride
PM RUN
WU: 15' easy + 10' of mobility, drills, strides
MS: 3x2k threshold @ 2' rest (Arb Loop)
CD: 15' easy
Racing Update:
Tom Lokody took 3rd overall at the Lakeside Sprint last Saturday, and Ryan Power was 3rd overall at the Lakeside Triathlon on Sunday. Congrats to Team OREA for dominating the podium at the Saturday Sprint.
Adrian Del Monte starts his 2009 season with the Muskoka Sprint, while James Loaring tackles Muskoka LC this weekend. Steven Hewick is racing Binbrook.
Connor, Tyler, Angela, Dorelle, Ian, Alexander and Steven race Coteau du Lac next weekend.
...now we just need some nice weather.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
FESTIVAL OF EXCELLENCE TONIGHT
Tonight at Varsity Stadium in Toronto, fans will be treated to the Festival of Excellence, the biggest track meet in Toronto since the World's Fastest Man 150m race in 1997.
In addition to some big international stars, Guelph Running will be well represented by several athletes, including Eric Gillis, Hillary Stellingwerff, Rob Watson, Taylor Milne and Kyle Boorsma.
There's even a triathlon, although I don't think any of those guys can swim.
Check out this interview with Kyle Boorsma and 2008 Olympian Taylor Milne as they talk about attempting to run under 4 minutes for the mile tonight, and follow Speed River Twitter for competition updates.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
ITU TEAM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
This is going to be a great addition to ITU racing, and (hopefully) an exciting addition to the 2012 Olympics. The format has been updated from previous relay events. Teams are now comprised of four athletes, two male, two female, who race in the following order: female, male, female, male. I can't think of another endurance sport that has a mixed relay at a major championship or major games - triathlon innovates again! Connor Hammond has been named to the team for the Team World Championships on June 28th - a great opportunity to line up against the worlds best, and gain experience. It should be an exciting race. Go Canada.
WEBSITE WEDNESDAY II
Time flies, and it's Website Wednesday already.
For our second installment, we'll do a double feature of two old favourites: Floswimming and Flotrack. These two websites are part of a parent website called Flocasts, which also includes flowrestling (featuring real wrestling, not pro wrestling).
Flotrack and Floswimming are updated daily/hourly with workouts, interviews, races and links galore, and the majority of the content is video. If you're looking for a bit of coaching wisdom, new workout ideas, technical information, or the latest video feed of a meet, these sites are second to none. In North America, where sport culture is dominated by the 'big four', these sites are a great portal into what's happening in swimming and running.
For our second installment, we'll do a double feature of two old favourites: Floswimming and Flotrack. These two websites are part of a parent website called Flocasts, which also includes flowrestling (featuring real wrestling, not pro wrestling).
Flotrack and Floswimming are updated daily/hourly with workouts, interviews, races and links galore, and the majority of the content is video. If you're looking for a bit of coaching wisdom, new workout ideas, technical information, or the latest video feed of a meet, these sites are second to none. In North America, where sport culture is dominated by the 'big four', these sites are a great portal into what's happening in swimming and running.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
ATTITUDE
"We’re going in to win the event, but I say that very diplomatically. Ultimately we’re going to do our best to secure a medal, but strategy wise we’re going there to win the damn thing." - Kurt Innes, High Performance Director, Triathlon Canada.
Full interview here.
EDIT: ITU website now back up and running.
BIRDS HILL REDUX
Alright...back to the Bird's Hill Race with a long rambling post. By now, faithful PTC blog readers have seen the race reports from NTC-Victoria and the Manitoba NTC. The reports from the other coaches sum things up well. It was a cold morning, with cold water. I didn't hear any complaints from any athletes however - they are a tough crowd, and they came to race.
Here's how things looked from the Ontario perspective:
Both races played out in a similar manner. A lone lead swimmer was out first (Matt Sharpe for the men, Christine Ridenour for the women) and by the end of the first 10k bike lap, there was a solid front pack of 7 (men) or 8 (women) athletes who maintained their lead into T2. A foot race sorted out the finishing order, with a few athletes running up from the chase packs in each race to factor into the top 10. This race was a good reminder that while running wins races, swimming, biking & transitions can make or break a race. In both races, strong swims, quick transitions and decent pack riding decided the top 5-7 places.
I wrote in an earlier post that we took a beating at the hands of TeamBC. I think anytime one province takes 5 of the 6 medals on the podium, that qualifies as a thumpin'. Congrats to coaches Patrick Kelly & Mark Bates, and the BC team on a dominant performance - they are a strong team, and they will continue to be a force in the Junior Series and at the Can Games. We need this sort of quality competition in order to raise our game and help more juniors become internationally competitive. And just to be clear, I'm not saying that our athletes didn't deliver their best effort on the day, or that they raced poorly. Everyone raced hard, the potential is certainly there, and there was something positive that every athlete can take from the race. In fact, Ontario was represented by a great group of athletes.
First off, the rookie junior men really put on a great show, with the top Ontario finishes in 7th (David Mackie), 8th (Zorian Maksymec) and 9th (Tristan Woodfine). This was the first junior draft legal race for David and Tristan, and one of the first for Zorian. David swam well to make the front pack, rode strong, and ran well; 7th in a junior race is a good result for anyone, and remarkable for a junior debut against a good field. Zorian was solid across the disciplines, and ran really well (5th fastest split) to push David to the line. David and Zorian missed the automatic selection criteria (top 6) for the Canada Summer Games by a mere 6 seconds! Tristan Woodfine scorched the run with a race best 15:22, which was 70 seconds faster than the second fastest run split, to run himself into the top 10. wow. These three guys turned a lot of heads, and will definitely factor into the upcoming Coteau du Lac race and Nationals.
Matt Vierula made it four Ontario athletes in the top 10, with a strong race after a big crash just weeks ago at PATCO, and the scars and roadrash to prove it. Taylor Reid (13th), Karsten Madsen (16th) and Alexander Hinton (17th) posted top run times off of good rides. Alexander actually had his best swim ever, and was well positioned to make the front pack, but his chain got stuck against his chainstay, and he dropped approximately 15 places at the mount line before he could work it free. Karsten raced sick, and Taylor was perhaps the smartest athlete on the course - rather than tape up the vents on his helmet due to the cold, he just kept his swim camp on for the bike. Ian Donald and Travis Goron put themselves in good position with a solid swim and bike, but had a rough day on the run. Look for both of them to be in the thick of things at Coteau du Lac.
In the womens' race, Dorelle Hinton had her best run to date, managing to be the only athlete to run up from the chase pack into the top 6. Dorelle's finish qualifies her for Ontario's Canada Games Triathlon Team, with the remaining two spots yet to be decided. Joanna Brown swam well, made a bike pack, and worked through the field with a strong run. Domi Jamnicky, fresh off the plane from OFSAA, had a rough swim, but rode well and moved through the field on the run, too. Angela Quick made the main swim pack, and rode in the second chase pack. On the run she worked hard despite severe breathing problems - that's probably the hardest I've seen Ang race since Edmonton Junior Nationals - a great effort on a tough day. Jade Gregory was caught between packs for part of the bike, and put on a cornering clinic through transition as she gave chase.
The race was very well organized, with great support from the Manitoba parents, athletes and coaches. A special thanks to the families who offered homestays to our athletes, and drove them around. More than one official/volunteer/parent/coach commented on how impressed they were with the Ontario athletes and the way they raced and conducted themselves - great job guys. Finally, thanks to the parents and coaches who support and guide the Ontario crew in this crazy sport.
There were some problems with the results, but they should be sorted out soon, so check back for updated splits.
See you at Provincials in less than two weeks.
Here's how things looked from the Ontario perspective:
Both races played out in a similar manner. A lone lead swimmer was out first (Matt Sharpe for the men, Christine Ridenour for the women) and by the end of the first 10k bike lap, there was a solid front pack of 7 (men) or 8 (women) athletes who maintained their lead into T2. A foot race sorted out the finishing order, with a few athletes running up from the chase packs in each race to factor into the top 10. This race was a good reminder that while running wins races, swimming, biking & transitions can make or break a race. In both races, strong swims, quick transitions and decent pack riding decided the top 5-7 places.
I wrote in an earlier post that we took a beating at the hands of TeamBC. I think anytime one province takes 5 of the 6 medals on the podium, that qualifies as a thumpin'. Congrats to coaches Patrick Kelly & Mark Bates, and the BC team on a dominant performance - they are a strong team, and they will continue to be a force in the Junior Series and at the Can Games. We need this sort of quality competition in order to raise our game and help more juniors become internationally competitive. And just to be clear, I'm not saying that our athletes didn't deliver their best effort on the day, or that they raced poorly. Everyone raced hard, the potential is certainly there, and there was something positive that every athlete can take from the race. In fact, Ontario was represented by a great group of athletes.
First off, the rookie junior men really put on a great show, with the top Ontario finishes in 7th (David Mackie), 8th (Zorian Maksymec) and 9th (Tristan Woodfine). This was the first junior draft legal race for David and Tristan, and one of the first for Zorian. David swam well to make the front pack, rode strong, and ran well; 7th in a junior race is a good result for anyone, and remarkable for a junior debut against a good field. Zorian was solid across the disciplines, and ran really well (5th fastest split) to push David to the line. David and Zorian missed the automatic selection criteria (top 6) for the Canada Summer Games by a mere 6 seconds! Tristan Woodfine scorched the run with a race best 15:22, which was 70 seconds faster than the second fastest run split, to run himself into the top 10. wow. These three guys turned a lot of heads, and will definitely factor into the upcoming Coteau du Lac race and Nationals.
Matt Vierula made it four Ontario athletes in the top 10, with a strong race after a big crash just weeks ago at PATCO, and the scars and roadrash to prove it. Taylor Reid (13th), Karsten Madsen (16th) and Alexander Hinton (17th) posted top run times off of good rides. Alexander actually had his best swim ever, and was well positioned to make the front pack, but his chain got stuck against his chainstay, and he dropped approximately 15 places at the mount line before he could work it free. Karsten raced sick, and Taylor was perhaps the smartest athlete on the course - rather than tape up the vents on his helmet due to the cold, he just kept his swim camp on for the bike. Ian Donald and Travis Goron put themselves in good position with a solid swim and bike, but had a rough day on the run. Look for both of them to be in the thick of things at Coteau du Lac.
In the womens' race, Dorelle Hinton had her best run to date, managing to be the only athlete to run up from the chase pack into the top 6. Dorelle's finish qualifies her for Ontario's Canada Games Triathlon Team, with the remaining two spots yet to be decided. Joanna Brown swam well, made a bike pack, and worked through the field with a strong run. Domi Jamnicky, fresh off the plane from OFSAA, had a rough swim, but rode well and moved through the field on the run, too. Angela Quick made the main swim pack, and rode in the second chase pack. On the run she worked hard despite severe breathing problems - that's probably the hardest I've seen Ang race since Edmonton Junior Nationals - a great effort on a tough day. Jade Gregory was caught between packs for part of the bike, and put on a cornering clinic through transition as she gave chase.
The race was very well organized, with great support from the Manitoba parents, athletes and coaches. A special thanks to the families who offered homestays to our athletes, and drove them around. More than one official/volunteer/parent/coach commented on how impressed they were with the Ontario athletes and the way they raced and conducted themselves - great job guys. Finally, thanks to the parents and coaches who support and guide the Ontario crew in this crazy sport.
There were some problems with the results, but they should be sorted out soon, so check back for updated splits.
See you at Provincials in less than two weeks.
Monday, June 8, 2009
PROJECT 2012
CANADIAN TRIATHLETES LAUNCH NEW OLYMPIC QUADRENNIAL WITH WORLD-LEADING HIGH-PERFORMANCE SUPPORT TEAM
Two-time Olympic medallist Simon Whitfield leads Canadians on road to 2012 Games
Two-time Olympic medallist Simon Whitfield leads Canadians on road to 2012 Games
www.triathloncanada.com
VANCOUVER—Canada’s high-performance triathletes will have a world-leading coach and technical support team to help boost their quest for the international podium, Triathlon Canada announced on Monday in Vancouver while officially launching the road to the 2012 Olympic Summer Games.
Triathlon Canada has recruited an enhanced Canadian-made coaching and support team that brings more than 50 years of experience competing and coaching at an elite level. Kurt Innes, of Kelowna, B.C., who was an Olympic cyclist in 1992 and graduate of the National Coaching Institute after receiving his level IV certification in cycling and speedskating, will take on the role of leading the team of coaches as Triathlon Canada’s high-performance director. Innes, who is also a two-time Olympic coach in cycling, was the director of high-performance sport at the Olympic Oval in Calgary in 2005-06, and the lead in performance planning at the Canadian Sport Centre Pacific over the last four years.
Earlier this spring, Triathlon Canada promoted Philippe Bertrand, who was an assistant coach for Canada’s 2008 Olympic team, to head coach of the Senior National Team. The 35-year-old Bertrand worked his way through the Canadian triathlon system over the last 15 years as a national-team athlete, and has coached actively at all levels in the sport since 1998.
Full press release available at Triathlon Canada website soon.
THE ALMOST CLEAN SWEEP
British Columbia triathletes teamed up to win five of a possible six medals
June 8, 2009
www.triathloncanada.com
WINNIPEG—British Columbia triathletes teamed up to win five of a possible six medals in the elite junior men and women races in the first leg of the Teck National Junior Series on Sunday at Bird’s Hill Park in Winnipeg.
Victoria’s Kyla Coates, who won the PATCO Championships last month, won the junior women’s race on a frigid Winnipeg morning where temperatures hovered around eight degrees, and water temperatures peaking at 13.5 Celsius. Coates clocked a winning time of one hour four minutes 48 seconds in the 750-metre swim combined with the 20-kilometre bike, and five-kilometre run.
Full article here.
BIRDS HILL DEBRIEF
A full post coming, but for now, a quick summary:
1) To quote George W Bush, "It was a thumpin'" for Team ON, at the hands of Team BC.
2) ...BUT, everyone gave a full effort, the ON athletes were all class, and everyone had a part (or parts) of the race that went really well.
3) In general, the younger (16 & 17yr old) athletes from all provinces really performed well. Congrats, and welcome to junior racing.
Full results here. Note that there may be some errors in some of the splits. We're pretty sure the final time and placings are correct, but some splits may be off. If you see anything wrong, e-mail me, and I'll get it fixed.
Pics here. Feel free to copy any you like.
1) To quote George W Bush, "It was a thumpin'" for Team ON, at the hands of Team BC.
2) ...BUT, everyone gave a full effort, the ON athletes were all class, and everyone had a part (or parts) of the race that went really well.
3) In general, the younger (16 & 17yr old) athletes from all provinces really performed well. Congrats, and welcome to junior racing.
Full results here. Note that there may be some errors in some of the splits. We're pretty sure the final time and placings are correct, but some splits may be off. If you see anything wrong, e-mail me, and I'll get it fixed.
Pics here. Feel free to copy any you like.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
BIRDS HILL SUNDAY
www.triathloncanada.com
June 3, 2009
WINNIPEG—Canada’s next generation of triathlon heroes will be hitting the startline for fast and furious swimming, cycling, and running this weekend at Bird’s Hill Park in Winnipeg as part of the inaugural race in the Teck National Junior Triathlon Series.
The Triple Threat Triathlon club is hosting their annual Triple Threat Triathlon. In addition to race categories for all levels of athletes, a record number of competitive junior athletes will take to the waters and paths of Birds Hill, vying for Canada Games positions and the title of Western Canadian Junior Triathlon Champion.
Full article.
-----------------------
Ontario will be represented by 14 athletes:
MEN
Ian Donald (PTC)
Travis Goron (Loaring Personal Coaching)
Alexander Hinton (PTC)
David Mackie (Fighting Koalas)*
Karsten Madsen (C3)
Zorian Maksymec (Kingston Blue Marlins)
Taylor Reid (C3)
Matt Vierula (Bytown Storm)
Tristan Woodfine (Bytown Storm)*
WOMEN
Joanna Brown (Bytown Storm)
Jade Gregory (Bytown Storm)
Dorelle Hinton (PTC)
Domi Jamnicky
Angela Quick (PTC)
* First junior draft legal race
There should be some great racing in Birds Hill Park on Sunday. Men go at 8:00am, Women at 8:05am. We expect it to be a wetsuit swim, with a rolling bike course, and flat & fast run. Best of luck to David Mackie and Tristan Woodfine as they toe the line in their first junior draft-legal event.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
WEBSITE WEDNESDAY
A new PTC feature: Website Wednesday! I'll post a link to a site every Wednesday to keep the PTC faithful informed and entertained. This feature will probably sputter out in a few weeks, but for now let's pretend that Website Wednesday will be as reliable as James' love for 'physiology talk', or Tom's penchant for ham.
To kick things off, allow me to present the Mens 2008 Olympic Champion, and International Man of Mystery, Jan Frodeno:
His website makes this blog look like amateur hour, which isn't too far off the mark anyways. Lots of fun stuff on Frodo's website, and maybe some tips and tricks, too. I've already learned that we need to do more bike & run training in our trisuits. Grab a coffee, have a look around, and enjoy.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Borrowed from a link posted by Jane Armstong in Ottawa.
OMEGA FATTY ACID BALANCE CAN ALTER IMMUNITY AND GENE EXPRESSION
ScienceDaily (June 2, 2009)
For the past century, changes in the Western diet have altered the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids (w6, found in meat and vegetable oils) compared with omega-3 fatty acids (w3, found in flax and fish oil). Many studies seem to indicate this shift has brought about an increased risk of inflammation (associated with autoimmunity and allergy), and now using a controlled diet study with human volunteers, researchers may have teased out a biological basis for these reported changes.
Full article.
OMEGA FATTY ACID BALANCE CAN ALTER IMMUNITY AND GENE EXPRESSION
ScienceDaily (June 2, 2009)
For the past century, changes in the Western diet have altered the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids (w6, found in meat and vegetable oils) compared with omega-3 fatty acids (w3, found in flax and fish oil). Many studies seem to indicate this shift has brought about an increased risk of inflammation (associated with autoimmunity and allergy), and now using a controlled diet study with human volunteers, researchers may have teased out a biological basis for these reported changes.
Full article.
Monday, June 1, 2009
2009-2010 OAT SCHOLARSHIP
www.triathlonontario.com
The goal of this programme is to support the post secondary education of a high performance athlete with realistic international potential thus allowing them to focus on their academic studies and training.
Deadline: June 30th, 2009
Eligibility requirements:
-Full OAT member for the 2009 season (one day members do not qualify)
-Must maintain a minimum of 4 credits throughout the academic year
-Must be enrolled in a post secondary programme in Ontario
-Must have at least one international time standard (ie. run or swim)
-Must be an athlete of significant caliber to be competitive internationally
More information here.
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