Young Triathletes to Race In Australia

8 January 2014

Media release from Triathlon New Zealand, for further information visit www.triathlon.org.nz

Young Triathletes to Race In Australia

Following a series of talent ID camps and the Triathlon Youth Festival in Auckland in December 2013, Triathlon New Zealand has selected 11 young triathletes to compete in Penrith at the Australian Junior Sprint Tri this weekend.

The opportunity to race in Penrith is part of the National Talent Programme as the sport looks to identify, nurture and provide pathways for emerging young talent in the sport.

Those chosen to race in Penrith are: Dan Hoy (age 15, Auckland, coached by Nathan Richmond), Matt Manning (15, Auckland, Brett Reid), Tayler Reid (17, Gisborne, Stephen Sheldrake), Kyle Smith (16, Taupo, Cameron Durno), Fynn Thompson (17, Queenstown, Val Burke), Liam Ward (16, Auckland, Brett Reid), James Wright (16, Whanganui, Gareth Wright), Steffie Holcroft (18, Hamilton, Syd Cummings), Jaimee Leader (16, Palmerston North, Samantha Warriner), Lizzie Stannard (16, Palmerston North, Will O’Connor) and Nicole van der Kaay (17, Taupo, Cameron Durno).

The team will enjoy the coaching expertise of Tri NZ Talent Development Coach Tim Brazier, with support from former Olympian Nathan Richmond.

Brazier says it is a great chance for the athletes and coaches to learn a little more about each other and international competition.

“This is a talented group of young athletes who were selected after a superb Youth Festival in Auckland and a number of camps and results through the year. The standard at the Youth Festival was high as was the attitude of the athletes with a clear appetite to learn on display across the two days.

“As we grow the talent pool at this young age the benefits are many, both at events such as this in Penrith and also at home in the .kiwi Tri Series and Regional Youth Academies. The more we bring these athletes together the more competitive they will become as a group, pushing each other on to greater heights.”

Tri NZ High Performance Director Graeme Maw says the opportunity also doubles as a selection race for the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing China in August this year.

“One of the great benefits of sport is the opportunity it presents for international development, and these young athletes have put their hands up strongly to be considered for an Olympic experience. Both Aaron Barclay and Maddie Dillon have progressed to the High Performance Squads since their experience at the previous Youth Olympics in Singapore, and we look forward to similar from some of those going to Penrith.

“This group is a forerunner to the announcement of the National Talent Squad and Regional Youth Academies for 2014, through which they and others will have similar opportunities. We are thrilled by both the strength and depth of young athletes in or now entering triathlon in New Zealand.”

The triathletes will travel to Sydney on January 9 and then on to Penrith where they will visit the courseon Friday. Saturday will see individual races over the sprint distance before they race again on Sunday, this time in teams in a super-sprint format before flying home later that evening. The group will be joined racing in Penrith by fellow kiwis, Katherine Badham and Josie Clow.

ENDS

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