NTA Junior Asian Triathlon Tour

The July school holidays are normally a hibernation time or a chance to head over to Bali to find some warmth. For the last few years I have traveled to the Gold Coast to extend my coaching knowledge and learn from the best. This year I have been fortunate enough to be picked as a Team Australia Coach for the Junior Elite World Championships. So this time I was attending a camp based on being one of the coaches. This year saw a change to the schedule for the Juniors. World Champs are to be held in Mexico in September, somewhere that will be warm and probably humid on race day. So instead of just doing a training camp on the Gold Coast where some warmth could be enjoyed the team found 2 races to attend and made the 2 week camp visit a few countries. Jess Claxton has been named in the Australian Team and she joined me on this trip. We left a very cold and wet Perth and headed to Osaka, Japan, I think it was 32 degrees the first day we arrived, slight difference to the 17 and rain we had been experiencing in Perth. Once in Osaka we joined up with the rest of the traveling team. Liam McCoach from Break Your Limits Academy had flown with us from Perth and then we joined up with athletes from QAS and GCNPC who had flown from Queensland, Singapore and Thailand to join the trip.

Jess and I had been working in a heat chamber and completing course simulation on the Wahoo Kickr to hopefully make sure she was absolutely ready for the race. The Osaka race course was 4 laps over an industrial estate with a massive bridge, which meant 8 times up and over. Jess spent four 4 weeks working in the heat chamber on this course and we were confident we had done enough work to be successful and achieve our goals at this race. This was Jess's first Elite adult race. Osaka was an ITU Asian Cup race covering the traditional Sprint distance. Jess was the youngest athlete on the start list with the oldest being a multiple Olympian.

Unfortunately Osaka was not to be the race we had hoped for, Jess was in the lead group 4th out of the water and in a group that looked the goods, unfortunately Jess came down on a U-turn and broke her bike and the day was done.

Japan was very successful for the Australian Team with being able to win both the Mens and Womens races. Excited for other athletes but saddened to wonder what if, we left Japan to spend a week in Singapore. Singapore was a whole new level. It was the same sort of heat as Japan but the humidity was way more, just walking down the street brought the sweats on.
Singapore was a very different set up and way more casual, the Japan. I guess thats the difference between and event that has been running for 30 years and a new race. Singapore was a great venue very safe and closed roads.
Race morning was a very early start but also super successful. Jess and I had a planned for the race and Jess executed her plan perfectly to take the win. Jess has now started 3 international Elite Triathlons and has 2 wins, very good strike rate.

Below are some more random shots from the trip which I have thoroughly enjoyed and learned from and am looking forward to the next 5 weeks of building and preparation for Junior Elite World Champs to be held in Cozumel, Mexico in September. Have heaps of ideas to attempt at training and some great supporters helping me with some equipment to make sure the Jess is the best prepared she can be.

End of Season Reflection

WOW!!!!
2015/16 Triathlon Season was an amazing experience. We achieved so much.
I will keep this short as to not bore anyone, but will make a new goal to post much more often then I currently have been.
Congratulations to all the athletes on an amazing season.
Congratulations to Jessica Claxton who has qualified for the Australian Junior Elite Triathlon Team. Jess also won the ITU Oceania Junior Champs in Gisborne, New Zealand and the School Sport Australia Triathlon Champs in Hervey Bay, Queensland.
The athletes that traveled to School Sport Champs had an amazing experience, WA finished 2nd Overall, the best result in a long time, with that also came several medals. Jess Claxton and Josh Roberts combined to earn a silver medal in the Seniors relay and Caitlin Knight had the trip of her life and earned a silver medal in her individual race and on relay day.

Time Flies When Your Busy

Wow, it only felt like last week when I last posted, I know sounds familiar, but is now the middle of January and Duathlon Worlds flew by, with some good and some bad moments and now the athletes have qualified for the WA School Sport Triathlon Team and some more have also traveled to 2 rounds of the National Junior Series.
So won't make this a huge long essay about everything that has happened but will aim to be more regular with updates.
Duathlon Worlds was an experience, racing again was nerve racking but fun, there was no pressure for me personally as I had been to a World Champs before and because there was no swim leg for me to perform in. Was a whole different story for the girls, first ever time representing Australia. Congratulations to Sheridan Smith and Kaitlyn Illingworth Age Group Worlds is an amazing experience and you soaked up the journey and did everyone proud. Steve Smith also joined us in the experience and despite not enjoying his day, achieved some of his goals. I also got the opportunity to be involved in the Elite event as well, getting a coaches accreditation to be involved and having an athlete race. My athlete did not have the day she was hoping for but has now moved on and is enjoying the sport again, and that is what our sport is all about.

After Duathlon Worlds it was quickly into School Sport Championships and some local races. DETS athletes had some outstanding success within these races, with Jess Claxton and Joshua Roberts gaining automatic selection into the WA State Schools Triathlon Team to travel to Hervey Bay in Queensland in April 2016. Other members of the squad that have joined these two include Mitch Lees, Elliot Roberts, Jo Robertson, Breaze James and Caitlin Knight. Congratulations and I look forward to the next 3 months of preparation for this event.

In December I was lucky enough to be invited to the AIS to attend a National Development Camp as a lead coach of one team, unfortunately my team could maintain the lead, we lead right up until the last event. The NDC was held at the conclusion of the Australian Junior Triathlon Series Race 1 in Canberra. It was an unreal opportunity to experience the AIS and challenge my knowledge and ability. Hopefully it will take my coaching and my athletes to the next level. I was fortunate enough to have one of my athletes invited to the camp as well, Jess Claxton, she has had an outstanding winter and is now producing some outstanding results. Jess came 3rd in Canberra in only her 2nd year as an Elite Junior.

After Christmas Round 2 of the AJTS was held in Robina, Queensland. DETS took 3 athletes over, Breaze James in the Youth race and Jess Claxton and Tegan Scott in the Junior race. This was Breaze's first trip to an Elite Series Race and a nerve racking experience, Breaze had a great swim but missed some of the little 1%'ers that make the difference and finished 17th for the day. Jess Claxton displayed her strengths earlier on and showed she is fast becoming one of the strongest athletes in the field and again finished 3rd. Tegan Scott had a great swim but was left in an unfortunate position and had to do a lot of bike work all by herself with little support, she dragged a large pack of girls from 45 seconds down to head into T2 less then 10 seconds down. Tegan then held on to finish a strong 24th.

Wow what a few months we have had. Sitting down and reflecting is sometimes hard but so worthwhile, it allows you to experience and remember moments like these.

Looking forward to the rest of the season, Draft Legal Rockingham Triathlon coming up followed by 2 more National Junior Series races with more athletes making their debut on the National scene, plus plenty more local races and athletes stepping up to some long course racing.

Even in our darkest hours and toughest challenges, we must give it everything we have if we wish to succeed!