The nation’s next generation of elite triathlon talent will be on show in Canberra this weekend, when the 2023 Australian Youth & Junior Super Sprint Championships hits the track at Stromlo Forest Park.

 The Championships are part of Grand Prix Triathlon’s Super Sprint Weekend which see athletes compete in a range of multisport events across four days.

The Super Sprint Weekend format, which has previously been held on the Gold Coast, is notorious for helping launching the careers of many future triathlon stars.

 

Tokyo Olympians Jake Birtwhistle, Matt Hauser and Jaz Hedgeland are amongst many success stories from the event format that divides traditional triathlon with Aquathlon (swim/run) and running events with pool swimming.

  

Queensland’s Toby Powers was crowned the Junior Australian Super Sprint Champion at last year’s event on the Gold Coast and went on to secure a silver medal at the 2022 World Triathlon Sprint Championships in Montreal two months later. South Australia’s Paige Cranage, who finished second in last year’s Junior Australian Super Sprint Champion, also made her World Triathlon debut in Montreal.

  

Action gets under way on Thursday with the 1500m run. Friday will see the Youth Hyper Sprint Triathlon, Junior and U23 Elite Hyper Enduro Triathlons. The Youth and Junior Aquathlon and LeMans Criterium takes place on Saturday with the Super Sprint Finals wrapping up the weekends action on Sunday.

  

The 2023 Australian Youth & Junior Super Sprint Championship places are awarded based on the results of the final events on Sunday. 2022 Youth Champions Jack Woodberry (TAS) and Chloe Bowen (QLD) are back on the start list and will be aiming to defend their titles in Canberra. Kicking off the 2023 Triathlon Australia Performance Calendar, the Super Sprint Weekend is the first of four events that provides youth and junior athletes with the opportunity to compete in highly competitive settings across various race formats in the Oceania region.