Swim, Slip and Slide as Gen Next Tri the Elements

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March 23, 2012

The wet and slippery conditions certainly didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of over 100 aspiring young triathletes who braved the Sunshine Coast’s inclement weather conditions at today’s inaugural Australian Youth Triathlon Championships at the Novotel Twin Waters.

Triathletes from every State in Australia arrived onto the Coast under the watchful eyes of some of the most influential names in the sport who were delighted with Australia’s next pool of talent.

The 13-18 year olds were thrown conditions which would have tested the bike skills of seasoned professionals according to Triathlon Australia’s National Development Manager, Craig Redman.

“Given the severe weather that hampered their races at times, these kids did a great job, despite the testing conditions,” said Redman.

“They rode to the conditions and stuck to their race plans and actually revealed some sound skill sets which will certainly help them in their future careers.”

Sydney Olympian and Olympic gold medal coach Craig Walton was on hand to provide his expertise before the Championships began, explaining just what to do in the slippery surface.

Walton was joined by National Performance Manager Michael Flynn, his fellow National Talent Academy coaches Keiran Barry and Chris Lang and three-time world champion Peter Robertson, who cast their eyes over the fields.

The three age group categories and distances saw the 13 and 14 years cover a 400m swim, 12km bike and 3km run; the 15 and 16 years (600m swim, 16km bike and 4km run) while the 17 and 18 years covered the Sprint distances of 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run.

Western Australia’s Australian Junior Champion and Australian Junior Series winner Jaz Hedgeland again showed her prowess, winning the girls 17-18 years age division ahead of Queensland’s Holly Grice with Launceston’s talented athletics and triathlon star Natalea Smith third.

Smith was one competitor who tasted the bitumen when she came off her bike, before picking herself up to secure a podium finish with an outstanding final five kilometre run.

In the 17-18 years boys it was Newcastle’s Shane Ilgen who continued the region’s outstanding recent success to defeat Matt Baker from the NSW Central Coast and Queenslander Angus Gibson who led the field out of the water. Ilgen is following the likes of former Newcastle Academy graduate and prospective London Olympian and Aaron Royle, third to Sexton at the OTU Oceania Championships in Devonport last week.

Hedgeland’s little sister Kira also earnt herself a silver medal in the 13-14 years girls, when she split Sunshine Coast duo Jessica Hoskin from Caloundra and Redcliffe’s Jessica Corliss who took the bronze.

Hoskin, from Sandgate State High and the Redcliffe Tri Club, led the field out of the swim and proceeded to put together a “very impressive” performance according to Redman.

The 15-16 years boys saw Queensland trio Luke Willian, Christian Wilson and Matt Roberts dominate from the outset with Carina Leagues’ Willian and Hervey Bay’s Wilson rubbing shoulders for the entire race after emerging from the swim side-by-side.

While in the girls Port Macquarie’s Laura Cook did a fantastic job to record an impressive win over Queensland pair Brittany Dutton and Sophie Malowiecki.

In other events, Queensland’s Harry Sweeney from the Northside Christian College ran away from the ACT’s Corey Behnan with Brisbane State High student Nicholas Free third in the 13-14 years boys.

The cream of the Youth Championship fields will be in action tomorrow in the Teams Challenge.

AUSTRALIAN YOUTH TRIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIPS
Novotel Twin Waters, Sunshine Coast, QLD:

Girls:
13-14 years: Jessica Hoskin (QLD) 40-22 Kira Hedgeland (WA) 40-24 Jessica Corliss (QLD) 40-46
15-16 years:  Laura Cook (NSW) 51.38 Brittany Dutton (QLD) 52.02 Sophie Malowiecki (QLD) 53.17
17-18 years: Jaz Hedgeland (WA) 1:03.38 Holly Grice (QLD) 1:04.25 Natalea Smith (TAS) 1:05.23

Boys:
13-14 years:  Harry Sweeney (QLD) 40.02 Corey Benhan (ACT) 40.29 Nicholas Free (QLD) 40.35
15-16 years: Luke Willian (QLD) 46.42 Christian Wilson (QLD) 46.52 Matt Roberts (QLD) 47.20
17-18 years: Shane Ilgen (NSW) 58.49 Matt Baker (NSW) 59.19 Angus Gibson (QLD) 59.38

 For full results click here.