Photo credit: Triathlon Australia | Delly Carr
Spurred on by our Aussie Commonwealth Games team, 14 Queenslanders will be racing head-to-head around St Kilda this weekend, vying for OTU Oceania Cup, Oceania Championship (standard distance) honours and top spot in the U23 Australian Triathlon Series.
Kye Wylde (Bond University Triathlon Club) is currently sitting on top of the U23 points table, with Brandon Copeland and Daniel Coleman (also Bond University Triathlon Club) close behind. Both on 33 points, they will be looking to seperate themselves and put their good training to the test, just as club-mate Matt Hauser did yesterday at the Commonwealth Games.
They will face competition from Sam Ward (New Zealand) who finished second in the New Plymouth ITU World Cup recently, Nic Free (fresh from his podium finish at the African Cup in Troutbeck and fellow Queenslanders Luke Burns (Warwick Dalziel Triathlon Coaching) and Jack Van Stekelenburg (Bond University Triathlon Club). Max Neumann from Pine Rivers Tri Sports Club will also be throwing down a challenge.
On the women's side, the Australian U23 Series is currently dominated by Queenslanders who will be looking to keep on top of our interstate rivals. Annabel White is currently in first place and will be looking to grab the sprint/standard double Oceania U23 titles but will be chased by Kira Hedgeland (Bond University Triathlon Club) who is on the comeback trail from injury and Katinka Von Elsner-Wellsteed (Bond University Triathlon Club).
Surfers Paradise duo Courtney Gilfillan and Annabel Luxford will also be racing for elite honours against Natalie Van Coevorden (NSW) who finished on the podium at the Abu Dhabi World Cup & tenth at the New Plymouth World Cup and her training partner, Amelie Kretz from Canada (recently 8th at New Plymouth.)
Racing kicks off on Sunday 8 April at 7:45am.
Send your support to these Queenslanders:
Under 23 Men:
Luke Burns (Warwick Dalziel Triathlon Coaching)
Daniel Coleman (Bond University Triathlon Club)
Brandon Copeland (Bond University Triathlon Club)
Nic Free (Genesis Triathlon Club)
Max Neumann (Pine Rivers Tri Sports Club)
Charlie Quin (Surfers Paradise Triathlon Club)
Kye Wylde (Bond University Triathlon Club)
Under 23 Women:
Brittany Dutton (Warwick Dalziel Triathlon Coaching)
Kira Hedgeland (Bond University Triathlon Club)
Sophie Malowiecki (Intraining Running & Triathlon Club)
Katinka Von Elsner-Wellsteed (Bond University Triathlon Club)
Annabel White
Elite Women:
Courtney Gilfillan (Surfers Paradise Triathlon Club)
Annabel Luxford (Surfers Paradise Triathlon Club)
