Queensland's young athletes put everything on the line at the first race of the Australian Youth | Junior | Under 23 series at Runaway Bay last weekend.  For most of our young athletes, this four day racing festival is the highlight of their season, and the perfect lead into a Christmas break.  

Queensland's heat and humidity tested the athletes across their seven races: a 1500m run; criterium; super sprint triathlon, ultra sprint triathlon and hyper sprint triathlon, an aquathlon and the mixed team relay.

It was a clean sweep for Queenslanders in the  Under 23 male and female categories with Garth Prowd Scholarship winner, Jo Miller taking out the first place, followed by Katinka Von Elsner-Welsteed and Annabel White.  For the men's event, local Kye Wylde took line honours followed by Nic Free and David Pinto.

For the first time, Juniors racing in the series have the chance to win their share of a $10000 travel and product bursary.  A joint initiative between Triathlon Australia and Scody, the top three male and female Junior athletes at the end of the Series will take home a package worth $2500 for first place, $1500 for second and $1000 for third place.  

In the Junior category, Romy Wolstencroft stormed home to be first across the line in the "A" final, however that was only enough to place her 6th on the final points tally, the highest placed Queenslander for the Junior Women.  Other states were dominant across the points races in the Junior Men's category as well, with the highest placed Queenslander being Dean Cane, followed by Lachlan Jones.

Youth A Females were beaten for first place, but Tara Sosinski, Richelle Hill and Chloe McLennan followed closely on the points table. The Youth A Male category was too strong with Queensland's contingent, with Lachlan Medway and Oliver Cronin taking out fifth and 6th place on the final tally.

Youth B Females was won by Queensland's Gabby Martin with Jazzy Shults taking out third overall.  Martin was the only athlete across the weekend to win every single one of her events.  It was a clean sweep in the boy's event with Jackson Medway leading Jack Crome and Thomas Feldmann both in the final, and in the point tally.

The  Australian Youth | Junior | Under 23 Series heads to Glenelg, South Australia for the next chance to earn points on towards the overall Series title.

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