Tri Alliance Race Results and Athlete Series Points

Race 4 photo’s

Hi Team,

What a sensational weekend of results both in Melbourne and Hobart.  All the coaches could not be prouder at the moment and breathing a sigh of relief as clearly we are all heading on the right track.  I say this as the last four weeks has been demanding on all our athletes with such a heavy block of training.  This has resulted in many athletes feeling the pinch and needing the rest.  As a squad you have been listening to your bodies and the coach’s advice and following the programs to the best of your abilities and taking rest when required.

This has shown this weekend with the consistent results of your racing.  Tri Alliance scored an amazing 31 top 10 finishes with 12 podium places on the weekend in Gatorade, Brooks and Hobart.

Hobart

The most outstanding result of the weekend has come from our Geelong coach Jarrod Evens who clocked a number one spot in Hobart to guarantee him a spot in the Australian team going to Hamburg.  His performance in Hobart was only described as awesome as he literally smashed his opposition. Congratulations to you Evo top work and it is great to see after many years of injury and setbacks that it is coming together for him.

Others in Hobart to get special mention and all gained vital points for the Australian team campaign was Michelle O’Tool, Brett Archibald, Greg Nugent and Rachel Raynor.  These guys and girls have almost booked their tickets to Hamburg with Geelong to go which will seal their Australian team birth.  All these athletes found the going tough in Tassie but loved the race and venue and said that they will be going back next year.
For those of you who have never raced there it is a very hilly/undulating course on the bike with 8 x 5km loops and included in this is an amazing 21 U Turns and 63 tight corners – so it rewards the strong and more skilled riders.  The run for the age groupers is flat (4 x 2.5km), but for the elites who had 5 x 1km run loops, it had a hill they had to run up 5 x and ride up 8 x.  Very very hard on the legs.   The water temp was 19 degrees and was quite calm.  The wind was very strong by the time all the age groupers started and didn’t let up until late in the evening.  

Tameka Day may be absent from our local races but she is doing well on the national circuit with a 4th spot on the weekend.  Jarrod describes her race well.

The Elite women lined up to start at 2.00pm in the hottest part of the day.  Tameka had a great swim exiting the water in the front pack, with Annabel Luxford out in front by about 10 seconds.  There was a group of 4 girls chasing her down with Tameka including current Under 23 World Champion Erin Densham, Noosa 2006 Winner Felicity Abrams, and NSWIS Athlete Melissa Trims.  Tameka found the going tough on the bike course and dropped off the pace, to ride on her own for 4 laps until she was caught by a group of 3 girls.  Luxford had now built her lead out to over a minute in an amazing display of riding strength.  Tameka stayed with them (3 other girls) for the remainder of the bike leg, and then looked good coming off the bike.  She ended up having a solid run to finish in 4th spot behind Densham, Luxford and Felicity Abrams.  This was another good result for Tameka having 2 Top 5 results in her first 2 National Series Races for the 06/07 Season.  These results all bode well in terms of gaining points and experience to try and gain selection for the World Champs this year in Hamburg.  She will be over for Geelong in about 10 Days time.

The Gatorade and Gatorade Race,

Another hot one at Elwood with a 38 degree day but more contingencies on hand to combat the heat and make sure all got through without another headache. Even though the races were shortened, Super Sprint did the right thing including adding and additional 4 drink stations and cooling fans at the end of the race.  This is what makes Supper Sprint races the quality of event that they are.  They are trolley second to non.
We have a number of athletes do really well.  Michelle Augustynek took out the juniors again and held on to some of the elites even though she was stricken with a glut injury,  Renee Lane from Geelong is coming together with more consistent results placing second in the elite females and only 20 seconds off the number one spot. 

My other special mention and play of the week goes to Nicola Layther whose comment was on Friday I will get that podium next year.  And would you believe it all came together for her with her very first podium this weekend.  Believe me we all new about it as she spear tackled me at the tent as she sprinted from the podium to share the result with the team mates. A very excited girl with a well deserved result.   Well done Nicola and we wish many more to come.

It is also great to see so many of the Tri Alliance athletes who have cracked podiums this year to maintain consistency.  Those people being, Julie King, Susan Scott, Ray Noonan, Shae Thomas and Sue Gould.

I would like to also acknowledge Gemma Duhig who has been struggling with stress fracture in the shins.  She has spent most of the on season with this injury and is finally coming good after using a bit of a secret weapon that has brought them back to life.  Gemma placed a very respectable 4th spot in her age group and is looking to improve with the 2 races remaining.

Finally I would like to mention a bit of a new up and coming athlete that we have, Jane Sharp who 12 months ago would have not even looked twice at a triathlon.  See Jane was your average mum sporting a couple of kids, living the typical lifestyle and as most people do put on a few kg while you are at it.  Well Jane had a sudden change of heart 12 months ago where she decided that this is not for her so she started walking then walk and running and then swimming while her kids were off doing there swimming lessons.  Well as a result she has lost a very impressive 23kg and looks as fit as our younger athletes.  These achievements has lead her to give triathlon a crack.  This crack has resulted in her getting 3 podiums in the Brooks races.  If you think this girl is going to stop there then look out because see has her sights firmly on the Gatorade races in the future.  Well done Jane and welcome to the Tri Alliance Family.
 

As you can see in the results of the remanding athletes in the top 10 spots of their respective age groups are only within 3 spots away from the podium.  What an awesome effort by the Tri Alliance crew.  We could not be happier at the moment with only 11 days before the Australian Champs and everyone doing so well.  It is truly a testament to your hard work and consistency as athletes.  This is a comment to all of you who have improved this year not only to those who have posted great results on the podium but those who have achieved their own personal goals and more.

It will be at the race in Geelong that most of you will see the greatest improvement as most of the individuals who raced this last year will see the dramatic improvement of the winter training.
 

Tri Alliance Results

Race Results Gatorade Race 4 - 2007 - Tri-alliance Members
From the provisional results - 19 top ten finishes, with 8 podiums (Top Ten Summary below)
Michelle Augustynek     Student             548       1      
Cameron Simon   Individual                   14         2      
Julie King      Individual                          495       2      
Sue Gould       Individual                       998       2      
Renee Lane      Individual                       49         2           
Nicola Layther  Individual                       288       3      
Susan  Scott    Individual                       829       3      
Ray Noonan      Individual                      503       3      
Shae Thomas                                                    3
Scott McPherson                                  4th Place 15-19 Male
Gemma Duhig     Individual                    387       4
Greg Mervin     Individual                       42         4                
Suzanne Shaw    Individual                     838       4      
Bridgitte Burns Individual                       72         4      
Colin Brown     Individual                       93         5      
Emily Rooke     Individual                      103       5      
Adam Beckworth  Individual                   6          5      
Glen  Kempe     Individual                      81         6      
Gary Blake      Individual                        783       9      
Michelle Easton Individual                      695       10  

Race Results Brooks Race 4 - 2007 - Tri-alliance Members
From the provisional results - 5 top ten finishes, with 2 podiums (Top Ten Summary below)

                 

Hobart Results
From the provisional results - 6 top ten finishes, with 1 podium (Top Ten Summary below)
Jarrod Evans -              -1st Overall Winner of Age Group Event
Brett Archbold               - 5th
Michelle O'Toole            - 5th
Greg Nugent                 - 7th
Rachel Raynor               - 7th
Elite females race Hobart
Tameka Day                  - 4th elite female.

BODY TORQUE PROFILE

Body Torque, situated in a coastal town Ocean Grove, was formed over 19 years ago and to date is proud to be one of Australia’s premier cycling and active sporting apparel manufacturers. A strong history and specialist expertise in the cycling industry, has allowed Body Torque to expand into other sporting fields, transferring that expertise with a natural evolution. Now Body Torque is confident and excited to add Triathlon to its rapidly expanding range.

Over the years Body Torque’s sporting apparel has been in many recognised national sporting events, such as the ‘Herald Sun Tour’ and ‘Around the bay in a day classic’. Adding to the list of achievements, the Victorian and Tasmanian Institute of Sport, which have both produced many national champions, have and still use Body Torque’s highly advanced performance cycling apparel to help meet the demands of these current and future champions.

Body Torque’s sporting apparel range reaches to over 500 retail outlets throughout Australia, and is now, with increased interest and demand, embarking on global expansion.

This drive, determination, and hunger for success have set firm foundations for a bigger and better future that Body Torque is looking sharply at and actively moving toward.

One main contributing factor, to the rising success of Body Torque, is its dedicated personnel. Selected from various parts of the world, with differing professional backgrounds, who all share the one similar attitude, a constant search for excellence and perfection.

‘Be what you dream’ , is ‘folk law’ at Body Torque today, and it’s this vision and winning work ethic which will one day see Body Torque reach its goal as a global market leader in sporting apparel.