Category: Latest News

This weekend will see the Triathlon WA (TWA) State Series kick off with the first of our five State Championships Races – the State Duathlon Championships presented by EXSS Events. With racing opportunities for everyone, the day has attracted athletes from as far as Esperance and will see athletes aged from 7 to 70+ participate in the run, bike, run format at Champion Lakes. The race is also a WQE for Triathlon Australia members.

The Open field is headlined by a number of 2019/20 State Champions, including both of the Triathletes of the Year (TOTY) – Nick Thompson (UWA Tri Club) and Madison Toovey (North Coast Tri Club). Thompson, last year’s State Duathlon Champion, will have to defend his title against a strong field including Guy Crawford (Fremantle Tri Club), Aaron Houghton (Fremantle Tri Club), Blake Kappler (North Coast Tri Club), Dale Zabiela (Bunbury Tri Club) and Jonny Sammut (Exceed Tri Club). Adam White (Exceed Tri Club) also lines up in the Open category in his return to racing post-injury. Luke Bate (UWA Tri Club), who has recently returned from training and racing on the east coast, will also be gunning for the Open State Duathlon Championship in what promises to be a great race. A late inclusion to the start list is Matt Smith (Fremantle Tri Club) who was the 2019 winner of the Kigali ATU Sprint Duathlon African Cup.

The women’s Open field sees veteran professional athlete Kate Bevilaqua (Fremantle Tri Club) amongst a group of upcoming athletes, Aleisha Wesley (North Coast Tri Club), Rachael Wales (Exceed Tri Club) and Rhianna Hepburn (UWA Tri Club). Defending Triathlete of the Year, Maddie Toovey will be looking to go one better at the duathlon this weekend, after placing second at the championship last year.

The Senior men’s competition will see some fierce competition between strong bike/runners including Bart Hollemans, Shayne Dimmer, Graeme Bamber and Greg Manning. The women’s field will also see some fast racing with past TOTY podium athletes Emma Moon, Rosie Farrell, Rebecca Lewis and Robyn Scott all toeing the start line.

Our Junior State Series also kicks off this weekend with our 12 – 19 age athletes looking to secure some early season points towards TOTY. With some of last year’s Junior winners moving age groups, we will see a number of our Development Program athletes going head to head on Sunday.  

The Paratriathlete category will also see a battle for top podium position between Perth Triathlon Club’s Nige Young and Bunbury Triathlon Club’s Dennis Devereaux.

Sunday will also be the first race in the new Interclub Series, which sees clubs compete for points in pursuit of the titles of Champion Club in their region and Overall Champion Club, as well as up to $750 in prizes for the club. For more information on the interclub series – click here.

The EXSS Events State Duathlon Champs start from 6:50 am on Sunday, 4 October at Champion Lakes. Entries close 11:59 pm Saturday, 3 October.

Full Steam Ahead for SunSmart Busselton Festival of Triathlon 17th October 2020 

Firstly we would like to thank those people who have already registered to compete at this years SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton. As a locally owned and operated event, we rely heavily on the success of the event to fund and develop the services of Triathlon WA. Without the participation and support from the triathlon community this event would not be possible. 

The impact of COVID-19 on the events industry around the world has been devastating. We are extremely lucky here in WA that everyone has done their part to help flatten the curve and as such we have seen significant restrictions eased over the last fortnight. Due to these recent announcements from the WA State Government, we are confident that the SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton event will take place as scheduled on Saturday 17 October 2020. 

We understand there is still some uncertainty around interstate and international participants access to WA who have currently registered, and we will be providing updated communication to these participants over the coming weeks.

We are working closely with all of our delivery partners to ensure our participants and spectators can take part in the event, with health and safety front of mind for all.

For now, we encourage our community to keep training towards their goals. Find a club or training group to keep you motivated over the next 16 weeks, to give yourself the best race day experience you can. There are no more price rises between now and the event day, but we do encourage you to register sooner rather than later. As this is likely to be one of the first major events in WA, we would hate for you to miss out on an entry.

Firstly we would like to thank all our members and the wider triathlon community for doing their part over the last month to help flatten the curve in WA.  
As announced yesterday by the Premier of WA, restrictions to the two person gathering rule have been relaxed. Coming into effect Monday 27 April, based on expert health advice, the two person limit on non-work indoor and outdoor gatherings will be adjusted, with the limit rising to 10 people. Included on this list is;

• Exercise, including outdoor personal training without shared equipment

If clubs/coaches wish to recommence group training sessions, this MUST be conducted in line with all Government Guidelines including 1.5m social distancing. We urge clubs to consider the following additions to their training to account for the safety of all members:

• If members are unwell they should not attend training sessions
• At no time should the training session allow for more than 10 people (coach included)
• All members must be self-sufficient (water bottle, towel etc)
• Allow for extra space within the training area to ensure social distancing can be adhered too
• Group rides of up to 10 may occur but MUST adhere to the 1.5m social distancing rule.

Although these changes from the Government are small, they are welcomed by Triathlon WA and the community. Please remember if you are out exercising please do not risk the safety of yourself or others.

We have secured three locations for these seminars to take place. Please RSVP below the for location that best suits you.

Tuesday 25 Feb – AH Bracks Library, Melville
Wednesday 26 Feb – Star Physio West, Perth
Thursday 27 Feb – Craigie Leisure Centre, Craigie 

Please RSVP HERE to secure your ticket.

Star Physio will be presenting lectures in February to Triathlon WA members and will cover cutting edge information on how to maximise your results and minimise the risk of injury, including the latest in training tips and aero tricks on the bike from the latest international research. We guarantee there will be something to learn for everyone, amateur to professional!

Check out the bios of our team here https://starphysiowa.com.au/star-physios-expert-triathlon-team/, and if you haven’t seen us before, or want to know a bit more about how we can help you get the most out of your triathlons, have a look at some of our past lectures on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/PerthPhysio or go to our Website http://starphysiowa.com.au/  for lots more free information

Star Physio is proud to once again partner Triathlon WA in 2020.  Star Physio are experts in all things triathlon, from injury prevention and management to performance including our highly regarded professional bikefit service. Many of our physios are accomplished triathletes including previous WA State triathlon champions and Hawaii Ironman Competitors!

We work with all levels of athlete, from first timers to the best in the world and our staff includes PhD level physios, teachers and researchers in areas relevant to triathletes and endurance athletes.

SAMMUT AND BOGLIO WIN WA STATE SPRINT TRIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIPS

Jonathan Sammut and Cassia Boglio were crowned WA State Sprint Triathlon champions on Sunday morning at Whitfords Nodes Park in Hillarys. Presented by XTR Multisports, The City of Joondalup Coastal Classic saw 600 triathletes compete for elite and age group titles in hot conditions.

The Elite Men’s field was the first to tackle the 750 meter swim, 20 kilometer ride, and 5 kilometer run course. Sammut exited the water in second position, took the lead on the bike, and never looked back on the run to claim his first WA State triathlon title in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

“I knew I needed to make a big gap at the beginning of the bike and I was just trying to hold it. I went as hard as I could and thankfully that was enough to get the win,” said Sammut after the finish.

22-year-old Sammut came into the race unsure about his bike and run form after battling a knee injury in the last couple of months, but managed to hold off a field of world class athletes.

“To be honest, when I saw the startlist I was a bit taken back. This is probably the best field that Perth has seen in a really long time. I am so stoked,” said Sammut.

Rio Olympian Ryan Bailie finished second, almost a minute behind Sammut. Bailie returned from his off-season in Hillarys and aims to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in the upcoming months.

Matt Burton showed he pulled up well from his second place finish at IRONMAN Western Australia two weeks ago by becoming the third WA athlete to cross the line in the State Championship. Pro-cyclist and national time trial champion on the road Luke Durbridge finished ninth.

In the Women’s race it was 19-year-old Boglio who led from start to finish to win her first WA State triathlon title in the Elite category.

“I wanted to make the race my own and go at my own pace. It was my first non-drafting race in about two years, so I was happy to get it done and execute things well,” said Boglio.

As her competitors started to struggle with the hot temperatures on the run, Boglio kept her cool and held off Madison Toovey and Brooke McCoy who finished second and third respectively.

“I much prefer racing when it’s hot. I find I race a lot better when it’s getting towards 40, so I didn’t really mind. I have just been staying really hydrated the last few days,” said Boglio.

Elite and age group triathletes get the chance to race for the WA State title over the Olympic distance on Sunday 16 February 2020 in Bunbury.

For Media Enquiries Contact
Ashleigh Apps
Executive Director
Triathlon Western Australia
0409 916 553

DO YOU WANT TO PLAY A PART IN SHAPING THE FUTURE DIRECTION OF TRIATHLON WA?

We are currently seeking to appoint a Treasurer to the Triathlon WA Board. Nominees must be Triathlon WA Members with skills and expertise in the field of Financial Management and Accounting. The Treasurer position will also be appointed to the the Audit and Risk Sub-Committee. 

Triathlon WA supports the WA Government’s policy on gender diversity and encourages female applications to apply. 

This position will play a vital part, alongside the board, in driving the future direction of Triathlon WA. If you are interested in putting forward an expression of interest, please submit a short biography outlining your skills and experience in the field of Financial Management or Accounting (maximum of 300 words) to the Executive Director, Ashleigh Apps, via email: ashleigh.apps@wa.triathlon.org.au or post to Beatty Park Leisure Centre, 220 Vincent Street, North Perth, 6006 by Close of Business, Tuesday 26 November 2019. 

To find out more information please click here

The 2019 State Sprint Championships were decided this morning at the Australia Day Triathlon at Point Walter.  Over 600 competitors were greeted with beautiful mild conditions as they commenced the day’s celebrations with a plunge in the Swan River and a ride and run over the undulating course. 

Athletes in the State Sprint Championships took off in the swim into a strong easterly wind and strong current, as the rising sun made spotting difficult, resulting in a challenging swim.  In the Men’s field, Luke Bate was first out of the water, with Liam McCoach and Adam White hot on his heals.  After a quick sprint up the hill to transition, Bates quickly put some distance on McCoach and White on the bike. Matt Burton came powering through from the back of the field, “like a steam train” according to Bates, to overtake Bates by the second lap in the bike and recorded the fastest bike leg of the day. Bates was able to reel Burton in on the run, pulling away towards the finish and taking the title and the Brynt McSwain Trophy in 1:00:35.  Burton took out second less than 20 seconds behind and McCoach was third, followed by Alec Davison and Paul Mackay.

In the Women’s field Liv Smith had a strong swim to come out almost 30 seconds ahead of youngsters Charlotte Thompson and Rhianna Hepburn.  As they headed out on the bike, Norwegian visitor Solveig Natvig Loevseth, gradually closed in on Smith as she powered up the hills.  Solveig and Smith were neck and neck as they headed out onto the run but the Norwegian Champion pulled away in the 5km run to take the tape in 1:08:54.  Smith takes the State title, as first Triathlon WA member across the line in 1:10:34 followed by Rhianna Hepburn, Charlotte Thompson, Madison Toovey and Renee Baker coming in fifth in her come back race.

Congratulations to everyone who competed today.  A big thank you to all the volunteers and Technical Crew and Steve Doyle and the crew at Sports Performance Management for a great event.

See below for the State Sprint Championship Age Group Results.  For the full race results click here.

FEMALE	RESULTS	MALE	RESULTS
14-15	Indie Arbuckle Victoria Fourie	14-15	David Smith Tommaso Puccini Daniel Buis
16-19	Clancy Quick Darcy Mason Grace Lenaghan	16-19	Jesse Evans  Ronan Hays Joel Keeble
20-24	Elyse Rowe Rebecca Kierath Caitlin Richards	20-24	James Allen Nathaniel Wells Aidan Clark
25-29	Rachael Dodds Anita Strauks Rebecca Archibald	25-29	Josh WozniukJames O’Neill Robert Shepherd
30-34	Emma Moon Alexandra Meek Michelle Carranza	30-34	James Martin Nelson Smith  Sjoerd Algera
35-39	Christina Ladyman Rosie Farrell Rebecca Lewis	35-39	Rob Shannon Gareth Humphreys Russell Boulton
40-44	Alison Thompson Kate Boulton Henrietta Farrell	40-44	Brad Frost Javier Blocki Robert Creasy
45-49	Jenny Sulivan Mel Chamberlain Christina Richards	45-49	Arron Robertson Allan Holmes Bart Hollemans
50-54	Caroline Anderson Lisa Hitchcock Pip Laufmann	50-54	Matt McKay Ross Pedlow Lee Jackson
55-59	Janet Ferguson Jane Davis Roz Reynolds	55-59	Gary Hardman Andrew Johns Darryl Harris
60-64	Kim Tyler Audrey Hull Jan Eccles	60-64	Greg Salter Barry Silverlock Richard Burnell
65-59	Jenny Owen	65-69	John Wilkinson David Whitely Geoff Grose
70-74	Ann Blatchford	70-74	Ron Richards Robert Scott Ivan Clare
Para	Kylie Black
Open	Liv Smith Rhianna Hepburn Charlotte Thompson Madison Toovey Renee Baker	Open	Luke Bate Matt Burton Liam McCoach Alec Davison Paul McKay

The 2018/2019 Triathlete of the Year has now been finalised with the confirmation that Bunbury Classic will be the State Standard Distance Championships.  We are also pleased to announce that 3 events have been given World Age Group Qualifying Event status – the State Duathlon, Sprint and Standard Championships. 

The Senior TOTY Series for 2018/19 will consist of 7 events, 5 of which are State Championships events.  The events are:

• State Duathlon Championship – 20 October 2018, Motorplex, Kwinana (WQE)
• Coastal Quest – 16 December 2018, Whitford Nodes, Hillarys
• Australia Day Triathlon, State Sprint Championships – 26 January 2019, Point Walter (WQE)
• Bunbury Classic, State Standard Championships – 17 February 2019, Koombana Bay, Bunbury (WQE)
• Karri Valley Triathlon – 23 March 2019, Karri Valley
• X-Adventure Dunsborough, State Cross Tri Championships – 31 March 2019, Dunsborough
• SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton, State Long Course Championships – 4 May 2019, Busselton

This year there will be a two tier point system, with three premier events, the State Sprint Championships, State Standard Championships and State Long Course Championships, worth 1.5 x points of the other series races.  Points are awarded to the first ten eligible TWA members in the Open and age group categories in each race as shown in the table.  You must be a member at the time of competing and complete a minimum of 3 races to be considered, with your best 4 results counting towards your tally.  Age groups are determined by your age on 31 December 2018.

There is $24,500 worth of prize money up for grabs in the Open Category.  Each race will have a prize pool of $3,000, with the top 5 male and female Open athletes receiving prize money.  The overall winner of the TOTY Series will also receive prize money when they receive their awards at the end of season Annual Awards function.

The Junior Triathlete of the Year The Junior Triathlete of the Year Series will include 4 races, all equal points value.  They will include:

•  State Duathlon Championship – 20 October 2018, Motorplex Kwinana
• Left Bank Triathlon – 18 November 2018, Fremantle
• Australia Day Triathlon  – 26 January 2019, Point Walter
• Mullaloo Triathlon – 17 March 2019, Mullaloo Beach

Athlete must be between the ages of 12 to 19 as at 31 December 2018 and must complete a minimum of two Junior Triathlete of the Year series events to be eligible.  The best 3 results will be considered in calculating the point score.
With lots of new events in the series this year there’s plenty of opportunity to get points on the board.  So make sure you get out there and support these events and be in the running for the prestigious title of Triathlete of the Year.

In a weekend when many WA high profile teams missed the mark, a group of junior WA triathletes stood tall, taking out gold in all 4 age categories in Race 2 of the Australian Junior & Youth Series at the Glenelg Triathlon on Saturday.

The day started with the Youth Male (aged 14-15) where Daniel Kempson from Leeming led from the start to take his first National Series win for the season.

Next off the start line was the Youth Females, where Taylor Kroyer (Break Your Limits Triathlon Club) continued her outstanding form, taking her second win for the series, pulling away on the final lap of the run.

In the Juniors (16-19 years), Luke Bate (University of WA Triathlon Club) dominated a strong field, controlling the front group on the bike and running away from the field on the run to take his first win of the series.

In the junior women, Jessica Claxton (Break Your Limits Triathlon Club) was the first Australian finisher, just behind Hannah Knighton from New Zealand, who is ranked 5^th in the International Triathlon Union Junior rankings. Jessica extended her lead in the national series, following her win in Race 1 at Runaway Bay, Queensland.

Following the individual races, there were mixed team relays on the Sunday, where these athletes teamed up with others from the WA squad, to take out silver in the Juniors and Bronze in the Youth.

Focus for these young triathletes now switches to Perth for the City of Armadale Way Out West Triathlon on the 3 & 4 March which is Race 3 of the Australian Junior Series.

The Australian Youth & Junior Series is the national competition for junior elite triathletes aged 14-19. Triathletes compete across a 4-race series across Australia, with the points accrued over the 4 races and the overall winner being crowned the national champion.

Full Results:

Youth A Males

1 – Daniel Kempson
8 – Cooper Foxcroft     
26 – Harvey Williams
30 – Ethan Duffy

Youth A Females

1- Taylor Kroyer
19 – Zoe Davison

Junior Males

1- Luke Bate
12 – Alec Davison
13 – Elliot Roberts
15 – Zeke Tinley
17 – Duncan Jones
20 – Aaron Houghton
25 – Adam White

Junior Females

2 – Jessica Claxton
13 – Aleisha Wesley
15 – Brooke McCoy
30 – Abby Ouwendyk

Elite/U23 Males

8 – Jonny Sammut
17 – Liam McCoach
33 – Sam Mileham