North Coast Tri Club - Year Book 2019 2020
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North Coast Tri Club
19/20
Year Book 2019 - 2020
Season 2019/20 Founding Members Rod Barnes Max Greive John Sullivan Graham Blyth Peter Hall Paul McSweeney Rob Dains Glenn Hollows Cynthia Strating Stuart Durham Chris Letts Rick Field Wayne McIntosh Life Members Max Greive (deceased) Eddy Girvan Mark Hoffmann Peter Hall Ann Blatchford Kim Vivian David Rogers Dave Norton Sue Scott William (Bill) Whalley Loretta Wesley David Martin Barry Silverlock Robert Lees 2019/20 Board Members Milou Smeets (President) Ross Skelton Luke Frapple (Treasurer) Zena Coffey Fiona Longden (Secretary) Craig Wright Nicola Richards
Contents From the President Club Awards Club Member Achievements TWA Award Winners NCTC Run Training Juniors Report Women In Triathlon 2019 The Best Finish Line in Triathlon December 70.3 2019 Ironman Busselton Langkawi Adventure North Coast take on Bintan 70.3 Crocodile Fears Conquered in Winning National Championships! Tour de Lancelin Aquathlon Series NCTC at play Sponsors
From the President
Milou Smeets
2019/2020 season. A special mention to our
very own Madison Toovey who at 16 years
of age competed in the open category and
became the TWA Female Triathlete of the
Year. Congratulations to Madison and all of
you on your amazing results this season.
During the season the club ran a very
successful Women In Triathlon program
with a record number of participants. Our
young stars participated in another Trystars
program with a sold out event to finish it off.
Furthermore, the club ran a Juniors program
for new juniors entering the sport.
A returning highlight is the first weekend of
December down in Busselton. Once again,
The 2019/2020 season goes in the books as we had the largest number of participants
not just another season. Chances are that for the half or full Ironman. That lead to a
you look back in ten years and unfortunately fantastic pizza party for those racing and
remember it as the one that got cut short by all the Wally’s who were present to cheer all
the COVID-19 pandemic. heroes on.
The first part of the season however The aquathlon series saw a slightly smaller
provided numerous highlights for North turnout this season than the club hoped for.
Coast Tri Club that are worth memorizing Maybe the often tough conditions scared
and we hope this yearbook provides you some people off, but we loved to see many
ample opportunity to do so. new faces showing up and braving the
The season showcased not only the club’s challenge thrown at them with success.
energy and social activity, but it was also And of course enjoy a well-deserved burger
marked by very strong performances of the afterwards.
club and its members. Throughout the season our coaches
The season started with our traditional prepared us for all of these events in the
scones fueled ride to Lancelin, and a great typical North Coast way: with a passion
season opener at the Seacrest Community for the club and our sport. Many of you
Hall. From there our members competed enjoyed a run session at the oval, a swim
in almost every local race and picked up in the pool, or the club’s Friday morning
lots of podiums, resulting in North Coast Tri ocean swim. Familiar faces and new
Club becoming the Champion Club of the members that entered through the Women
From the President In Triathlon course or other channels, joined channels, training temporarily became a and supported each other in these sessions solo effort. Luckily, by the end of the season throughout the season. all training was fully back up and running Away from the sporting action the club and the turnout showed our members were launched a new website and newsletter to eager to get back into it. keep you all updated and informed. Also, for We keep our fingers crossed for a full the very first time the club sold an aquathlon calendar for this coming season and we entry through mobile payment. A start of hope to see many of you out there racing in moving away from cash handling as much the new North Coast kits. as possible in the future. This season also marked the end of my It was with great sadness that in February term as president of this amazing club. we shared the news that our beloved club On a personal note I am grateful for all the member and friend Kerry Watts passed support and energy I received from all of you away after her battle with cancer. Kerry was during the past two seasons. A special thank the embodiment of courage and a fighter you goes out to my fellow Board members. that will continue to inspire us all. Together we kept this great club running. In that same period it became clear the I am excited about the great new group of world was starting to look different and that volunteers elected onto our Board at the our sport and activities would be affected as AGM, and I am sure they will receive the well by the global pandemic. Mid-March we same support from all of you going forward. were forced to cancel all training sessions, I look forward to see you all at training and and many of you missed out on events they our events. had been looking forward to for a while. While we all stayed connected through our
Club Awards Club Person of the Year The club person of the year is the member or supporter who has been the most involved in club activities – competition and/or in other areas, for the current season. This person gives of their time generously in the cause of ensuring the smooth running of events and functions, and has the interests of all members at heart – often at the expense of their own. This person does not have to be a competitive member, or even a member, but as family of a member and a keen supporter and helper in our activities, they will also qualify for this prestigious award. Rob Hall Rob Hall for years already has been doing a lot of work for the club in the background. From our end of year financials and reports, to helping out in handovers and organizing duathlons, Rob has always been there to help. In the 2019/2020 season on top of that he put our Sunday long run back on the map. Week in, week out, Rob was there on a Sunday morning to support fellow club members to go for a run and reward them with refreshments and lollies after growing it into a consistent club training. Thank you, Rob! President’s Award Cathie Keogh Cathie Keogh was the driving force behind the very successful 2019/2020 Women in Triathlon course. The club had its largest group of women ever participating, thanks to Cathie’s efforts promoting the program from socials to newspapers and at events. She then went on to set up a very well structured and coordinated program that provided the opportunity for all these women to enter into triathlon surrounded by a safe and supportive community. Cathie, your drive and passion for the program shone through in everything you did this year and North Coast applauds your efforts and dedication, well done! Rob Hall Club Person of the Year Cathie Keogh President’s Award
Club Awards Major Award Winners Senior Club Triathlete of the Year 2019/20 Madison Toovey & Barry Silverlock Senior Encouragement Awards 2019/20 Catherine Cramsie & Jack Lee Junior Club Triathlete of the Year 2019/20 Dianna Broadhurst & Daniel Buis Junior Encouragement Awards 2019/20 Bridie Crew & Josh Fletcher Inaugural Kerry Watts Endurance Award Sally Pilbeam
Club Member Achievements
Aquathlon Series 2018/19
1. Alex Black
2. Dianna Broadhurst
3. Phil Corrick
Max Greive Classic 10km – Male Max Greive Classic 5km
1. Rahul Jegatheva 35:08.3 M Reece Margach 18:19.1
2. Daniel Buis 39:11.3 F Maisy Redden 19:41.7
3. Brad Kaye 40:40.2
Max Greive Memorial Run took place on the
Max Greive Classic 10km – Female usual Friday evening down at the Sorrento
Surf Club, with a total of 39 runners taking part.
1. Madison Toovey 38:50.5
Big thanks to Race Director Rob Hall and all the
2. Ayesha Scott 46:04.6 volunteers who gave up their evening to make
this event happen.
3. Morgan Marsh 46:06.5
Thank you to all who participated, gold coins
were donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Triathlon WA Award Winners Junior ToTY Winners 12 -13 Years Will Cramsie - 2nd Bridie Crew - 2nd 14 -15 Years Dianna Broadhurst - 2nd 16 -19 Years Reece Margach - 3rd Abbie Crew - 3rd Senior ToTY Winners Open Madison Toovey - 1st 20 - 24 Alex Black - 1st 25 - 29 Daniel Davey - 2nd 35 - 39 Rob Pouw - 2nd Morgan Marsh - 3rd 40 - 44 Petra Jerejian - 2nd 45 - 49 Craig Appleby - 2nd 50 - 54 Lisa Hitchcock - 1st Sue Scott - 3rd 55 - 59 Fiona Longden - 2nd 60 - 64 Barry Silverlock - 1st Robyn Scott - 1st Alan Hartley - 3rd Julie Kelly - 3rd 65 - 69 Sandy Tindale - 1st Sport Awards Winners Individual Performance of the Year Sally Pilbeam Technical Official Recognition of Service Sue Scott Virginia Entriken Champion Club North Coast Tri Club Photo: Focused Ninja Photography
NCTC Run Training Mike Bosch North Coasters enjoyed another good season of run training at Flinders Park on Thursday evenings between 6-7pm. The tempo/interval sessions cater for all ages and fitness levels. The aim of Thursday’s run training is to work on form, running style as well as increasing the athlete’s general fitness and threshold levels. It has been very encouraging to see the turnout of junior members and those training for Busso 70.3. Before Covid-19 restrictions we had record numbers at training which always made the challenging sessions seem easier. Let’s get back to those numbers! Flinders Park offers athletes the opportunity to train on a well prepared grass surface with tranquil surroundings. We encourage all club members to come along and enjoy a good Thursday evening session.
Junior Members Report
Nicola Richards
2019/2020 was another successful season for the Unfortunately, the back end of the season was cut
juniors at North Coast Triathlon Club. short due to COVID 19 restrictions, but with so much
on offer in 2020/2021, we will no doubt have our
The NCTC junior triathlon that was held in December
junior TriStars and Junior Squad at the ready when
was a sell-out, with a remarkable number of
next season starts up.
registrations we saw over 70 children take to Craigie
leisure centre’s pool, they battled it out on their bikes
and finished strong on the run in front of the Mayor
of Joondalup- Albert Jacobs who was in attendance.
The high interest in this event is an exciting indicator
of the interest in junior triathlon. This event wouldn’t
have been possible if it wasn’t for the many
volunteers that helped out. Big Thank you to all of
you!
TriStars was a blast for the youngest group of
triathletes we train (age 7-11), our participants
developed their transition skills, bike handling ability,
open water swimming and running skills. This season
saw a change in some venues to make the most
of what Sorrento and Hillary’s coastal parks have
to offer, our members enjoyed running on Sorrento
foreshore, cycling at Whitfords nodes and swimming
at Hillarys Marina. This season we also said farewell
to coach Janine, who has worked at the helm of our
TriStars program for some time now, the baton has
passed to Mez Douglas who no doubt will continue
to build on this wonderful program. From all of the
TriStars that have passed through this program under
Janine Kayes guidance, we say a HUGE thank you to
you, Janine.
New for 2020, we were able to develop a new
program with the use of a junior sports grant from
The City of Joondalup. The program is aimed at our
older juniors (age 12-17) and is run by one of the
clubs newest coaches, Wouter Timmerman. Although
new to our club, Wouter has vast experience in junior
triathlon having coached on the European circuit, his
wealth of experience and knowledge in has helped us
to develop a program that is challenging and age-
appropriate for our 12-17-year-olds to develop their
skills in all aspects of triathlon, make new friends and
have fun. It is an exciting opportunity, especially for
our older tri stars to transition into.Women In Triathlon 2019
Cathie Keogh
WIT19 was another great success. This year we had A special thanks to all of the generous club members
a large group of 22 participants, ranging in age from who very kindly donated their old gear to the group
19 to 54, but age did not define or determine anyone’s and to the WIT19 ladies who purchase the goods to
abilities or enthusiasm. Everyone was there for fun, donate over $500 to the Kerry Watts fund. We have
fitness, and to experience the challenge and fun some very snappy looking ladies out there, while
of Triathlons. We had 3 very experienced coaches: supporting a very worthy cause.
Judy Whelen for the swim, Sue Scott for the cycle
The WIT program is an invaluable opportunity for
and Pippa Davis for the run, all providing invaluable
women of all ages, experience and ability to give
technical and moral support to the ladies. Me as the
it a ‘Tri’, and this particular group certainly gave it
coordinator supplied moral support and was there
100%. Well done ladies and welcome to the world of
to answer all those silly questions (that we have all
Triathlons and to NCTC.
asked!), like “where do we wear our bib in the swim?”.
The ladies gave themselves the team name of ‘The
Stingers’, for obvious reasons of those dreaded
little critters leaving their mark during the OWS, or
perhaps it was the sting in their tail when it came to
competing.
Their first event was the Tri Pink in November, which
was great fun, then the Joondalup Tri in December
saw these die-hard triathletes competing in 40ºC heat.
As a result of the course we have 2 candidates
for the 2020 Busso 70.3 and 1 team entry called
the ‘Iron Maidens’. All are still continuing with their
training for October.The Best Finish Line in Triathlon
Lisa Hitchcock
The lovely Zena asked me to do a race report for go too crazy to early and pace myself! I bought what
Kona and I decided that I would change it to a race I really wanted and now I could relax and wait for the
week report, as there were many highlights to share super sales 50% off after race day.
outside of race day itself.
Every day it was getting busier with more athletes
When you finally arrive on the big island of Hawaii arriving and the peaceful vibe is replaced with this
after a long flight, the drive to Kailua Kona is directly building energy and excitement that you just feel
along the Queen K and you see those famous lava from everyone who is just so happy to be here. This
fields for the first time, which you will be riding on place is like Disneyland for triathletes!
very soon! There are lots of athletes training on the
Tuesday was a huge day, I got my training done
roads already and immediately the excitement levels
early as there was a lot of commitments today. It
replace the jet lag you are feeling! We arrived on
started with the ANZAC breakfast - Team Oceania
Friday, just over a week before race day, at this stage
the Aussies and the Kiwis where presented with their
there is approx. 20% of the athletes here.
T-shirts. There was some truly inspirational speeches
After settling into the Hotel and yes, I arrived with from the CEO of Ironman, Mile Reilly (the voice of IM)
my bike, undamaged and on same flight (phew). It Mark Allen (legend) Michellie Jones (Olympian and
was getting late in the arvo, but we could not resist a past Kona winner), Cam Wurf, Braden Currie, Sarah
walk into town to see where all the action happens. Crowley (current Pros) and our flag bearers for the
At this stage not much is set up for the race and the parade of nations that night.
place has this really chilled out and relaxed vibe. We
The Kiwi flag bearer (Wayne Singleton) gave the best
wandered along the famous Ali’i drive and saw the
speech and he was brought to tears talking about
huge Banyan tree that marks the start of finish line
what Kona meant to him. Wayne and his wife created
area and then onto look at the official swim start
IronMaori in NZ and his was gifted a slot from the IM
area, it all feels so surreal and I can’t believe I am
foundation for all his good work in improving obesity
here.
and type 2 diabetes in the Maori people. He talked
The next day I had the best training session Coach about his ancestry and how it felt like he was coming
Brad has ever given me, which was to have a relaxed home to Hawaii, where his people first originated
swim in the bay and just soak up the atmosphere. from. Wayne also greeted the CEO of IM with a hongi
Of all the things I have been told about Kona, no-one a traditional Maori greeting, where you come together
explained just how magical this water is! It’s lovely and press noses and foreheads with another person
and warm for a start and then there are colourful fish and the “breath of life is shared”, truly amazing to see.
galore! Wouldn’t happen now in these covid times.
The next day it was time to ride the back part of the Team Oceania Crew - Mike Parrotte, Myself and Eve O’Hare
course, that takes in the hills out to Havi and my first
opportunity to experience the changeable winds and
the heat and humidity. That night we caught up with
Mike Parrotte and we had dinner at Lava Java, an
awesome seaside café where all the cool kids hang
out!
On Monday the main Ironman expo opens, there is
actually four stores to buy merch from, but this is the
biggest one! So many things to buy! With the good
advice from Mr Merch aka Matt Bott ringing in my
ears – “if you can’t decide just buy both”, I tried not toThe Best Finish Line in Triathlon
Next up was registration, which was pretty full on, other people in their underwear! Even Mike Reilly had
with signing your life away so many forms to fill boxer shorts on and lead the procession on a scooter.
out! The athlete band goes on and it is beginning to Lots of free hats and other goodies being handed out
feel very real, we receive our athlete bags with some on the way.
awesome goodies inside.
After that it was a quick trip out to the airport to pick
Today the expo village is open and every brand in up my two Sisters (best support crew ever) and onto
triathlon has an exhibit here, it is endless the amount the welcome dinner with Eve and Mike. A lot more
of cool stuff on display. There are freebies as well, inspiring speeches and a stunning cultural display by
Mike and I were well looked after by Cervelo because the local Hawaiians, juggling fire sticks. We watched
we ride their bikes. The Cervelo team gave our bikes the IM video clip for Taupo 70.3 World champs and
a free service and tune up. Plus, free water bottles then a Maori and Hawaiian elder did this amazing
and t-shirts. cultural exchange on stage both speaking in their
native languages, was spectacular to watch. The
The parade of nations was that afternoon and it was
“word” for this year’s Kona was “Ohana” which is
an amazing experience to walk Ali’i drive with all the
Hawaiian for family, so it was an emotional time for
other athletes. That was the end of an incredibly fun
me sitting there with my sisters and the extended
but exhausting day. There is so much to see and do
triathlon family!
during the week, but you must be mindful that you do
have a little event to do on Saturday! It is Friday which means bike check in day. We were
given allotted times for this and my time was just
On Wednesday I went to a master’s woman’s
after a block of Pro athletes. It was crazy, the crowds
breakfast event for Michellie Jones who was being
were four deep just watching the bike check in, a
inducted in the hall of fame that year.
good day for bike porn I suppose. On one side is this
Michellie is an incredible athlete with winning silver tent where Pros are being interviewed and the other
in the Sydney Olympics, ITU success and winning side are these tents where major brands are giving
Kona. She was very generous with her time and I had you gifts if you use their products. There are a dozen
a great chat to her at the end where she gave freely of people with clipboards recording everything on your
her advice. Of all the race victories she has had she bike, this is where they get all their stats from and
said Kona was the “best finish line in triathlon”. what brands are most popular at Kona. Once your
bike is checked they place a Kona sticker on your
bike, and you are then attached to a volunteer who
takes you for a transition tour. Then you rack your
bike and I got a big surge of nerves and adrenaline,
this is really happening, it is not a dream moment. I
wanted 5 mins of quality alone time with my bike and
asked my volunteer to leave me, so I could zone in
and check everything on my bike again (the OCD is
kicking in). No sooner had the volunteer left, than an
official turned up and explained I couldn’t be here on
my own and where was my volunteer? I realise they
are worried about you sabotaging other bikes, so I
was then guided out of transition.
Nothing to do now but get the legs up and try and
relax!
Saturday is Race day!
The morning is a blur of activity, you are processed
thru to get your race tattoo put on after someone
has wiped your arm with alcohol, then another to
On that day I also got my book signed by the voice dry it and then another person puts the race number
of IM – Mike Reilly. It’s a great book to read if you’re on and then you are chucked on the scales. This
looking for inspiration. whole process is completed in 5 mins! This event
is extremely well organised, with thousands of
On Thursday it’s the “Undies run” and a rather unique
volunteers to make it run so smoothly. Into transition
experience of running 2 km for charity with lots ofThe Best Finish Line in Triathlon
and nutrition onto the bike, give the tyres the squeeze The bike out to Havi at the turn around was good and
and flick test, much to my horror my back wheel is I was feeling great. On the way back the crosswinds
only 50% inflated. Mild panic sets in, should I change made it pretty exciting and frightening to stay down
it now to be sure or just pump it up? I make the in the aeros. It was also starting to get really hot and
decision to pump it up and re-check after the swim. then we hit headwinds for most of the way home. It
was tough and the Queen K just goes on forever in a
Out of transition to find Mark and my Sisters for the
straight line and starts playing on your mind. I stuck
final hugs and blessings. There are 11 x wave starts
to my nutrition plan except I drank a lot more fluids
and my wave is No. 9 with Eve, and Mike follows up
than I expected too.
the rear in wave 11. We must get in the holding pen
for our waves 45 mins before our race start. I find Off the bike into transition again and “Houston we
Eve and we both nervously wait together. We must have a problem” my right foot is in so much pain and
listen to 8 x other race starts before ours, this is very I don’t know why. I decide to “walk it off” and get
nerve racking to say the least! Eve has a great idea to the change tent and massage my foot, trying to
to calm our nerves and decides that we should say gather myself. Running shoes on and start to run,
F*#k very loudly to each other, which we do and then foot is feeling better, ok lets gets going and I finally
we burst into laughter. It seems to take forever then find my running legs and settle into my pace. The
times goes by really quickly and the line is moving first section you run around town and then head up
fast, now we are both dropping F bombs thick and Palani drive out to the Queen K again. Coach Brad
fast, I am shaking so much with nerves at this stage said that a lot of people will walk up Palani drive (big
I could be sick. Then we are at the waters edge and steep hill that feels like a mountain!) and he strongly
have to swim about 100m to the start line, tread encouraged me to run up it as a sign of respect for
water for an eternity and then the gun goes, and we the course. My goal for Kona was too finish and
are off! feel satisfied I had given my all, so yes, I was glad I
decided to run not walk up that hill!
The swim in Kona is one of my favourite memories,
seeing all the colourful fish and turtles under you. It’s At around the 20 km mark, I had to make the
a long way too swim without a wetsuit, for this sinky obligatory toilet stop because of that golden rule of
leg swimmer, but before you know it you are half way, “never trust a fart during an Ironman”. Lucky enough
swimming around the huge boat and swimming back it was all just gas and no gastrointestinal upset! Yah
towards the massive big green Gatorade bottle which now I could fart with confidence! This toilet stop
is at transition. upset my flow and my run pace started to drop off.
I went thru a low patch for a while, my foot started
Onto the bike and my tyre is still inflated, yah!
to hurt again, and my legs were aching, and it was
hot! I had entered the energy lab and I saw a sight
that snapped me right out of my low mood. A female
athlete who had one leg was sitting on the ground,
she had removed her prosthetic leg and was rubbing
her stump that looked red raw and painful. I suddenly
did not feel so bad and got back into the groove.
Running in the energy lab was another great memory
I’ll never forget. The sun was setting, you had the
beautiful ocean on one side and the lava fields on the
other it was absolutely magical. The turnaround at
the energy lab means you only have about 12 km to
go and with the darkness, the heat of the day left you
as well.
Back onto the Queen K and it is pitch dark, you
only see the lights of aid stations ahead, which are
pumping with music and encouraging volunteers.
Then you finally see the lights of the town and you
can hear Mike Reilly revving up the crowd and calling
everyone home. You get closer and closer but just
as you hit the town, they make you turn left and runThe Best Finish Line in Triathlon
Thanks to Coach Brad for all his guidance and
expertise, I would have never gotten to Kona without
him.
The Kona crew of 2019! We did it!
With Eve O’Hare and Mike Parrotte
away from the finish line area and for about 1.5 km
you are running in the opposite direction. The crowds
are cheering from here on in, then finally you make
another right turn down to Ali’i drive and you realise
you only have about 1 km to go. It’s bittersweet you
want to finish so bad because you are hurting but you
also don’t want it to end either.
Past the banyan tree and I see my Sister so stop
and give her the biggest hugs and she throws the
Kiwi flag around my neck. It’s red carpet time now
and there is no pain whatsoever as you float down
towards Mike Reilly to hear him say those famous
words! You are an Ironman!!
Best day ever and would not have been possible
without the support from my “better half” Mark who is
the best bike mechanic, race manager, sponsor (pays
for the trications) and puts up with me training all the
time!December 70.3 Busselton 2019
Phil Albert
The first weekend of December in Busselton has part of that is due to the swim squads run by NCTC
become a regular for our family in recent years. As a (thanks Janine and Pippa).
born and bred sandgroper, the southwest of Western
While the new(ish) swim course for the event no
Australia has always held fond memories for my
longer incorporates the jetty much, it’s still a fantastic
family and me. We are blessed to have such an idyllic
course. I obviously enjoyed the swim coming out with
getaway so close to Perth with its fantastic amenities
PB of four and half minutes. Absolutely delighted.
and local attractions.
Clearly the NCTC squad training was paying
But December in Busselton means one thing for the dividends, with Alex Black a fellow North Coaster and
large contingent of North Coasters – and that of NCTC swim squad regular coming out of the water
course means Ironman Western Australia. with me. By all reports it was a PB swim for him too!
After stepping into the deep-end the past two years A quick transition and onto the ride. Great conditions
competing in the Full Ironman, both years being quite on course with plenty of motivation around with all
memorable (2017 in particular with its crazy series the North Coasters out there. The positive support
of events), this year I chose to race IMWA70.3. The we give each other really reminds you of why you are
decision was based on a few key reasons, the first
being time of course. Secondly, the full Ironman
demands so much focus and attention I wasn’t sure
I was mentally prepared for another full. There was
also the allure of additional Ironman 70.3 World
Championships 2020 slots in Taupo New Zealand.
After a few steady consistent years of training in the
bank, the flirtation of whether I could qualify was a
scratch that needed to be itched.
Race day arrived. Now as Triathlete’s we are used to
getting up early, but the 5:30am start time is still a
major change to the routine when you incorporate
the 3:30am alarm wake up (not sure the wife was to
happy). In the end my friend and I managed to get
out of the house without waking “everyone” and we
started our short walk from our accommodation to
transition to start prepping for the day.
Once the sun rose, it was evident we were blessed
with fantastic conditions. An absolutely still ocean,
little to no wind. It was clear this event was having a
swim – barring any unprompted arrival from the true
locals of the southwest (Sharks)!
As quick as that, the start arrives. Personally, it’s the
first time in two and half years I’ve competed a half
that included a swim. IM70.3s in Busselton have
in recent years had their share of bad luck when it
comes to swim legs. Super excited to finally have
a 1.9km swim in race having worked hard the past
18 months on improving my swimming. I’ve really
enjoyed getting back into swimming and a largeDecember 70.3 Busselton 2019
doing what you are doing, and that’s to have fun with with a pace that wasn’t for me so dialled back to my
a sense of community. own pace expectations. It’s important to stick to race
plan! The final 4km was harder than expected and the
Coming into transition, I hear the sounds of “go
finish line certainly couldn’t come quick enough.
daddy” and cow bells, which means my children are
around. It always gives me a big smile and incentive Crossing that finishing line always gives you a sense
to get on with it! With the bike course completed of relief and pride, especially when greeted with big
I managed another PB over the distance, but it hugs from the wife and kids (not sure they like my
felt harder than I had planned. Something about sweaty cuddles as much…). There is something about
this course compared to the May course. Bike setting a goal, working towards it and accomplishing
conditioning was not as strong as I’ve been in the it that gives you that sense of satisfaction. Its visible
past, but a PB is still a PB! in all the athletes as they cross the finish line and
their journey is complete.
Out onto the run along the Busselton foreshore. North
Coasters providing epic support on the sidelines, As it turns out, personally my day got better a few
notable mentions to Milou and Andy, I have no idea hours later. I knew shortly after finishing I just missed
how you still had a voice at the end of the day!!! (How out on a guaranteed IM70.3 worlds qualification by
good is the Tri Club Alley btw – prime location for two positions. As luck would have it, I managed to get
spectators and competitors alike). a roll down slot to Taupo 2020 IM70.3 World Champs
(now deferred to a date TBC). A memorable event for
The run started off well (is that a standard triathlete
me in more ways than one, plenty of positives, some
response?). A few on the fly changes to nutrition plan
things to work on, but a great day and experience.
to manage cramping. Had some good company with
And that’s what it’s all about. I’ll be back next year
another athlete for 8k’s, sitting behind him running
that’s for sure!
a comfortable pace. After a while he left me behindIronman Busselton 2019
James Knipe
Ironman WA, 2018 was a great race for me with a
sub-10 hour finish. I left Busso happy that weekend,
but definitely with a feeling of ‘what might have been’
after finishing 11 minutes off a Kona spot, 7 of which
were spent on the side of Forrest Beach Road fixing a
puncture and getting chewed alive by mozzies.
Fast forward nearly 12 months. It’s Thursday night,
10 days before race day, and my final hard run
interval session. I was feeling great, and knew I was
running strong by how I compared to my peers. The
coach pulled me out of the session to skip the final
couple of intervals. His explanation – “you’re ready”.
12 hours later I was on the ground in a heap. It was a
Friday, and I’d taken the day off work to get in my last
long, easy run before full taper began. My wife was
away that weekend and with two kids, then 3 and 4
years old, my only hope to fit this in was to take some anyone in need...maybe my luck was changing...I was
time off while they were at Day Care. It was a route definitely some in need!
I run very regularly, but coming round a corner just
Tony got to work. “It’s either a bad sprain or a
1 km into my run I suddenly felt my right foot give
fracture”. Tony understands the effort we all put
way, and looking down mid-tumble could see it was
in, and he knows how much this means to us. We
perpendicular to the path.
discussed options. I could go for an X-ray, but
I felt the pain immediately. I couldn’t even get up... that would mean the strapping would have to be
it wasn’t the pain stopping me; I was literally sitting removed, so if the X-ray came back clear then we’d
on the path heartbroken. It’s over. This is bad. I’ve have wasted time which could have been better
trained my guts out, I’m ready, I’ve done everything. used trying to fix a sprain. Decision made – treat
Now it’s over. I feel similar emotion even now writing it like a sprain, because if it’s fractured it’s game
this. I was in disbelief. over anyway...might as well focus on the potential
Eventually, I picked myself up, and managed to limp possibility of actually racing. So he got to work. 3
home. Taking off my shoe confirmed there was or 4 sessions of treatment using a TENS machine,
something bad going on – my ankle was a lot bigger massage, needles and heavy strapping, plus
than it was 20 minutes prior. Initially, I just sat on restricted to crutches until close to race day.
the sofa. In my head, at that moment, there was no Those of you who know me know how much I
come-back. I messaged my wife, “That’s Busso gone”. hate to miss a training session. I had my whole
It took about 30 minutes or more before I ‘bucked taper planned, and now I couldn’t swim, bike or
up’ and remembered this isn’t what Ironman athletes run! After a few days I got some light indoor cycling
do. This isn’t over. As long as there’s time, there’s a done (strange feeling hobbling off to the garage on
chance. I got onto the phone to the physio. I have crutches to ride your bike) and finally, a week after
a great physio, Tony Chamberlain, who works with the injury, Tony instructed me to run for 2 km and
a lot of elite African and Australian runners, but he’s see how it felt. This would decide if I could race.
normally difficult to get an immediate appointment Nervously, I headed off. It was sore, but I managed
for. As it turns out, by a stroke of luck, he was due to it. I’d come this far – race day was back on, even if
be off work that day but had to come into the city so I had to walk that marathon! “Tony, you’re a miracle
decided to open his practice for an hour in case of worker”.Ironman Busselton 2019
Race day arrives. I still had some swelling, but the Back into Busso at the end of lap one. Half
pain had substantially subsided. I packed some pain way, about 5 minutes ahead of target, but more
killers in my special needs bags, hoping not to need importantly, feeling like I hadn’t done any work yet
it. I expected a difficult run, but I wanted to prove to – lots in reserve which is necessary when you’ve
myself I’d got into good form by having a good swim still nearly 6 hours left to go. I’d been riding (legally!)
and bike. with another athlete and we were pacing off each
other nicely, but leaving Busso he stopped to grab his
Off we go, diving into the pristine Busso waters, and
special needs. “Oh well, I’m on my own now.” But just
before I knew it I’m turning left under the jetty. Settle
a few km later, I got passed by a friend who I know is
into my rhythm and grind out this 3.8 km swim.
a beast of a cyclist. He was not long back from Kona
Those of you who know me are aware that as an
and I knew he was a good one to try and stick with. I
Irishman I’m destined never to be a swimmer. In fact,
was feeling strong so decided to see if I could hold
that’s an understatement...I suck at it. I know I just
my distance 12 m behind him. This worked a treat
have to grind it out and get out of the water in good
for me. Mentally I could relax and use the experience
shape to ride and run well. Finally, after a little over
of this strong athlete to pace me for as long as I
1:07 the beach comes to my rescue. A 40 second
could hold on without over-cooking it. I kept this up
improvement on last year, not much, but I’ll take it.
until about 10 km to go when my pace dropped a bit.
My race starts now.
By this stage I knew we were nearly home and even
Through T1 nice and relaxed and before I know it I’m dropping a couple of minutes now I was still going to
heading away from Busso. I’m feeling good. The be well ahead of schedule. No point trying to hang on
weather is good. My ankle feels good. My power and adversely impact my run.
is where I want it, as is my HR. Remembering
Into T2. No cramp = winning. I’m feeling good. I’m
the words of coach Pippa Davis, “Stick to the
almost 10 minutes up on target, and 15 minutes up
f***ing plan”. I was riding comfortably. The km’s
on my puncture-affected 2018 bike split. I figured I
disappeared, as did some competitors; some
was well up the leaderboard. I finished 11th in my AG
dropping off, others accelerating away. “Be patient,
in 2018, surely I was around that position now with
you’ll be passing them back in an hour or two”...in
my strongest leg still to come?
most cases this was accurate.Ironman Busselton 2019
I put so much effort into this, and get so much
support from my family. I train hard, and try to leave
no stone unturned to make sure I’m on the start line
with no excuses. 9 days prior, as I lay in a heap on a
path, I never thought this day would come. But come
it did. I’m still struggling to believe it! And my ankle?
Well I did say Tony was a miracle worker, it held up
enough to get me through and 4 or 5 weeks later it
was pretty-much recovered. Tony got a nice bottle of
wine out of it!
You may be aware Kona has been deferred from
October 2020 until February 2021. We were given
the option of racing in Feb ’21 or deferring to Oct
’21. I have chosen the latter (who knows if travel
will be reinstated by Feb ’21?). So my wait for Kona
continues, but I know now I’ve earned the right to be
there. Hopefully I’ll see some of you there?
FOR THE DATA GEEKS:
SWIM: 1:07:36 at 135 bpm
“You’re in 21st”. WHAT! My heart sank. By this stage
I was maybe 10 km or more into the run, a quarter of BIKE: 4:51:57 off 204 Watts
the way almost, and getting some sneaky updates (208 Watts normalised) at 145 bpm
from the crowd. How can I be in 21st. I had a great
ride, and was running sub 4:20 pace, and I was only RUN: 3:12:07 at 152 bpm
21st! No way! But then the news started to improve. (consistent HR all run).
As I maintained my pace, those around me slowed. Splits were 1:33:xx and 1:38:xx
20 km in, “11th”. OK, we’re making ground now. for each half marathon.
I knew 7th was going to get me to Kona, but could I OVERALL: 9:17:46 – 4th in M35-39,
stick this out? Approaching 30 km and my pace has 36th Male and 44th overall.
dropped into the 4:30-4:40 bracket. “That’s OK, we
got this”. Then came that point that seems to hit us I race at about 73 kg, and am 185 cm tall.
all, around 30-35 km, “OK, this is getting tricky now”.
My pace was in that 4:45-4:55 bracket, not where I
wanted to be. I had a treat in my proverbial back-
pocket for a moment like this; I had frozen a water
bottle of High5 endurance drink and wrapped it in
a stubby holder, and put it in my special needs bag.
First time I’d ever used special needs, and honestly, at
that moment it tasted better than an Irish Guinness
at Christmas. It was still icy-cold, and helped put
some pep in my step.
For the last 5 km or so I got my pace back down into
the 4:30’s again and knew I could finish at this pace.
“4th place James, you got this”. That was when I
realised I was going to Kona. I kept my emotions in
check to focus on getting to the finish but exploded
with delight upon crossing the line in 9:17:46 for a 30
minute PB. Those who saw me after the race at the
club tent knew how much this meant to me, I was like
a kid on Christmas Day.Langkawi Adventure
Noah Skelton
‘Thump thump’ I heard as the plane wheels touched then I saw my Dad around
the ground. Another family holiday and the chance for the corner, he looked
my Dad to go to the Ironman Championships in Kona terrible. He had a spew
Hawaii. It was the 24th October 2019 when I stepped but kept running. The next
onto the humid island of Langkawi. Along the way time we will see him is at
to the hotel we saw massive green mountains and the finish line. Before we
beautiful beaches. The sign out the front said Pelangi knew it, he was about to
cross the finish line and
Beach Resort and I knew this was going to be a
I heard Pete Murray say,
great holiday. ‘Bwarp!’ the horn blowed as fifty more
“Ross Skelton you are an
kids ran into the water. I was getting closer to the
ironman’’. I felt happy for
start line. The horn bwarped again and I was off. I
my Dad.
raced down the start line and into the water. After
swimming one hundred meters I ran out of the water Whoosh crash goes the boat as it bumped on
and on to the sand. There was a little pool just before another wave. We are spending our last day island
transition and I jumped into it to clean my feet but I hopping. We saw gorgeous green mountains and
slipped and fell into the pool but that didn’t matter. I crystal blue water. Our first stop was the Lake of the
put on my shoes and hat and ran to the run course. Pregnant Maiden. We saw lots of monkeys walking
I caught up with my sister ‘’see you at the finish line’’ through the forest and a lady got smacked on the
and sprinted past her. I ran through the petting zoo, head by a monkey. We had a swim in the deep lake.
past the front gates and back into the resort. I ran a At our final destination our feet touched the sand and
little bit further turned left and there I saw it the finish drank from a coconut and had a swim. It’s sad that
line, I was almost there so I sprinted and crossed the tomorrow we will be back home.
line and I got a medal, a certificate and an icy pole.
Best race ever.
I’m wet no let me rephrase that I’m soaking wet. My
dad was at an ironman meeting my mum thought
it was a good idea to go to the night markets. We
started walking out of the hotel when it started to
rain. Luckily we bought our umbrellas. We stopped at
a mini mart for directions. We followed the directions
and realised we were lost. We found a taxi station
and asked them if they could take us to the night
markets. We brought chicken satay, rice dish with
little fish and donuts. We took taxi back to the hotel
as it was still raining.
‘’Athletes get to your positions’’ shouts the loud
speaker ‘’first set go on three one two three’’. My Dad
was getting closer to the start line. I shouted ‘’Go
Dad’’ he looked at me I smiled at him. I saw tears in
his goggles as he didn’t know that we were coming
to watch the start. As my dad did 180kms on a bike
I relaxed by the pool. We checked how my Dad was
doing on the IronMan app as he got closer, we went
to see him on the run. We handed out ice cold waters
to runners that went past as we waited. I was worriedNorth Coast take on Bintan 70.3
James Knipe
25th August 2019 – Bintan, Indonesia
Winter might be quite short in Perth, but when it
hits it feels like it’s no time before we’re craving the
sunshine again. With that in mind, several NCTC’ers
made the decision to head off to warmer climes for
a mixture of sun, sand and strenuous activity by
competing in Bintan 70.3 in Indonesia. For those
who don’t know, Bintan is a short 50 minute ferry ride
from Singapore…it’s kinda like Singaporeans version
of Rotto.
Seven of us headed up in total, and whilst we all had
our own agenda (e.g. preparation for Kona for Lisa
Hitchcock, build for IMWA for myself, Mahesh and
possibly others), we all shared a common objective of
having fun in the sun and just enjoying the event.
As you can imagine, Bintan is hot and humid – 32-34
degrees with 95% humidity. Even sitting for breakfast
in the shade at 6:30 am we were sweating! Race day Transition (T1 and T2) is right on the beach front at
was going to spent staring at our heart rates, and Lagoi. From there it’s onto the bike for a spectacular
trying to manage our bodies, rather than focussing meandering course through small villages and
on our normal target power output or run pace. townships, along the coast, through the jungle, past
The Bintan course is simply stunning. The swim is the monkeys chattering in the trees, and waving to
held in crystal clear, turquoise water off a gorgeous the kids and their families who seemed to line the
sandy beach at the resort centre of Lagoi. You can entire course. They really seemed to enjoy having us
see the bottom the whole way, and even swim over there as much as we enjoyed being there.
some coral reefs at some points. It’s a non-wetsuit After surviving the swim, it was on to a flat two-lap
swim (29 degrees water)…which is a good thing run course which is exposed to the baking sun.
because we were all feeling a little warm even without Fortunately there are ample aid stations (approx.
our wetsuits on! every 1.5 km) and each competitor seemed to go
through gallons of water, ice and sponges in an
effort to keep cool. It was a struggle, but it was great
crossing paths with the other NCTC athletes as we
made our way around the course.
Onto the finish and the after-party. Ice baths were
enjoyed by all, along with fresh coconuts, ice-cream,
and a few too many Bintangs. Well done to everyone
from NCTC who survived and thrived on such a
challenging course in a stunning and wonderful
destination. I for sure will be back!Crocodile Fears Conquered in Winning
National Championships!
On the 24th of August 2019, a brilliant morning
bathed in sunshine at Pallerenda Beach near
Townsville, 17 year old Rahul Jegatheva, a 1st
year student at the University of Western Australia,
took the overall title at the Triathlon Australia
National Aquathlon Championships, part of the
Intersport Townsville Triathlon & Multisport Festival.
Overcoming talk of crocodiles in the water and seeing
bottles of vinegar places strategically along the
beach for emergency treatment against bluebottles,
irukandji and box jellyfish, Rahul brought home the
19&U National title for the third time in a row and his
1st overall national championship win.
Rahul, who has won gold and silver at World 19&U
and Junior events, tore apart the field over the 1km
swim and 5km run course being quickest in both
elements. Taking line honours at a Triathlon Australia
Nationals Championships was particularly pleasing
as he finished 4th overall in Cronulla during the 2016-
2017 season where legendary multiple ironman
world champion, Craig Alexander took the win, 4th
in the Snowy Mountains (2017-2018) and 2nd at the
Gold Coast (2018-2019).
“I want to thank my coaches Grant Landers
(UWA Triathlon Club) and Eoin Carroll (Perth City
Swimming Club) for giving me this opportunity and
allowing me specialised training sessions as the set
of skills I need to focus on is rather different than In winning the national title, Rahul has sewn up a
some of the others. I am also very thankful to my spot at the next International Triathlon Union World
other club, the North Coast Triathlon Club as that is Aquathlon Championships in the Netherlands in
where I get to compete in Aquathlon races during October 2020, and will have quite awhile to plan
their annual 12 race series. I am looking forward and train for that event given how early in the new
to my next major Aquathlon race which could be in 2019-2020 cycle it is. The Amsterdam worlds will
Singapore in early 2020 or perhaps the Worlds in be Rahul’s final time in the 19&U age category as
Amsterdam in late 2020.” said Rahul. he would move to the next age bracket by the time
the 2021 event comes around, back on the beautiful
It has been a remarkable past week for Rahul, as
waters of Townsville as Australia hosts the world
he also just learned that he was named the 2019
event once more!
recipient of the WM Nunn Bursary, awarded to a
1st year student in honour of UWA student athlete
Wally Marshall Nunn. Nunn won four full blue awards
across the sports of athletics, rugby, swimming and
rowing, a feat no one else has been able to emulate.
In his next few years at UWA Rahul will surely
give it a go though across the core sports he has
previously qualified for the national championships
in, aquathlon, triathlon, pool & open water swimming,
track & cross-country running.Tour de Lancelin 2019 Fiona Longden I hope everyone who rode to Lancelin enjoyed it as much as I did, perfect conditions. As is the tradition, all proceeds raised from this event are donated to a cause chosen by the committee. Donations in 2019 went to the lovely Kerry Watts (RIP) $730, who sadly lost her battle to Cancer earlier this year. We would like to thank Nicola Richards for all her work behind the scenes that made this event possible. Super Long Course Coach Pippa Davis who helped us at the last minute to take the trailer up & back, an enormous job and all our volunteers including Tejal Mawjee and Luke Frapple who helped with support vehicles and collections along the way. Thank you to our ride leaders on the day, Rob Lees and David Martin, for making sure we all got to Lancelin in one piece. Finally the Ninja photographer Tim Marsh - popping up in places we were not always expecting. Well done all. Photo Credits: Focused Ninja Photography
Aquathlon Series
Zena Coffey
The 2019/20 Aquathlon Series commenced on given it a go, I would thoroughly recommend it. It’s
Friday 18th October with Phil Corrick and Dylan not every day we can throw caution to the wind and
Yarwood taking on the roles of Race Director and take on nature. The exhilaration of surviving the swim
Co-ordinator. We had an army of volunteers over certainly makes the whole experience worth it.
the 11 race season (12th race cancelled due to
Another factor that makes our Aquathlon series
COVID), thanks so much to our chefs, registrars and
special, is the sense of family and community
supporters.
it creates. This isn’t a traditional race, this is an
Unfortunately we had low numbers this year, 222 experience that propels you into the weekend with
participants compared to the previous year’s 253. a sense of achievement. A chance for the family to
There are a number of possible factors for this, a cheer on a Mum, Dad or Child for 30 minutes and
busy triathlon calendar, ocean conditions and the then share a burger and a drink afterwards while
inevitable Friday night rush from work to make the sharing war-stories of deadly stingers and tsunami
start line. like waves.
Despite the low numbers, we had a core group of die- My advice? Take up the challenge next season, get
hard foam chasers who braved some very crazy and your Friday night fix of adrenalin and support this
wild conditions. If you have never come down and great series.NCTC at play...
NCTC at play...
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