Kelowna National Championship Press Conference

 

 

The triathlon canadian championship will be held again this weekend in the beautiful city of Kelowna and today was the event’s press conference.

It will be the fourth consecutive year that Kelowna will be the host of that world-class event. This year, athletes from over 12 countries will race on the challenging course.

The following athletes were present: Joanna Brown, Paula Findlay, Dylan DaSilva (a 10 years old spirited kids of steel from Kelowna), Kyle Jones and Tristan Woodfine.

Firstly, Joanna and Tristan were asked what are the best triathlete’s qualities. Joanna answered the organization because you have to manage three disciplines. Woodfine answered adaptability (especially while racing) because triathlon is such a unpredictable sport.

Paula was asked about how Kelowna influenced her career. Remember that in 2008, she won both the junior and the senior national title on that course and this double strike was the beginning of a sucessful story for that sympatic red-haired athlete from Edmonton. She mentionned that Kelowna was his first Olympic distance race experience and that this event is world-class and close to her hometown and that she really enjoy racing here.

Kyle was asked about what matters the most in his life. He told us that he’s been married for 8 months and that it really changed his life and that his focus on making the Olympic team is also a big piece of his life right now.

After those questions, it was the media’s turn to ask questions. Total silence in the room. I then decided to raise my arm and I asked the first question to Paula:

Going to London, you weren’t 100%. How’s the progression right now with your injury going to Beijing in a few weeks?

She told us that she’s been running 4 times pain-free after London and that she keeps building her fitness while being cautious. She’s still not a 100% but her main focus is to fully recover to be able to race to her fullest potential in Beijing.

After that, another journalist asked Kyle on how it felt to have beaten Simon twice this year. He told us that it feels good and that he really wants to go to the Olympics and he make sure to surrend himself with the best coaches and athletes. Last year, he finished 2nd (on a sprint finish) and wants to take his revenge over Simon.

Tristan talked a bit about the challenges he had to overcome in the last season: off-season overtraining, injuries, poor results in races and that he worked really hard on his weaknesses in 2011. As we know, he won St-Malo and got his spot for the Junior World Championship in Beijing.

Paula was then asked about a good advice she could provide to someone who begins in triathlon. She answered in a really humoristic way «Have fun» as her mom would say! The audience (and I) were charmed about that funny answer! She then talked about not being discouraged after poor results and she mentionned the fact that triathlon is so unpredictable…

I then asked the last question to Joanna:

I heard that you’re going to train at the Guelph RTC next year. Is that right?

She said that both her and Tristan are moving to Guelph next year to train and to pursue their studies in University. It wasn’t an easy decision to make. She had been injured this year and she kind of want to leave that black cloud behind and have a new start.

 

That’s it for the press conference. Next stop: the junior elites races tomorrow morning.

Thanks for reading!

Vince