ÉNORME > Brett Sutton démissionne de TBB.

Brett Sutton a été récemment très virulent avec le petit monde du triathlon. Il a d’ailleurs publiquement attaqué certains de ses partenaires et surtout la WTC. Comme le dit le communiqué de presse, ses attaques en direction de la corporation controlant les Ironman a créé une discrimination et une disharmonie à l’intérieur de son groupe.

Il annonce ne plus vouloir coacher en ironman afin de pouvoir récupérer une liberté dans ses propos afin de continuer son combat afin que les pros puissent obtenir une part plus équitable des revenus générés par ce sport. On peut donc s’attendre à des attaques fréquentes et répétées de sa part puisqu’il semble être en mission pour voir des changements drastiques.

Évidemment, Brett Sutton est l’un de ces personnages qui est très moralisateur mais qui a ce passé troublant. Il collectionne succès et échecs et il est difficile d’avoir une opinion claire sur lui.

Il en demeure que TeamTBB est sans aucun doute l’équipe qui a eu le plus de succès et qui a une recette très efficace pour développer des champions (Chrissie Wellington, Caroline Steffen, Reinaldo Colluci ou encore James Cunnama).

Malheureusement, ses détracteurs vous diront que les athlètes ont des carrières très courtes, et il est d’ailleurs difficile de dire le contraire.

Même si c’est une page importante qui se tourne, TeamTBB assure qu’ils continuerons sans Brett Sutton.

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Brett Sutton resigns as head coach from teamTBB

Brett Sutton and teamTBB announce today that as of 1st of January 2014 Brett will resign as the head coach of teamTBB.

Brett Sutton explains:

« I have made my intentions clear over these past few months that I strongly believe the sport requires a drastic change, but it seems that athletes and teamTBB staff don’t believe in my plan to actually implement this change. 

It seems that my constant harping of WTC is causing discrimination towards the athletes and causing disharmony within the group. 

I will say that being in the team stops me also from publically going after sponsors that have made working with the team most difficult for not only athletes but staff also, and their belief that their standing in the market give them the right, to do dishonorable things. 

So I’m resigning and moving out of ironman coaching, to give myself the opportunity to talk the truth without harming any part of teamTBB coaching or team’s staff. »

Brett Sutton and Alex Bok founded teamTBB in December 2006 with a mission to operate a sustainable and professional sports organization, helping to improve lives around the world.

The team provided hope and opportunity for many young athletes to make the transition from age group level athlete to a starting professional. It’s this environment and culture created within teamTBB that delivered athletes and role models such as Chrissie Wellington, Caroline Steffen, Reinaldo Colluci, James Cunnama and more recently Ritchie Nicholls and Eimear Mullan.

Other than producing so many break-through athletes, the team delivered a stunning list of race results in just less than seven years:

• Ironman World Champion 2007 and 2008
• ITU Long Distance World Champion 2008, 2010 and 2012
• 2x Challenge Roth Champion 2012 and 2013
• Ironman European Champion 2011 and 2012
• Ironman North American Champion 2012 and 2013
• Ironman Asia Pacific Champion 2012
• 47x Ironman Champions across all continents
• 29x Ironman 70.3 Champions

Team Manager Alex Bok shares

« This has been a tough and emotional period for all of us at teamTBB as Brett is an unbelievable coach and more importantly an amazing human being.

His decision and reasons for moving on are both admirable and heroic and confirm once more, when Brett Sutton believes in an athlete or a certain strategy to follow, there is no stopping him at all and he will give his total commitment and devotion without holding back anything and hence his results throughout his entire career.

Brett wants to implement his vision and change for the sport without harming the team, its coaches and staff and I can only honor him for this decision as while a team provides great opportunities for many involved, it can also create some constraints at times for both the coach and athlete. Brett has balanced the well being of our athletes in unbelievable fashion, while at the same time serving our sponsors with pride.

TeamTBB will continue its journey with Brett’s blessings as to provide many of the current teamTBB coaches an opportunity to prove they can become the next generation of champion coaches.

All the teamTBB coaches have been hand picked and trained by Brett and have shown great race results with their pro athletes and age group athletes over the last two years.

For me personally, Brett has become a true friend and his support in team matters, business and life in general to me has been amazing. I therefore want to share with anyone in our sport that the legendary coach Brett Sutton will continue to be an important element in the team DNA. Brett of course will have it no other way! teamTBB will continue to provide hope and opportunity through sports to those who need it most.

We will lose our team’s head coach but his inspiration and friendship will keep this team on track to provide more role models, more elite development athletes and we will continue to produce more triathlon champions!

On behalf of all our past and current athletes, our coaches, staff and sponsors, thank you Brett Sutton for 7 amazing years at teamTBB! »

In about 2 weeks time teamTBB management will announce its 2014 strategy, 2014 pro athlete roster and coaching structure with Brett and Alex ensuring this team will continue its journey and deliver its vision for many more years to come.