Beijing looms large for triathletes
Sunday’s ITU (International Triathlon Union) Oceania Championship race in Geelong could have major implications for a number of triathletes regarding selection for the 2007 World Championships and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The pathway to Beijing is already well plotted for New Zealand’s triathletes, with competition for places in 2008 amongst the hottest of any sport in New Zealand.
Based on ranking lists there are a maximum six spots available to New Zealand in both the men’s and women’s fields in Hamburg for the World Championships this year. For Beijing in 2008 that number drops to just three.
Consider that New Zealand currently boasts six men in the top one hundred and five women in the top fifty and you begin to understand the cut throat nature of selection in one of New Zealand’s most successful international sports.
Other key dates on the calendar for our prospective Olympic Games competitors are the Beijing ITU World Cup race (September 16th 2007) and the Mooloolaba ITU World Cup race in 2008. Both are identified as Olympic selection races by Triathlon New Zealand.
But before triathletes can pin their hopes on those races, first they must qualify under ITU guidelines to simply make the start list, no easy task given the depth and quality of New Zealand’s athletes and the sport worldwide.
New Zealand can select a maximum of 6 athletes to race in any ITU World Cup race provided the athletes meet ITU qualifying criteria. While this is not an issue for the Bevan Docherty’s and Samantha Warriner’s of this world, Triathlon NZ High Performance Director Stephen Farrell says there is huge pressure on some.
“Triathlon continues to be one of New Zealand’s better performing sports on the international stageâ€Â, said Farrell on the eve of the Geelong ITU Oceania Championship race.
“Our recent record at World Championships, World Cups and of course Olympic and Commonwealth Games confirms that. We are enjoying more depth than ever creating an environment of intense competition within our own boundaries, let alone once they compete with the rest of the world.â€Â
“People need to understand however that it is not as simple as having a ‘qualifying race’ and picking our form athletes for major events. We are governed by strict criteria as laid down by the ITU that dictates how many and ultimately who we will select. The Oceania Championship this weekend is crucial for many athletes in that process.â€Â
So to qualify for Beijing, athletes must be proven performers on the world stage and to do that, they must qualify for crucial World Cup and World Championship races.
But with starts in World Cup races based on World Cup rankings or overall ITU points standings, up and coming athletes such as Rebecca Spence and Graham O’Grady are under pressure to perform this weekend. Both know that the points up for grabs will open the door to vital races later in the season, with the first such World Cup opportunity being Mooloolaba on March 23rd.
O’Grady’s coach Mark Watson says his charge knows how important it is to race well this weekend.
“He understands what is at stake but these guys have to learn to deal with this pressure. Any athlete with Olympic or world championship dreams has to handle the pressure if they are to be successful so from here any race is simply a taste of what is to come later on.â€Â
Farrell says that while the system may appear complicated, he has no doubt it has played a big part in our international success.
“I have no doubt that the pressure to perform just to earn selection in the New Zealand team has led directly to our athletes’ ability to win the big international races. We are in the business of winning medals and aim to have six medal contenders in Beijing and there is nothing like having the blow torch put on you early in that process to prepare you for tougher days ahead.â€Â
The message for the New Zealand contingent heading to Geelong this weekend is simple, especially for those ranked around the cut off mark of 6th New Zealander. They must race well to pick up valuable ITU Points that will contribute towards earning selection for future ITU World Cup races, without which qualification for the Hamburg World Championships and Beijing Olympic Games will prove impossible.
Results will be posted to all media as well as being available online via www.triathlon.org A more detailed post race release with comment from athletes and Triathlon NZ personnel will also be posted within two hours of the race concluding on Sunday afternoon NZT.
The pathway to Beijing is already well plotted for New Zealand’s triathletes, with competition for places in 2008 amongst the hottest of any sport in New Zealand.
Based on ranking lists there are a maximum six spots available to New Zealand in both the men’s and women’s fields in Hamburg for the World Championships this year. For Beijing in 2008 that number drops to just three.
Consider that New Zealand currently boasts six men in the top one hundred and five women in the top fifty and you begin to understand the cut throat nature of selection in one of New Zealand’s most successful international sports.
Other key dates on the calendar for our prospective Olympic Games competitors are the Beijing ITU World Cup race (September 16th 2007) and the Mooloolaba ITU World Cup race in 2008. Both are identified as Olympic selection races by Triathlon New Zealand.
But before triathletes can pin their hopes on those races, first they must qualify under ITU guidelines to simply make the start list, no easy task given the depth and quality of New Zealand’s athletes and the sport worldwide.
New Zealand can select a maximum of 6 athletes to race in any ITU World Cup race provided the athletes meet ITU qualifying criteria. While this is not an issue for the Bevan Docherty’s and Samantha Warriner’s of this world, Triathlon NZ High Performance Director Stephen Farrell says there is huge pressure on some.
“Triathlon continues to be one of New Zealand’s better performing sports on the international stageâ€Â, said Farrell on the eve of the Geelong ITU Oceania Championship race.
“Our recent record at World Championships, World Cups and of course Olympic and Commonwealth Games confirms that. We are enjoying more depth than ever creating an environment of intense competition within our own boundaries, let alone once they compete with the rest of the world.â€Â
“People need to understand however that it is not as simple as having a ‘qualifying race’ and picking our form athletes for major events. We are governed by strict criteria as laid down by the ITU that dictates how many and ultimately who we will select. The Oceania Championship this weekend is crucial for many athletes in that process.â€Â
So to qualify for Beijing, athletes must be proven performers on the world stage and to do that, they must qualify for crucial World Cup and World Championship races.
But with starts in World Cup races based on World Cup rankings or overall ITU points standings, up and coming athletes such as Rebecca Spence and Graham O’Grady are under pressure to perform this weekend. Both know that the points up for grabs will open the door to vital races later in the season, with the first such World Cup opportunity being Mooloolaba on March 23rd.
O’Grady’s coach Mark Watson says his charge knows how important it is to race well this weekend.
“He understands what is at stake but these guys have to learn to deal with this pressure. Any athlete with Olympic or world championship dreams has to handle the pressure if they are to be successful so from here any race is simply a taste of what is to come later on.â€Â
Farrell says that while the system may appear complicated, he has no doubt it has played a big part in our international success.
“I have no doubt that the pressure to perform just to earn selection in the New Zealand team has led directly to our athletes’ ability to win the big international races. We are in the business of winning medals and aim to have six medal contenders in Beijing and there is nothing like having the blow torch put on you early in that process to prepare you for tougher days ahead.â€Â
The message for the New Zealand contingent heading to Geelong this weekend is simple, especially for those ranked around the cut off mark of 6th New Zealander. They must race well to pick up valuable ITU Points that will contribute towards earning selection for future ITU World Cup races, without which qualification for the Hamburg World Championships and Beijing Olympic Games will prove impossible.
Results will be posted to all media as well as being available online via www.triathlon.org A more detailed post race release with comment from athletes and Triathlon NZ personnel will also be posted within two hours of the race concluding on Sunday afternoon NZT.