USAT Florida Athlete Development News

Florida Region Athletes at USAT Youth/Junior Elite Nationals

2011-08-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

The Florida region had a strong showing of young talent this past weekend at the 2011 USAT Youth and Junior Elite National Championship in addition to the USAT Youth National Championship.

The race winners Lukas Verzbicas and Kelly Whitley captured USA Triathlon Junior Elite National titles Saturday while Tamara Gorman successfully defended her Youth Elite title. Sawyer Willingham won the Youth Elite race for the men.

The 16- to 19-year-old junior elites covered a 750-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bike and a 5-kilometer run while the 13-15-year-old youth elites did a 375m swim, 10k bike and 2.5k run at the Chula Vista Harbor.

Congratulations to the following Florida region athletes on their participation and accomplishments this past weekend at Nationals.

Youth Elite Female

12^th Ciara Hopkins

13^th Summer Kanstoroom

19^th Kaileah Blazek

31^st Caroline Condon

Youth Elite Male

9^th Caleb Hudak

15^th Tristan Rhodes

44^th Graham Pimental

51^st Zack Quilty

63^rd Kyle Deschenes

65^th Marcel Jane

Junior Elite Female

14^th Savannah Dearden

26^th Sarah Sykes

Junior Elite Male

33^rd Shane Deeley

43^rd John Gerard Farese

On Sunday, a draft-legal team relay was held for athletes ages 13-19. All athletes — in teams of three with at least one female competitor — will complete a 250m swim, a 5k bike and a 1.2k run. Field size was 55 teams.

Congratulations to the Regional High Performances Teams of Triton Elite Multisport (TEM) and Tampa Bay Tri Sports (TBTS) who had five teams combined on the start line!

Team relay results were:

11^th TEM Jr Elites Dearden/Farese/Deeley

21^st TBTS Gold Kanstoroom/Hudak/Pimental

27^th TEM Youth Elite Hopkins/Gillem (VA)/Rhodes

33^rd TEM Sykes/Gillem (VA)/ Rollo (CA)

43^rd TBTS Silver Condon/ Quilty/ Deschenes

In the nondrafting Youth National Championship, the FL Region would like to congratulate the following youth athletes on their performances:

Lawson McLoud -   1st place 7 yr. old boys
Lauren Benedict -    3rd place - 9 yr. old girls
Taylor Benedict -     5th place - 9 yr. old girls
Coleman Inglima- 1st place - 9 yr. old boys
Kaitlin Glidersleeve- 4th place- 10 yr. girls
Lachian Hovius-       6th place- 10 yr. old boys
Jared Kanstoroom - 14th place - 10 yr old boys
Reagan Quilty -       4th place - 11 yr old girls
Timothy Glidersleeve- 17th place - 12 yr. boys

If someone has been left out please email the RADC and I will update this list

2011 Junior Talent ID Series Races

2010-12-29T03:50:00.000-08:00

The purpose of the USAT FL Junior Talent ID Race Series is to provide the junior athletes 15-19 an opportunity to race against one another on various courses throughout the State.

Juniors of all levels and abilities are encouraged to participate in at least 3 of the 7 the non-drafting sprint distance race to score points for the overall series awards. Each athletes top three scores from the Series will be used to determine Series podium. In order to win the OVERALL Series title, the top scoring male and female MUST race in the Series Finale.

USAT-FL Talent ID Series Race Series Calendar

Sat 4-16-11 Escape from Ft Desoto/ St. Petersburg

Sun 4-17-11 FAU Wellness Triathlon/ Boca Raton

Sat 5-28-11 Crystal River Sprint Triathlon Series #1/ Crystal River

Sun 6-19-11 Heartland Triathlon (Sprint) / Sebring

Sun 6-26-11 Morton Plant Mease Triathlon / Clearwater
USAT FLorida Junior Regional Championship-DOUBLE series points.

Sat 7-16-11 Jax Sprint Triathlon Series #2 / Fernandina Beach

Sun 7-31-11 Huntington’s Triathlon (Sprint)** / Key Biscayne
**BONUS POINTS RACE

Sat 8-13-10 Central Florida Triathlon Series # 4 / Clermont

*Talent ID Series Finale- must race to be eligible for overall Series champion title.

USAT-FL Junior Development Series Champions

2010-08-08T16:45:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Jose Baez ( Tampa, FL) and Savannah Dearden (St. Petersburg, FL) for winning the 2010 USAT Florida Junior Development Series.

The series kicked off March 28th in Clermont and was followed by sprint distance races held in Crytsal River, St. Petersburg, Sebring, Jacksonville, Miami and concluded this weekend in Clermont. Over 66 junior athletes race age 15-19 participated in the 7 race series. In order to be eligible for the Series title athletes needed to score point in 4 of the 7 non drafting sprint races selected to be part of the Series.

Top junior finishers (above) at Series finale held at the Central Florida Triathlon Series #3 ( .25 mi swim/ 10 mile bike/ 3.1 mile run) August 7th were Shane Deeley ( Clearwater, FL) and Savannah Dearden. Shane won the Overall race in a time of 53:04 posting the fastest run split and Savannah was 2nd Overall Female with a time of 1:04:33. Result for the CFT Series Race #3 can be found here.

Series winners received USAT items and will be eligible for partial travel assistance to Junior Elite Nationals taking place August 14th in San Diego, CA.

The 2011 Junior Development Series hopes to continue to grow its participation. Check back on this blog early December for the tentative Series calender.

On behalf of the USAT FL region a huge thank you to all the athletes, parents, coaches and race directors for supporting this athlete development initiative.

Top Gun F1 Juniors Triathlon Recap

2010-07-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Shane Deeley and Jennifer Walz for their overall wins at the 1st ( and hopefully annual) Top Gun F1 Juniors Triathlon.

16 athletes ranging in age from 13 to 19 started this flat and fast super sprint draft legal race. The swim was in a protected lagoon. Athletes had to complete 2 laps of 200 yds each exiting the water to start the 2nd loop. Athletes were lined up and called out to simulate the ITU feel that may of our top Professional ITU racers experience at the Pan American and World Cup levels. Men started first with the ladies starting 10 seconds later.

Athletes had a 500 ft sprint across paved sidewalk to mount their bikes for a 2 lap ~ 10K bike. Athletes were met with some VERY strong headwinds for 50% of the bike so those that could get in and stay in a draft. Spectators and competitors for the Youth super sprint race that followed got to watch the race unfold.

In the men's race John Gerard Farese put a significant gap on the field during the swim and held on to the lead until the second loop of the bike. The fierce pace of the organized 3 man group of Shane Deeley, Cody Sandford and Jose Baez was too quick for John to jump on and these guys pulled away. Coming into T2 it was Shane and Cody side by side with Jose off the pace but in the hunt for a podium finish. On the 2 lap ~ 1.5 mile run Shane pulled away for the win with Cody and Jose holding strong onto 2nd and 3rd places respectively.

In the women's race, Jennifer Walz ( 2009 18-19 AG National Champion) took hold of the lead during the swim and held on for a dominate win. Making chase was Ciara Hopkins ( 2009 Youth ( 12yo) National Champion) who held strong to her 2nd place finish. Savannah Dearden managed to round out the podium with the woman's best run.

Jen celebrating her win with sparkling grape juice!

Congratulations to all the athletes who took part in the F1 race.

BIG thank you to Fred Ryzmek, Carl Allison, Brian Harrington and the staff with Florida Race Place and USAT Florida Region Council for supporting this event. Next year we hope to have a bigger and better F1 event.

Top Gun F1 Results

2010 Junior Regional Champs Crowned at the MPM Tri!

2010-06-28T05:14:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Shane Deeley ( far left) and Savannah Dearden ( far left) for racing hard and earning the title of USAT Florida Junior Regional Champion. The top 5 juniors all walked away with goodies provided by USAT Florida region, Outspokin Bicycles and Morton Plant Mease race organizers.

Junior athletes from the region converged on the beach of Sand Key and Clearwater to test themselves against some of the best junior athletes in the state. The course proved tough with 1/3 mile open water swim, 13 miles on the bike including 3 large bridges and a hot and humid 5k run on combination sand, crushed gravel and asphalt.

In addition to top 5 athletes receiving awards, the junior athletes who posted the fastest swim, bike and run splits were acknowledged and received prizes for those efforts.

Congrats to

Fastest swim: John Gerard Farese and Sarah Sykes

Fastest bike: Shane Deeley and Savannah Dearden

Fastest run: Nathen Dekrey and Savannah Dearden

Complete race results can be found here.

The Morton Plant Mease Triathlon will be the venue for the 2011 USAT-Florida Junior Regional Championship. Date will be announced on this blog and through USAT-FL regional communications on the national USAT website.

USAT Junior Skills Camp SUCCESS!

2010-06-18T06:09:00.000-07:00

On June 9th, 14 athletes ranging in age from 12 to 18 checked in to the AAA Tricamp

to start the 2010 USAT Junior Skills camp. The camp was lead by USAT certified coach Marc Bonnet-Eymard and supported by USAT Elite coach/Regional Athlete Development Coordinator Jennifer Hutchison and AAA TriCamp coach John Hovius.

Over the 3.5 day camp, athletes learned practical skills such as:

Bike maintenance and mechanics ( thank you Jude Ferguson & Epic Cycles USA)
Swim stroke mechanics
Swim entries and exits
Individual and group bike handling
Art of fast transitions ( thank you Pierce Pape and Yankz! Sure Lace System)
Run dynamic warm up
Run mechanics (thank you John Hovius for your video recording and playback skills)

Athletes also got to learn about:

USAT's Athlete Development program and athlete pipeline
ITU rules and racing
Sports nutrition for daily training and tips for race day
Race day mental preparation

Camp athletes got to train at the National Training Center in Clermont and endured a 3K run test set on the NTC track and an 800 LCM swim time trial in the beautiful outdoor NTC pool. The test sets were included as part of USAT's athlete development and talent identification program.

Athletes were able to put into practice the skills learned during this information packed camp at the ( hilly!) Clermont Sprint Triathlon. ( Thank you Fred Sommers and SommerSports for supporting the future of the sport!) Campers really stepped up at this race and cleaned up in the hardware department ( see last photo)

Overall, the campers had a blast, formed new friendships and appeared eager to use their newly honed triathlon skills racing this summer.

A BIG thank you to the USAT Florida Region and USAT National Athlete Development Program for supporting this year's Skills camp.

Look for 2011's camp to be even bigger, better and a bit longer!

Here are a few photos from the week.

Junior Series Race #2 Recap

2010-05-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Jose Baez and Anya Phillips for winning the Junior ( 15-19) division at the Crystal River Sprint Triathlon on May 29, 2010. The Crystal River Sprint triathlon is race number 2 in the 7 race Junior Development Series. Athletes who compete in 4 of the 7 races are eligible for the overall title Junior Series title.

The next race in the Series is the Heartland Triathlon on June 20th in Sebring, Florida followed by the Morton Plant Mease (MPM) Triathlon on June 27th. The MPM triathlon is also the USAT- FL Junior Regional Championship and will offer juniors a chance to score higher points for the Junior Development Series.

USAT Junior Skills Camp Applications Avaialble

2010-04-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

What: 2010 USAT Junior Skills Camp

When: June 9- June 13 ( Check in 3PM / Check out 12PM)

Where: The camp will be held at the AAA Tricamp campus located in Groveland, Florida.

This 3 ½ day residential camp is for athletes 12 to 19. It is geared towards new to intermediate level athletes who have some triathlon racing experience and would like to be introduced to draft legal racing opportunities.

Athletes applying for this camp should be able to complete a 2000+ yd swim workout, ride at least 10 miles at a pace > 15 mph and should be able to easily run three miles.

Cost: $375 and covers room accommodations and all meals and race entry.

Participants will receive a list of items they will be required to bring to the camp. All participants will be expected to bring a triathlon bike or road bike. The schedule of events will be provided at camp check in on the 9th.
Some of the camp activities and programs include:

• Daily swim, bike and or run workouts
• Sport specific instruction by USAT Certified Coaches & special guests
• Sports science lectures on strength training, mental skills training and nutrition
• Bike handling skills and road safety
• Open water swim practice
• Introduction to the USAT Athlete Development pipeline
• Participation in a USAT sanctioned non drafting sprint triathlon
• Endorsement for Junior Elite Nationals upon demonstration of competencies
• USAT National Skills Camp T-shirt and other USAT items

Questions can be directed to USAT Florida Regional Athlete Development Coordinator:

Jennifer Hutchison at Jennifer.hutchison@usatriathlon.org or 727-215-6348.

Junior Series Race #1 in the books!

2010-03-31T07:17:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Great Clermont Sprint Triathlon/Junior Development Series Race #1 winners Nolan Dickson 17 from Aurora, IL and Kelly Whitley 18 from Geneva, IL took the men's and woman's OVERALL titles. Actually top 3 woman were all ONLY 18!! Nice work Junior athletes.

Top FL Region Juniors were Emerick Van Osdal (in photo) 17 from Tampa and Haele Jasen 15 from Weeki Wachee who earned 1st AG 15-19.

Next stop in the Junior Development Series is Crystal River Triathlon on May 29th then on to the Heartland Triathlon on June 20th!

Results and splits can be found here.

Last Name First Age
1 Whitley Kelly 18
2 Clay Jennifer 18
3 Scanlon Maggie 18
4 Jasen Haele 15

Last Name First Age
1 Dickson Nolan 17
2 Van Osdal Emerick 17
3 Zaffiri Stephen 19
4 Wade Dylan 19
5 Mould Jacob 17
6 Dekrey Nathan 17
7 Amore John 17
8 Fieldson Patrick 17
9 Gubasta Nicholas 15
10 Mixon Antonio 15
11 Ponader Nikolaus 16
12 Ponader Christopher 17

New for 2010! Junior Development Series for athletes 15-19

2010-03-01T08:22:00.000-08:00

The purpose of the Junior Development Series is to provide the junior athletes 15-19 an opportunity to race against one another on various courses through the state.

Junior triathletes of all levels and abilities are encouraged to participate in at least 4 of the 7 the NON_DRAFTING sprint distance race series to score points for the overall series awards. Scoring will be based on size of the junior field.

Overall series winner both male and female will be eligible for travel grant to Nationals.

Junior Development Race Series Calendar

3-28-10 Great Clermont Triathlon (Sprint)

5-29-10 Crystal River Triathlon

6-20-10 Heartland Triathlon (Sprint)

6-27-10 Morton Plant Mease Triathlon/ USAT-FL Junior Regional Championship*

*Junior Regional Championship will score higher series points.

7-17-10 Jacksonville Sprint Triathlon

8-1-10 Huntington’s Triathlon (Sprint)

Race #7/ Series Finale details are still being worked on so check the USAT Florida Athlete Development blog at for more details as they become available.

Florida DRAFT LEGAL race for 16-23 yr

2010-01-18T11:14:00.000-08:00

Its official!!!

On March 7th, a draft-legal elite development series race for juniors (16-19), U23s and professional triathletes is being held in Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont Florida. Men at 12:00pm, Women at 1:00pm.

This is a sprint distance, draft legal race and ONLY for qualified entrants.

Florida region juniors (16-19) and U23 ( 19-23) athletes who have questions about qualification should contact- Jennifer Hutchison, Regional Athlete Development Coordinator at eSportsRD@aol.com.

Registration can be found here.

For age group competitors, sign up for the NONdrafting Florida's Great Escape.

Regional YOUTH Series Announced

2010-01-18T08:31:00.000-08:00

2010 USAT Florida Region Youth Race Series

Mission Statement:

To establish a Florida Regional Youth Race program covering all geographical corners of the state. This program will provide youth triathletes ages 15 and under he opportunity to participate in coaches clinics and participate in a series of races in which will allow the youth triathletes to accumulate points based on placement in the series where the top boy and top girl finisher in each age group will be eligible to receive a grant to participate in USAT Youth Nationals in San Diego California on August 8^th, 2010.

Series Info:

USAT Florida Region youth triathletes will have the opportunity to participate in a 3 race series across the region. At each race, points will be assigned based upon the youth triathlete’s placement in their age group. At the conclusion of the series, the highest points earners, both boy and girl in each age group (age groups listed below) will be eligible to receive a grant of $100.00 to be used towards their expenses for participating at the USAT Youth National Championship event in San Diego California on August 8^th. The grant will be provided upon proof of the athlete’s participation in the National Championship event.

The 3 races that are part of the 2010 USAT Florida Region Youth Race Series are:

· Saturday, March 27, 2010 – Great Clermont Trikidz Triathlon and Super Sprint - Clermont

· Saturday, May 1, 2010 – The First Coast Triathlon – Jacksonville

· Saturday, May 22 – 25^th Annual Madeira Beach Mini Triathlon – Madeira Beach

For additional information contact, USAT FL Youth Coordinator Dave Deschenes at coachdave@tampabaytri-sports.com .

Junior Elite and Youth Elite Nationals Registration is Open!

2010-01-12T09:52:00.000-08:00

Registration for the National Junior Olympic Festival is now open!

On August 14, 2010 in San Diego, California, the best Youth Elite and Junior Elite racers will compete for the title of National Champion.

This is the first year that Junior Elites wishing to race must meet qualification standards. PLEASE read eligibility criteria below before trying to register.

There are no qualifications standards for Youth Elite racers 13-15

Junior Elite registration can be found here.

Youth Elite registration can be found here.
.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERA FOR USA TRIATHLON JUNIOR ELITE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Purpose:

This document establishes eligibility criteria for participation in the 2010
USAT Junior Elite National Championships.

Background:

The USAT Junior Elite National Championships is a draft-legal triathlon
consisting of a 750m swim, 20k bike, and 5k run. Consistent with international standards
for draft-legal racing, the male and female divisions are limited to 80 athletes each.
Eligibility requirements are necessary to ensure a quality of field consistent with the
event’s national championship status and an appropriate level of preparedness for
participation in draft-legal competition of this caliber.

Age Requirement:

In order to compete in the USAT Junior Elite National Championship,
an athlete must be between the ages of 16 and 19 year old on December 31st, 2010.
Performance Criteria: An athlete who meets the Age Requirement plus any one of the
following Performance Criteria is eligible to compete in the 2010 Junior Elite National
Championships:

2009 USAT Youth Elite and Junior Elite National Championships finisher;

2009 or 2010 USAT Youth Elite or Junior Elite Cup (national-level) orPATCO Pan American Junior Championship or Junior Continental Cup or other international-level draft-legal triathlon finisher; or,

2009 or 2010 Youth Elite or Junior Elite National Ranking ranked athlete(does not include USAT Age Group Ranking, which is based solely on non-drafting results). http://usatriathlon.org/pages/1963

Endorsement Criteria:

An athlete who meets the Age Requirement, but has not met one of the Performance Criteria, may achieve eligibility through endorsement as follows:

High Performance Team: Athletes listed on the official roster of a USAT-designated High Performance Team (HPT) as of June 1st, 2010, may receive the written endorsement of their HPT Manager;

Regional Athlete Development Coordinator (RADC): Athletes who complete a Junior Elite Clinic under the direction of an RADC may receive the written endorsement of the RADC;

USAT Skills and Select Camp Director: Athletes having participated in a 2009 or 2010 USAT-designated Skills or Select Camp may receive the written endorsement of the Camp Director; or,

USAT Sport Performance Endorsement: Athletes lacking access to the endorsement options set forth above may receive the written endorsement of the USAT Sport Performance Director.

Endorsement Standard:

In order to secure an endorsement, the Athlete must have demonstrated to the Endorser:

Awareness of the race format, including the distances, laps, swim conditions, transition, and draft-legal elements;
Knowledge of the competitive rules for draft-legal triathlon, including bike set-up, uniform requirements, and transitions;
Competency in the skills required for safe participation in draft-legal triathlon, including swim starts, bike handling, transitions, and race nutrition; and,
Ability to finish within 20% of the prior year’s winner’s overall time (2009: Male Winner - 58:12; Female Winner - 1:05:30)

Junior Elite Clinic: ( USAT Florida region time and date TBD)

RADCs may offer Junior Elite Clinics to provide opportunities for athletes to secure eligibility. The base price shall be $50 per athlete and the clinic will take approximately 4 hours to complete.

First-Come, First-Served:

Achieving eligibility to compete does not guarantee entry into the championship. Due to field limits, registration is first-come, first-served.

Audit and Confirmation:

USA Triathlon will audit eligibility shortly after the athlete
registers online. Addition to the Start List will serve as confirmation of eligibility and
entry. USAT advises that athletes and families book refundable travel if there is any
doubt as to their eligibility. Athletes are responsible for establishing their eligibility prior
to registering for the event. USA Triathlon has a no refund policy for event registration.

USAT AD National News Posted Oct 15th

2009-10-20T17:31:00.000-07:00

USA Triathlon has released the selection criteria for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games, which will be held in Singapore.

The criteria is pending final approval by the USOC Board of Directors.

Athlete Selection Criteria for 2010 Youth Olympic Games

Florida Region Youth Shine at IronKids National Championship

2009-10-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

The Florida Region would like to congratulate all the youth racers (and their parents) for participating the in the IronKids National Championship held in Tucson, Arizona on October 4th!

Congratulations to the following IronKids National Championship podium finishers:

1st Place

Kaitlin Glidersleeve (7) - Jacksonville
Ann Weigel (9) - Clermont

2nd Place

Alec Weigel (7)- Clermont

3rd Place

Ross Johnson (8) - Jacksonville
Timothy Glidersleeve (9) - Jacksonville
Summer Kanstoroom(10)- St. Petersburg
Kaitlin Adams (15)- Boca Raton

Also, GREAT job and strong performances from the following racers:

Page Vanmiddlesworth (8)- Seminole

Carlos Rash (9) - Jacksonville

Ryan Vanmiddlesworth (10)- Seminole
Santiago Vidaurri (10) - Miami
Morgan Skidmore (10) - Treasure Island

Shannon Sweeney (11)- New Port Richey

Kyle Deschenes (12) - Land O Lakes
Matthew Fair (12) - Trinity

Kyra Sweeney (14) - New Port Richey
Marcia Vidaurri (14)- Miami

The Florida Region is committed to supporting the growth and development of our youth, junior and collegiate athletes. If you have news to share about upcoming USAT sanctioned events targeting youth, junior or collegiate athletes, let us know!!!

Email your athlete development news to Jennifer Hutchison, Regional Athlete Development Coordinator at eSportsRD@aol.com.

Check back to see what is being planned for 2010!

Congratulations to FL Region Youth & Juniors!

2009-08-11T17:38:00.000-07:00

The Florida Region is proud of the following athletes who made their way out to Colorado Springs for the USAT Youth National Championship and the Youth Elite and Junior Elite Championship on August 8th.

Youth Nationals

Katelin Gildersleeve 2nd Place 7-8 yr old

Santiago Corredor 4th Place 9-10 yr old
Timothy Gildersleeve 10th Place 9 – 10 yr old

Ciara Hopkins 1st Place 11- 12 yr old Champion

John Quintana 20th Place 11-12 yr old
Matt Adams 25th Place 11-12 yr old

Youth Elite ( 13 – 15)

Taylor Scott 12th Place

John-Gerard Farese 13th Place

Junior Elite ( 16-19)

Nicholas Tautiva 15th Place
Lucas Caron 24th Place
Jose Baez 52th Place

Florida Region Youth & Junior Athletes Racing in Colorado

2009-08-04T07:24:00.000-07:00

On behalf of the USAT Florida Region,

we want to send race well wishes to the following athletes competing this weekend at the

USAT Youth National Championship and Youth Elite & Junior Elite National Championship

in Colorado Springs, CO on August 8th.

Youth National Participants:

Matt Adams

Sanitago Corredor

Katelin Gildersleeve

Timothy Gildersleeve

Ciara Hopkins

Emerson Quilty

Regan Quilty

Zack Quilty

John Quintana

Youth Elite National Participants:

John-Gerard Farese

Taylor Scott

Junior Elite National Participants:

Jose Baez

Anthony Borrego

Lucas Caron

Nic Tautiva

From USA Triathlon website:

Youth National Championship

The Youth National Championship will feature four racing age an competition divisions for athletes from 7 to 15 years of age. There are no qualification standards for the Youth National Championship.

Athletes between the ages of 13 and 15 must choose between the “Youth 13-15” championship race and the “Youth Elite 13-15” championship race.

Youth Elite National Championship

The Youth Elite race is a draft-legal format for athletes ages 13-15.

Athletes between the ages of 13 and 15 must choose between the “Youth National Championship ages 13-15” race and the “Youth Elite 13-15” (draft-legal)championship race. Registering for both races is not permitted.

Junior Elite National Championship

The Junior Elite race is a draft-legal race for athletes ages 16-19

June & July Notes

2009-08-03T08:05:00.000-07:00

Not only did June and July host the Junior Select camp and the USAT FL Regional Championships but it also had some other things happening so I wanted to give a SHOUT OUT to the following folks:

Nice job to USAT Coach Bo Webster for the Youth Camp held June 29 to July 3 Camp at the New Tampa Y. A USAT Level 2 Certified Coach and New Tampa YMCA employee Bo Webster led the camp with considerable help from Mike Wilder who led the camp in previous years. 33 athletes ranging in age from 8 to 14 benefited from individual swim instruction arranged by Aquatics and Wellness Director Mitzi Kremer Tighe, a bike relay featuring 2 new bikes on trainers brought in by Randy Myhre of Oliver's Bicycle Sports, and a final day race (the 4th Annual New Tampa YMCA Youth Triathlon). Photos show the swim venue (the Y's 50m pool),proud competitors finishing the run, and Bo and Mike figuring times for race completion certificates.

The weekend after the Junior Regional Championship 4 of the Region's Youth/Junior Elites traveled to races to hone there draft legal racing skills in preparation for Nationals this coming weekend.

Congratulations to Nic Tautiva, Lucas Caron and Taylor Scott (T3 Multisport Elite) for solid performances at the Junior Elite Cup at the Strawberry Fields Triathlon in California.

On an international note, Junior Elite Racer Jose Baez went to race in ITU Central American and Caribbean Championships. In sweltering conditions, Jose turned in a time of 1:06. Jose noted "the race was in very hot conditions and a slower than expected swim which put me in a bad position on the bike with only two other people to work with so I am pleased with the outcome for my second ITU race. Looking forward to Junior Nats!! :)" Way to go Jose!!

Youth Nationals and Youth/Junior Elite Nationals take place this weekend in Colorado Springs. Stay tuned for the list of talented young racers from our region that will be towing the line with the best in the country. Go USAT FLORIDA Youth & Juniors!!!

MPM USAT FL Junior Regional Championship

2009-07-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

The 4th Annual Morton Plant Mease Triathlon did not disappoint as the venue for the 2009 USAT-FL Junior Regional Championship. This race was selected based on the sprint distance format, the time of the year and the mostly central location in the region. The Junior Championship race was integrated into the MPM race allowing the youth and junior athletes start with the Elite wave. The nondrafting format allowed some of the best junior within the state to race against one another to see who was best race day.

Congratulations to Nic Tautiva nd Taylor Scott for earning the Junior Regional titles.

I must also acknowledge some outstanding performances by a few of our youth and junior athletes that prodcued fanatistic times but were not eligible for the championship title due to age ( under 15 yr of age) or race category selected for registration (i.e. Elite). One of the youngest female competitors, Ciara Hopkins had the 2nd fastest time in the under 19 age grouping. Very nice performance by this 12 year old who plans to race at the USAT Youth National Championship in Colorago Springs in August. Kailand Cosgrove who raced Elite had the fastest time for all females under 19. You can bet you will see this young lady continue to develop her skills and be a top overall finisher in many races to come.

On the male side, 18 year old Lucas Caron posted the 4th fastest time overall for the day racing in the Elite category. Excellent performance for this young man who will be joining Nic and Taylor in racing at Junior Elite Nationals next month in Colorado Springs.

A big thanks you to all gthe athletes and familes that came in from out of the area to race.

Races results can be found here

Camp Day #5 & Last Day

2009-06-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

The week was coming to end quickly. Day #5 was alot of fun as we trekked back to a different beach at Ft. Desoto and set up transition racks for the morning session.

We started with a group ride again working on single and double pace lines and small group breakaway attempts. It was clear that handling and riding skills improved greatly as the week went on. After 10 miles of riding the fun really began.

The Juniors set up the transition areas and we had them do 3 rounds of short bike followed by a run. Each time Cyle and I gave feedback to improve transitions and remind them of good running form. We even threw in a few "curve balls" ( i.e. moved shoes and helmets and changed their bike gearing) to see how well they would handle various mishaps that can occur in a race. (SEE VIDEO CLIP at end of this blog entry)Everyone passed with flying colors and all expressed how helpful and fun this particular session was. After the workout, they each got to enjoy a little down time at the beach before heading back to the dorms for lunch and the afternoon one on one meetings with the coaches.

The one on one meetings with Cyle and myself was designed to give each Junior feedback on their progress at camp, address their strengths and how they can improve their limiters.

The best and most exciting part of this day was the visit from ITU professional triathlete Sara McLarty. Sara was kind enough to drive down from Clermont to chat with the group about her development from the youth/junior ranks to living at the Olympic Training Center and racing at the Olympic Trials for swimming and triathlon. Sara also spent some time with the group at the campus pool providing tips and feedback on their stroke and as well as swim tactics for racing. For example, if you want to get a good draft off another swimmer and slow THEM down in the process draft on the left or right side of their hip!

Cyle got in the pool with the group and demonstrated various techniques for turning buoys and each Junior got to practice to find the technique that works best for each of them.

Day 5 was another full day and a whole lot of tired bodies. The rest of the night was spent starting t pack up for the last AM session of camp.

Final day of camp

Breakfast this morning was a special treat. Fresh Baked Biscuits!!! The Juniors gobbled these down and were eager to go back to Pass-a-Grille Beach for their final open water swim and short pre race run ( some of the Juniors were racing this weekend). After a 1 mile swim and a swim to round the buoy relay Cyle discussed pre race warm up then it was back to the dorms for final clean up, lunch at the cafeteria then check out.

What a great week!! Everyone who came to the camp said they had a blast and learned alot. The top ranked activities in no particular order according to the Juniors:

1) Open water swims
2) Adventure race
3) Bike Handling on the Grass ( one person called it the circle of death)
4) Bike to Run Sessions
5) Sara's Visit
6) Team Building Activity- Miniature Golf- go figure!

On behalf of Cyle Sage and myself, we would like to thank each and every athlete ( and their parents) for coming to the camp. As coaches, we always learn something new with each camp and each of you made this a fun experience for each of us.

I would also like to thank the following people/organizations for helping support the camp with either their time or resources.
USA Triathlon
USAT Florida Region
Eckerd College
NorthShore Pool- Rebecca Hansen
Sara McLarty
USAT Coach Lewis Bennett
Tom Bozich
USAT Coach Lynne Krueger
USAT Coach Sandy Singleton
St. Pete Mad Dogs
Mandy Zipf
David Weismantel

This was the view from the dorm room balcony. This MDot washed up on the beach during one of the swims. Each Junior signed it and gave it to me as a good luck charm for Kona later this year. Awwwww that was so sweet. Thank YOU Anthony, Ethan, Ever, Jennifer, Joey, Jose, Logan, Taylor & Tommy!!! Hope to see you guys back in 2010!!!!

Video from bike to run session at Ft. Desoto

Camp Day #4

2009-06-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

Camp Day 4 started with letting the Juniors sleep a little. The van was loaded and made the 10 min drive over to the St. Petersburg waterfront to swim the 200/800 test set at NorthShore pool.

The staff at NorthShore was most accommodating and the group seemed to enjoy the crisp cool waters. Eckerd College has a campus pool but we quickly realized it was NOT a standard 25 yd or 25 meter pool and in order to do a true test set we had to go to plan B. NorthShore pool was without a doubt the best option.

The swim set was a 200 group dive start followed by 1 min rest then 800 best effort. This is a USAT benchmark swim test set that allows coaches to compare athletes swim ability in different regions. The 200 is an indication of "get out" speed while the 800 performed in a state of semi fatigue helps test endurance speed. The star of the swim test set today was Ethan S who clocked 2:00 for the 200 and 8:47 for the 800. Nice job Ethan. (Ethan's the tall on one the left)

A big way to go and congratulations also goes out to Jose B ( middle) for being the bike TT fastest time ( Day #2) and Anthony B ( far right) for clocking the fastest 3K time with 10:30 on Day #3.

One of the most popular event of the Florida camp has been the "adventure" race. Cyle set up the annual surprise adventure race which was hilarious to watch. This time instead of last years' swamp and kayaks he found a fun running path with some cross country elements and added open water swim and a playground obstacle. The Juniors were split in teams of three and instructed that at all times they must be attached. This meant holding hands, locking arms or even hand on shoulders when running. During the swim they were loosely tied to each other and swam about 400 yards before exiting and then having to navigate thru various obstacles while still tied together. It was fun to watch these young athletes work so well together and balance any limiters with strengths to get to the finish line as one.

At lunch today, it seems the sports nutrition talk the day before made an impression. Lunch plates had all the key food groups and were very colorful. After lunch, an afternoon nap/ down time was in order. The afternoons during camp have been pretty toasty so the classroom time in the A/C has been a welcome break. Today we covered topics of mental preparation for training and racing, discussed importance of having a training plan to strengthen limiters and solidify strengths.

The evening concluded with an easy open water swim at Pass-a-Grille beach followed with a cookout with the St. Pete Mad Dogs. The camp t-shirts arrived and were distributed and I must say this is one sharp looking group!!

Day # 2 & Day #3 Camp

2009-06-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a very tiring day. Here are some photos from Monday's activities. Check out the end of the blog post for video clips.

Day #2 Open water swim practice. Practiced entries and exits and buoy turns. See video too.

Transition set up and practice after the bike time trial held at Ft. Desoto Park.

Also day #2 much of the afternoon was spent on bike handling skills and drills.

The video clip below shows a bike handling skill they did on the near by ball field. Purpose was to get comfortable handling the bike in close proximity to other riders. The goal was to stay on the bike, inside the square without falling over or putting your foot down. The square got smaller and riders could gently try to "squeeze" other riders out of the box.

Jose was the king of the "square" winning two out of three rounds.

Day # 3

The day started early with a 7AM swim.
Cyle was on deck giving out orders while I tried to get some good video coverage of each Junior to help show stroke inefficiencies and provide constructive feedback on how each can become better swimmers. Here are some photos and short videos clips of the AM.

Jose B is giving the thumbs up to Logan for a serious swim set.

Everado, Joey and Jennifer listening closely to Coach Cyle's directions.

Tommy, Anthony and Ethan chillin before the next swim set.

After the swim we had breakfast and loaded the van and trailer with bikes for the mornings time trial. We headed back down to Ft. Desoto and had the group ride for about 25 minutes then follow that with a 3K run time trial. It was a sunny and hot morning but everyone did a great job and got to cool off in the Gulf waters again. Unfortunately no photos of the run as coaches were busy recording times. Guest USAT coach Lynne Krueger came out to help at the run turn around and shot some nice video coverage for our PM video viewing and feedback session. Thanks Lynne!!

After lunch, the group got together to listen to a talk on sports nutrition and discuss the sports supplements and why they need to CHOOSE FOOD FIRST!!

Tonight was a special treat in going out for dinner. We hopped back in the van and headed to a great Mexican place.

The night ended with Jennifer baking fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and each Junior get a look at their videos of their swim and runs that day.

Big day tomorrow.....so all are lights out and ready for a swim time trial that will take place at NorthShore pool in St. Pete.

Tommy showing how much he has improved his freestyle technique ;-)

Just joking, he is showing a swim drill that was very tough to do....backwards freestyle.

This was a clip from Day #2 and open water swim practice.

Day # 2 Bike Handling Drill/Game

Camp Day#2

2009-06-15T19:18:00.000-07:00

VERY short post today....just jam packed with open water swim skills , a bike time trial, a run, transition work, bike handling games, swim technique video session and MORE swimming!

Plenty of photos and video clips to come but everyone needs to get to bed as we have early morning pool session then a 3K run time trial.

USAT Junior Camp Day #1

2009-06-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

The USAT Junior Select Camp is off to a good start. Have a nice group of athletes from all areas within the SouthEast. Most checked into the spacious Eckerd College dorms last night with a couple joining in this AM.

The day started with breakfast hosted in the coaches suite. Lots to choose from to help fuel a full day of activities. We loaded up the van and headed down to Ft Desoto Park for group riding skills. These Juniors are quick learners and mastered single and double pacelines well. We even did a few 3 man pacelines to up the speed and demonstrate how small groups (when working well together) can travel much quicker than riding on your own.

After the bike, Cyle Sage lead the open water swim session which is not an easy task after riding hard.

It was a good observation period and all seemed to enjoy the refreshing Gulf waters. Most were pretty tired and hungry when done so we headed back to the dorms for a quick change and off to the campus cafeteria for some pretty healthy offerings.

After lunch and some down time, we headed over to the classroom for review of basic exercise physiology as it relates to swim, bike and run. We followed this with a short run and demonstration of dynamic warm up exercises and various running drills. Before we knew it, was dinner time and the cafeteria food did not disappoint.

During dinner the Juniors were told to get ready for a fun team building activity. Coach Cyle and I kept it a surprise and we loaded the van headed to Madeira Beach and had a mean game of miniature golf at Smuggler's Cove. No swimming, biking or running tonight but certainly had a lot of laughs especially at some of the funny twists we threw in such as putting with eyes closed, using only one arm and not being able to stand on the putting green. Silly for sure but a nice way to relax and get to know each other better.

Coach Cyle trying his best to sink a putt without stepping on the green. He choked :-)

It was long fun day... and I think everyone is looking forward to Day #2!

Count down to 2009 Select Camp

2009-06-08T14:34:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Junior Select Camp will be kicking off this Saturday June 13th at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida.

We have a nice group of talented young triathletes coming from all corners of the state and even the great state of Georgia. For 6 days these athletes will train together and get tips and tricks from some of the best coaching minds in the region. Stay tuned for for updates, photos and even videos clips from the camp.

If you missed the camp application deadline for this year, contact Jennifer Hutchison ( USAT-FL Athlete Development Coordinator ) at eSportsRD@aol.com to request being put on the 2010 Camp prospects list.

2009-05-16T10:38:00.000-07:00

Who’s the FASTEST and FITTEST
Junior (15- 19) in the Florida Region???

Come race the
4th Annual Morton Plant Mease Triathlon
on July 12th to find out.

This year, the Morton Plant Mease (MPM) triathlon has been selected as the 2009 USAT Florida Region Junior Championship. In addition, the MPM Triathlon has been designated as a junior qualifier for the 2009 ITU Sprint Distance World Championship.

The MPM Triathlon is a non-drafting sprint distance race held at Sand Key Park in Clearwater, Florida. Athletes race age 15 to 19 will go off just after the elite wave and will have a chance to race head to head with some of the region’s most talented up and coming triathletes. There will be awesome awards for podium finishers as well as a chance to win prizes for the fastest junior swim, bike and run splits of the day. In addition, every junior that enters the MPM triathlon will have their name entered in a drawing for other prizes so that EVERYONE has a chance to win something.

As a junior triathlete, the MPM Triathlon is THE “must do” race of the summer!!!!!

For more information about the race visit: www.mpmtriathlon.org

USAT Junior Select Camp Applications

2009-04-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

Quick up date:

Camp applications will be available Monday April 20th. Please email esportsRD@aol.com requesting your application.
Space at this camp will be limited.

Intial camp details are as follows:

Camp Directors:

Jennifer Hutchison
USAT Elite Level 3 Coach
USAT Florida Regional Athlete Development Coordinator
Board Certified Sports Dietitian

Cyle Sage
USAT Level 2 Coach
1999 USAT Developmental Coach of the Year

Who:

The Junior Select Camp is a residental camp for athletes 15 to 19 race age who have triathlon racing experience ( > 1 year) and desire to pursue draft legal racing opportunities ( participation in Youth Elite ( 15yo) or Junior Elite Nationals). Athletes applying for this camp should be able to complete a 2500+ yd swim workout, ride at least 15 miles at a pace > 17 mph and should be able to easily run three miles.

When: Check In Saturday June 13 between 2-6PM
Check Out Friday June 19th between 3- 5PM

Where: St. Petersburg, Florida / Eckerd College

Cost: Final cost still be determined but it will not exceed $525.

Camp fee covers lodging, all meals and coaching.

Some of the camp activities and programs include:
• Daily swim, bike and or run workouts
• Sport specific instruction by USAT Certified Coaches and special guests
• Sports science lectures on strength training, mental skills training and nutrition
• Bike handling skills and road safety
• Open water swim practice
• Planning the racing season
• Introduction to the USAT Junior and Elite Development National Teams programs
• Opportunity to participant in a team building adventure race

Registration Open for Twenty-12 Talent ID Race

2009-01-31T08:37:00.000-08:00

The Twenty-12 Talent Id Invitational will take place in Lubbock, Texas at Buffalo Springs Lake on April 18, 2009 in conjunction with the 2009 Collegiate National Championship.

This race is a draft-legal, sprint distance race.
It is open to any 16-23 year old.

Information on the USAT National site is a bit limited so stay tuned for details as they become available.

Athletes, Coaches, Parents:
Florida region athletes interested in going please contact me at eSportsRD@aol.com.

2009 Regional Update

2009-01-06T08:05:00.000-08:00

More information to be posted by the end of the week.
Please check back!

USAT Youth & Junior Nationals

2008-08-14T15:43:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I had the pleasure of watching a number of young athletes from our region compete in Colorado Springs, CO at the USAT Youth National Championship and USAT Youth & Junior Elite National Championships.

The Youth National race was a non drafting event while the Youth and Junior Elite National race was draft legal format delivering a true ITU feel to some fast racing.

A nice recap of the Youth & Junior races can be found here.

Great job to the following regional athletes and their familes for competing in the 2008 National Championship:

Youth

Katelin Gildersleeve 7

Santiago Vidaurri 10

Timothy Glidersleeve 9

Ciara Hopkins 11

Marcia Vidaurri 13

Youth Elite

Taylor Scott 14

John-Gerard Farese 13

Junior Elite

Kailand Cosgrove 18

Megan Smith 16

Shayne Murphy 16

Nic Tautiva 18

Colin Smith 18

Everado Vidaurri 17

Camp Recap

2008-06-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Junior Camp came to a close this Saturday. The camp was a big success with junior athletes receiving 6 days of swim, bike, run instruction along with various sports science classes on sports nutrition, energy systems and swim, bike run technique. Athletes enjoyed riding the hills of San Antonio practicing group riding skills as well as learning proper technique for riding hills. An open water swim in a local lake was planned which included ITU style beach and pontoon swim starts. Camp activities included video analysis and feedback for swim, bike, run and transitions and one of the most popular activities, a muddy adventure race. Athletes attending the camp reported having a great time and expressed a desire for the camp to be longer and that they plan to come back next year! The athletes that attended this year's camp (photo above) included: Allyson Bell, Jose Baez, Jordan Case, Lucas Caron, Drew Donneberg, Janna Edwards, Chris Steffen, Shayne Murphy, Taylor Scott.

The camp concluded Saturday with athletes having a chance to practice those skills at the ITU style draft legal wave held in conjunction with the ESM Publix Family Fitness Weekend Triathlon held on the campus of St. Leo University. Will post those details and photos soon.

A special thanks needs to go out to various organizations and people who helped make this camp possible and a success.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

USAT Florida Region

St. Leo University

Exclusive Sports Marketing

Julie Carusone

Lisa Whidden

Javier Beuzeville

Graham Steele

Planning has already begun for the 2009 Junior Camp which we hope will draw even more junior athletes. Stay tuned to this blog and the USAT Florida region website for details.

Day 1: Junior Camp Fun!

2008-06-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

Monday, the junior

athletes got to enjoy time in the water swimming a 200 yd / 800 yd swim test. The purpose was to simulate the first 200 yard intense effort that is the swim start of most sprint triathlons. The 800 yd set was to assess the aerobic fitness of each athlete. This set was done 1 min after completing the 200 yd set. We videoed the session which we plan to review prior to Wednesday's swim skills technique session.

After the swim, the juniors got a short break. Late morning then we broke into small groups to work on bike handling and pace line work. The hills of San Antonio made it a bit tough for some but all athletes had a very productive morning. After lunch and another short afternoon break, we gathered in one of the St . Leo's class rooms for the sports science lecture/ discussion on sports nutrition. Always a hot topic, we discussed all aspects of daily training nutrition and hydration as well as address the varying needs of training and races different triathlon distances. After the nutrition lecture, Cyle lead the group on a run through the race course for Saturdays sprint triathlon that will be held on campus. The juniors also received instruction on running skills and drills and ended the day tired and ready for dinner and a movie.

Tuesdays activities proved to be equally educational and tiring......those details and fun photos will be posted soon.

Junior Camp Kicks Off!!!

2008-06-09T03:40:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Florida Regional Junior Camp kicked of yesterday with athletes coming in from around the region. Athletes checked in at the very nice campus of St.Leo University tucked away in central Florida, Dade City.

After a short meet and greet camp director/ USAT Certified Coach Cyle Sage lead the group of 13 on a rolling ride for us to check and assess skills levels of these young triathletes before the thunder clouds rolled in. The day was capped off by a tasty dinner prepared by none other than former Junior Elite ( he's U23 now) triathlete Javier Beuzeville. Thanks Javi.

I can tell you we have a GREAT new wave of talent coming into the sport!

Will post more along with photos and camp reports along the week.

Junior Camp Applications Still Available

2008-05-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

Athletes ages 13-19 interested in taking their racing to the next level or competing at Youth Elite or Junior Elite Nationals won't want to miss the USAT Florida Junior Skills and Select Camp taking place on the campus of St. Leo University Dade City Florida June 8th-June 14th.

Email Jennifer Hutchison at eSportsRD@aol.com or radc@usat-florida.com for more details.

Juniors, you do not want to miss the opportunity to get some hands on coaching guidance from the most experienced developmental coaches in the region!!

2008 MPM Junior Open Challenge

2008-04-25T07:52:00.001-07:00

2008 Junior Open Challenge @ the Morton Plant Mease Triathlon

On July 13th, athletes 15-19 will want to be racing the Morton Plant Mease Triathlon in Clearwater, Florida. The 3rd Annual MPM Triathlon will host a special junior open wave that will be sent off after the elite wave. This non drafting race is bound to draw a quality field of the region’s top male and female juniors and provides an opportunity the “future stars of the sport” to go head to head over the sprint distance of 1/3 mile swim, 13 mile bike and 3.1 mile run. Special prizes and amenities will be made available for this age group only. This IS a “must do” race on every junior’s race calendar this season! For more information please visit www.mpmtri.com.

Juniors- you DO NOT want to miss this event as there will be lots of cool prizes and awards that all junior participants will have the opportunity to win!!!!

Awesome Youth Series to Take Off!

2008-04-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

On May 10, 2008, triathlon will welcome the first of its kind triathlon series to one county in the US! It’s the Inaugural YTS (Youth Triathlon Series). This is a 6 race series of triathlons offered exclusively for children ages 5 through 15. This pioneer effort is not intended to begin and end in Pinellas County, located on the west coast of Florida. It is with great hope that race directors around the nation with 3 or more potential venues or race dates in their area will follow suit on this endeavor so one day kids all around the country will be racing and competing in the sport of triathlon as readily as they would take up baseball or soccer! As children, most of us never had the option of racing triathlon but we have paved the way for a better future for our kids and will keep that trend growing strong to support their glorious effort.

The YTS in Pinellas County is an official fundraiser for LAF (The Lance Armstrong Foundation). The 2008 LIVESTRONG day this year is May 13th so the YTS kick off on May 10th will shine a bright light on athletes around the world as our kids race to fight cancer with swim, bike, and run! Please join us in supporting the Inaugural YTS by considering a donation of any size to LAF on the grassroots giving page at LIVESTRONG.org keyword YTS. You will find the names of many great supporters of multi sport included on the scroll of supporters and to kick off that list….USA Triathlon!

For more information on the YTS or launching a YTS in your county, contact Suzanne Henslee at www.RacesAreGreat.com

Tuscaloosa Triathlon & 2008 ITU Sprint Distance World Championship

2008-03-16T17:37:00.000-07:00

Athletes this is to let you know of the upcoming opportunity to qualify forthe 2008 ITU Sprint Distance World Championship (non-drafting, agegroup) in Vancouver, Canada. The event is scheduled for Friday, June 6th.

USAT will be awarding 10 male and 10 female spots on Team USA at the Tuscaloosa Triathlon on April 20th.

Eligible age is 16-19 as of12/31/08.

To avoid any confusion - these spots are being awarded at the non-drafting Tuscaloosa Triathlon, not the 2012 Talent ID Race which take place later the same day.

Qualifying Information can be downloaded here: http://www.usatriathlon.org/upload/pdfs/juniors_2008%20sprint%20worlds%20selection%20criteria%20v2.pdf

The World Championships event website is:
http://www.triathlonvancouver.com/Tuscaloosa Triathlon

registration:http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1490993&assetId=a5ecc24d-ef1a-4b0c-8f9c-b20b11189a99

2008-03-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

Attention USAT Florida region youth, junior and U23 athletes!!!! This new blog will be your resource to the current happenings within the region. Updates will also be found on our regional website http://www.usat-florida.com/ under the athlete development section.

2008 USAT Florida Annual Junior Development Camp

Planning is under way for the Junior Development Camp that will be held June 7-14, 2008. The camp will be held in central Florida at St. Leo University in Dade City Florida.

Camp applications will available to athletes 15-19 years of age as of Dec. 31, 2008.

Camp will be limited to 20 athletes.

Camp attendees will be comprised of athletes with at least 1 year of triathlon racing experience with preference to athletes who wish to race in the 2008 Junior Elite National Championship in Colorado in August. Specific guidelines for base level of conditioning prior to reporting to camp will be forthcoming.

The camp will be a fun and interactive experience which will conclude with racing in a draft legal wave as part of a sprint distance triathlon. This race will allow camp attendees to apply the skills they acquired during their camp experience.

Currently, the 2008 camp cost has yet to be established. In prior years, the week long camp which offers expert coaching in all triathlon disciplines along with room and board has been just under 500 dollars per participant. We are currently looking into potential sponsorship which could help offset some of the camp attendees cost. Actual camp cost will be available when applications are made available.

Applications for the camp will be available late April and can be obtained by emailing a request to radc@usat-florida.com .