Sunshine Coast Triathlon Academy / Protector Aluminium Athletes were in action at the Queensland Sprint Championships held at Moreton Bay. SCTA Athletes secured 2 x Queensland Titles with 1 x 2nd Places and 5 x 3rd Places. In Total 8 Medals from the Queensland Sprint Championships.

Perfect conditions greeted the athletes for race day at Moreton Bay. The swim was a little choppy and being a non wetsuit swim would suit the faster swimmers. A light breeze on the bike helped with a  good tailwind one way and headwind the other way. The run course was going to be flat and fast.

SCTA athletes raced extremely well and race of the day went to Romy Wolstencroft. She was the fastest Female on the day and was 18th overall amongst the Males. Jordan Gover (45-49) was our other Qld Champion for the day. Zsolt Dallos (35-39) continued his great form with a silver medal.

We had 5 finish on the podium in 3rd place and taking Bronze Medal in Queensland Championships with Ryan Marsh (12-13), Emma Dann (14-15), Jake Hynes (16-17), Rebecca Ungermann (25-29) and Chris George (30-34). Just missing the podium with a 4th place was Parker Deutzmann (7-9) and Rachel James (30-34)

It was great to see Miriam Smith back racing. She was one of a trio of girls that started with SCTA way back in 2002 and she was right back where she left off with a win in 20-24 Super Sprint, along with Kerry Barlow taking the win in 40-44.

Throughout the season we have seen the following athletes race in numerous races. While they didn't place here or other races, they do go out and have go at all the races. Well done to Scott Marsh, Finn and Pipi Barlow, Jack Dann, Jessica Lee and Mark Corcoran. It was also good to see the lil monster from PNG, Jayden James, out there having a race in the 7-9.

With only 19 athletes from 82 club members, SCTA finished 9th place on aggregate Club Championships and finished 2nd in Medium Club behind the eventual winner of the aggregate club championships. SCTA recorded the 6th highest point score on the day.

Well done to all that raced. Results below.
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Queensland Sprint Championships - Moreton Bay Triathlon - 23.04.17 - 750/20/5
Romy Wolstencroft - 1st Place 16-17 Years Female - Qld Champion + Overall Female Race Winner
Jordan Gover - 1st Place 45-49 Years Male - Queensland Champion
Zsolt dallos - 2nd Place 35-39 Years Male - Queensland Silver Medal
Emma Dann - 3rd Place 14-15 Years Female - Queensland Bronze Medal
Jake Hynes - 3rd Place 16-17 Years Male - Queensland Bronze Medal
Rebecca Ungermann - 3rd Place 25-29 Years Female - Queensland Bronze Medal
Chris George - 3rd Place 30-34 Years Male - Queensland Bronze Medal
Rachel James - 4th Place 30-34 Years Female 
Jessica Lee - 9th Place 30-34 Years Female
Mark Corcoran - 23rd Place 45-49 Years Male

Super Sprint - 300/8/2
Miriam Smith - 1st Place 20-24 Years Female
​Kerry Barlow - 1st Place 40-44 Years Female
​Ryan Marsh - 3rd Place 12-13 Years Male - Queensland Bronze Medal
Jack Dann - 8th Place 12-13 Years Male

Kids - 200/4/1
Finn Barlow - 10th Place 10-11 Years Female
Scott Marsh - 13th Place 10-11 Years Male
Mini Kids - 100/2/500
Parker Deutzmann - 4th Place 7-9 Years Male
Pipi Barlow - 12th Place 7-9 Years Female
Jayden James - 17th Place 7-9 Years Male.

The Sunshine Coast Triathlon Academy / Protector Aluminium Junior Athletes performed extremely well at National schools Triathlon Championships
 
The National Schools Triathlon Champs in Penrith, saw some extremely fast and furious racing in all age categories over the draft legal format over the following distances in Senior (750/20/5), Intermediate (600/16/4) and Junior (400/12/3).
 
SCTA / Protector Aluminium Junior Scholarship holders, Ryan Marsh and Kaya Shults were in action along with Romy Wolstencroft and Jazzy Shults. Day 1 was the individual races. 
 
Run Sensation Romy Wolstencroft the defending Qld Champion performed extremely well and had one of those famous runs from behind. After a solid swim she was 1 min 20 secs down on the eventual winner Jess Claxton from WA. Once on the bike we saw the lead diminish throughout the rest of the race. By the end of the 4-lap cycle course Romy exited the transition with a 1-minute deficit. Once the shoes were on she passed the girls one by one to eventually run herself into 2nd place only 26 seconds behind the winner. 

The pocket rocket Jazzy Shults had an absolute blinder of a race. It was set up by a great swim that saw her exit with the lead girls. A pack of 5 girls raced hard over the 2-lap cycle course staying together till they got off the bike. Once on the run we saw Jazzy settle into a good rhythm and slowing worked her way into the race and passing all but 2 girls in front of her to make her  with a 3rd place. She still has another year in this category. The smile was beaming after the race. Was great to see her execute the race to the plan.
 
Swim Machine Kaya Shults dominated up front with the lead girls out of the swim. The decision to go out alone or wait for the chase pack of 5 girls to catch was in the back of her mind. The decision was to wait and work with them. The hard thing was one of the dominant runners was in the pack. The lead girls work well together to come off with a 40 sec lead over the chase pack that contained 2 extremely strong runners. Kaya had a good transition and worked her way onto the run. She had a strong run to come away with 8th place.
 
The quiet assassin Ryan Marsh came into the race with great form. The junior males were always going to be a fast affair with some great athletes in here. The swim was going to be the key and Ryan had a slightly off day just missing the 2nd pack, which we were hoping he would make. A bike crash from a fellow competitor in front of him created a bit of confusion in the chase pack, which split into 2.  Ryan rode strongly to be in a good place off the bike but unfortunately he suffered with a few stiches, which hampered his progress on the first lap of the run. Once into his rhythm on the 2nd lap he looked a lot better and ran himself into 11th place.

Day 2 included the Team Relays in a mixed format of 2 females and 2 males in each team with the females first then males and so on in a draft legal format once again. The Teams consisted of Senior / Intermediate / Junior and an All Age Team.
 
We had some great performances once again and the disappointments for some from yesterday’s races were able to come back and show what they were able to do. This is fast and furious at its best with a 300m swim, 5km cycle and finish off with a 1.5km run then tag the next athlete. The focus point was the run and dive into the water from the podium in front of the grandstand.
 
Jazzy Shults was in the Junior Team. She had a great start in the swim to exit with the leaders and make their way thru the one lap cycle course. She exited T2 with heavy legs from her race yesterday but still ran strongly to pass the baton on. Their team went on to win the Junior Relay Title.

Ryan Marsh was in the All Age Relay Team and was tagged and entered the water with a few older athletes. He had a much better swim today and moved thru strongly on the bike and finished off with a great run. He had the fastest recorded Junior Male time on the day. Their Team went on to finish 4th Place.
 
Kaya Shults lined up in the Intermediate Team and was the lead off. She had a blinder of a swim that had her exited the water with a sizable lead over a short distance. Unfortunately the teams behind all exited the water at the same time and were able to ride her down. She looked a lot stronger in the run today and held on to take her next team member. Their team went on to finish 5th Place.
 
Romy Wolstencroft lined up in the Senior Team. She entered the water as the 3rd person of the team and had a bit of work to do. She was able to gain time on her fellow competitors during her leg and finished it off with a strong run. Her Team went on to finish 5th Place.
 
Queensland Team was once again dominant and took out all 3 trophies, The Individual, The Teams and the Overall title. When done to all and especially the SCTA Juniors.
 
National schools Triathlon Championships Penrith – 20.04.17
Romy Wolstencroft – 2nd Place Senior Female
Jazzy Shults – 3rd Place Junior Female
Kaya Shults – 8th Place Intermediate Female
Ryan Marsh – 11th Place Junior Male
Teams Relay – 21.04.17
Jazzy Shults – 1st Place Junior Mixed Team
Ryan Marsh – 4th Place All Age Mixed Team
Kaya Shults – 5th Place Intermediate Mixed Team
Romy Wolstencroft – 5th Place Senior Mixed Team

A huge weekend for Sunshine Coast Triathlon Academy / Protector Aluminium Athletes over the weekend at the Luke Harrop Memorial Gold Coast Triathlon, WTS Gold Coast and Xterra Rotorua.

My favourite race on the calendar was held over the weekend on the Gold Coast, where we get to remember a great mate that was lost way to early, Catching up with old mates and telling stories at the Luke Harrop Memorial Gold Coast Triathlon. The racing was no different from the days I went head to head with Luke. Fast and furious and SCTA athletes were right in the mix of it all.

Romy Wolstencroft lined up in the Open Female and came up against a cracker of the field. In her final hit out before National Schools Champs, we saw her put together a great race where she ran thru the field in the run to take out 12th. Big Dog (Kev Hammond) took out the big boys 90-99kg with Ron Craig right on his hammer in 2nd place. Maureen Cummings continued her improvement but came across a red hot Jenny Alcorn which saw Maureen in 2nd place.

Just missing the podium with 4th places were Lucy Bowden (20-24) and Michael Hooper (20-24). Toni Deutzmann (40-44) was 5th and Emma Dann was 6th (13-15). It was great to see Drew Westbrook back having a trot.

In the Enticer the SCTA crew raced extremely well with a few backing up and racing National Schools in less than 2 weeks, it was a great confidence booster. SCTA / Protector Aluminium Junior Scholarship holder Kaya Shults led the charge with a dominating performance in U/16 taking out the win, 11th overall and 2nd female overall. Not to be outdone her sister, Jazzy Shults, took out the U/14 title and 8th Female overall. Maddison Dutton filled the podium with a  3rd 16-24. SCTA / Protector Aluminium Junior Scholarship Holder Ryan Marsh was selected into the rising stars development program over the weekend and saw him have a solid race with 6th place.

Brodie Gardner continued his strong showing in the Asia / /Pacific Xterra Tour with a trip across the ditch to Rotorua NZ for the next leg of the tour. With a very technical downhill section that the local boys revelled in, Brodie clawed his way back each uphill to stay in contention. A strong run allowed him to finish off in 6th place and gain valuable points towards the tour standings.

History was made at the WTS Gold Coast on Saturday with Rachel James (PNG) lining up in her first WTS event and first for Pacific Island countries. It was a tough initiation with a choppy swim to punch back into. But she gave it her all and won the crowd support with her just being caught as the best ladies in the world were dismounting causing a lap out situation and unable to finish. It was a great chance to see what the Commonwealth Games course was like and we will build over the next year leading into the Games.

Race Results
Luke Harrop Memorial - Gold Coast Triathlon - 09.04.17 - 750/20/5
Kevin Hammond - 1st Place Clydesdale 90-99kg
Ron Craig - 2nd  Place Clydesdale 90-99kg
Maureen Cummings - 2nd Place 55-59 Years Female
Lucy Bowden - 4th Place 20-24 Years Female
Michael Hooper - 4th Place 20-24 Years Male
Toni Deutzmann - 5th Place 40-44 Years Female
Emma Dann - 6th Place 13-15 Years Female
Jessica Lee - 10th Place 30-34 Years Female
Romy Wolstencroft - 12th Place Open Female
Drew Westbrook - 15th Place 40-44 Years Male
Team PNG (Rachel + Andrew) - 17th Place Teams

Enticer - 300/10/2.5
Kaya Shults - 1st Place U/16 Female - 2nd Female Overall
Jazzy Shults - 1st Place U/14 Female - 8th Female Overall
Maddison Dutton - 3rd Place 16-24 Years Female
Jack Dann - 5th Place U/14 Male
Ryan Marsh - 6th Place Rising Stars Male
Scott Marsh - 13th Place U/14 Male

Xterra Rotorua - 08.04.17 - 1/26/11
Brodie Gardner - 6th Professional Male

Well done to all that raced