.What a season for Sunshine Coast Triathlon Academy / Protector Aluminium Athletes that were in action throughout 2016 - 2017. There has been some remarkable performances from the Team. Leading the charge this year was Romy Wolstencroft and Zsolt Dallos who took out the Female and Male Athlete of the year.

Romy Wolstencroft had a break out year and continued to improve throughout the season. The hard work she has been laying down in the pool contributed to some great performances that ended with 2nd place Senior Girls at National Schools Triathlon Championships after defending her Qld Schools Triathlon Title win the win in Senior Girls. She took out her first race win in the Queensland Triathlon Series Race # 3 on home soil. She also had a 3rd, 4th and 5th in the series. Also won the Glenelg Triathlon the day after competing in the Australian Junior Series Race # 3 where she finished 12th ITU Junior.

Zsolt Dallos season culminated with 3 Australian Titles in the 35-39 category ( 2nd Long Course, 3rd Sprint and Olympic Distance), won the Triathlon Queensland State Series and was 6th overall at Hervey Bay 100 taking out his category. He has qualified for the World Long Course at Penticton and Olympic Distance Champs in Rotterdam.

From a Coaches point of view, Head Coach Toby Coote, was pleased to see the development of some great junior athletes into the Open / Elite Category. There is a great Junior based being formed once again and this was signified by SCTA Juniors being selected in the Qld Team of the 14th year straight with a  total of 47 athletes being selected.

The Age Group side of SCTA is continually growing and seeing the development of these athletes over the past year is very gratifying, seeing the hard work being rewarded with some outstanding results. It will only keep growing for the future years to come.

Rachel Games is another that has performed well over the season. Highlight was getting a start in the WTS race on the Gold Coast. The first by a Pacific Island athlete male or female. She won the ITU Pacific Island Championships and has met the qualifying criteria for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Peyton Craig had a great year taking out both the All Schools and the Queensland Schools Aquathlon Championships and finishing 2nd at the National Schools Athletics Championships 11 years 800m. He has a huge future ahead.

Some times its not all about the athletes either, Sue Fairweather has been an integral part of SCTA for the past couple of seasons as a Technical Official. She not greets SCTA athletes but all athletes with a smile, is very courtesy and is always on hand to help no matter the situation. This was shown again as she took out Triathlon Queensland Technical Official of the Year for the 2nd year in a row.

SCTA Australian Champions include Brodie Gardner (Elite Cross Tri), Kate Schultz (30-34 Cross Tri). Runner Ups in 2nd place go to Emma Dann (14-15 Sprint), Jordan Gover (45-49 Sprint), Maureen Cummings 55-59 Sprint) and Jake Hynes (15-19 Olympic Distance. While in 3rd place went to Maureen Cummings (55-59 Olympic Distance) and Tania Gover (40-44 Sprint).

Well done to our members that gained selection into the Australian Team for upcoming World Championships. Brodie Gardner (Cross Tri Elite), Jordan Gover (Aquathlon, Aquabike and O.D), Tania Gover (Aquathlon, Sprint), Zsolt Dallos (Long Course and O.D) and Rebecca Ungermann (Long Course and O.D).

SCTA / Protector Aluminium Junior Scholarship holders, Ryan Marsh and Kaya Shults, represented the Squad, Sponsors and themselves extremely well in performance and sportsmanship. It's a long tough season and it didn't go without a few dramas but the way they performed and continued to push themselves in training and racing, I couldn't have asked more from a Coach's perspective.

Ryan Marsh - Had a great season that ended up with his selection in the Qld Team for National Schools Triathlon Champs. He went around the country racing the National Junior Series where he finished with 2 x 2nd places, a third and a 6th to finish 2nd in ITU Youth B Australian Youth Triathlon Series. He won the Queensland Triathlon Series 13 years Male and placed 3rd in the Triathlon Queensland State Series for 12-13 Years Male. Read Ryan's Junior Scholarship Season review click Here

Kaya Shults - Had an eventful year with a bike crash just after Christmas that saw her out of action and in plaster with a fractured scaphoid. But she got back on track to be selected in the Qld Team for National Schools Triathlon Champs where she finished 8th Intermediate Female. She took out 4th place at Qld Schools Triathlon Champs where her plaster only came off a week before the race. So to qualify was a massive achievement in itself. Before the bike crash, she was in very good form and was looking forward to a great performance at Round # 2 of the National Junior Series after making the "A" Final of ITU Youth A at round # 1 where she finished 14th.

There are so many results to note but great performances from the following include Melissa Charlton, Jessica Lee, Jazzy shults, Michael Hooper, Maddison Dutton, Matt Wolstencroft, Jan Harvey, Scott Marsh, Mark Corcoran, Lucy Bowden, Mitch Baker, Maureen Cummings, Warren Venaglia, Chris George, Kayleigh Foster, Sarah and Chris Pye, Emma Hogan, Olivia Latimer, Meg and Macey Roberts just to name a few.

Full wrap up of race results below. Well done to all the SCTA athletes that competed.

ITU Pacific Islands Champion
Rachel James PNG

Australian Championship Races
2 x Australian Champions, 8 x Runner Ups and 4 x 3rd Places

World Championships Selection - 5 Members
Long Course x 2, Aquathlon x 2, Aquabike x 1, Olympic Distance x 2, Sprint x 1, Cross (Elite) x 1

Queensland Championship Races
8 x Qld Champions, 10 x Runner Ups and 11 x 3rd Places

Outright Professional / Open Races
14 x Race Winners, 6 x Runner Ups, 6 x 3rd Places

Age Group Races
81 x Age Group Race Winners, 77 x Runner Ups and 54 x 3rd Places

Queensland School Triathlon Qualifiers
4 + 1 Reserve - Total over 14 years = 47 selected

Triathlon Queensland Club Championships
SCTA - 2nd Place Medium Club and 9th on Aggregate

Queensland Triathlon Series Club Championships
SCTA - 6th Place Overall behind much larger clubs

A huge thanks to all the sponsors associated with SCTA. The above results don't happen without their ongoing support Protector Aluminium, Vorgee, Metsure Insurance Brokers, Mizuno, Kawana Aquatic Centre, Rydges Hotels, Apollo Bicycles, Xterra Wetsuits Australia, Allez Sport Mooloolaba, The Event Crew and Ironman Oceania.

Sunshine Coast Triathlon Academy / Protector Aluminium Athletes were in action at the Caloundra Foreshore Fun Run and Gamagori Asian Sprint Cup in Japan.

At Caloundra under perfect conditions for running saw the annual 10km and 3km fun run. The 10km is a straight run from Golden Beach to Moffat Beach and always attracts some great runners. Best of the Open Runners was Selena Corcoran with 18th Female and in the Masters was Norm Marsh in 12th Place and Jan Harvey in 13th Place

In the 3km Finn Barlow was the first female across the line and 7th outright.

In Japan for the Gamagori ITU Asian Sprint Cup, Chris George lined up in the Elite Male. over the super sprint distance, there was 2 heats with 15 from each into the final. In very competitive fields Chris finished 29th.

Caloundra Foreshore Fun Run - 18.06.17 - 10km
Norm Marsh - 12th Place Masters Male
Jan Harvey - 13th Place Masters Female
Mark Corcoran - 18th Place Masters Male
Selena Corcoran - 18th Place Open Female
Toni Duetzmann - 20th Place Open Female
Melissa Charlton - 26th Place Open Female
Warren Venaglia - 29th Place Masters Male
Jessica Lee - 41st Place Open Female

3km
Finn Barlow - 1st Place 5-12 Years Female - Outright Female Winner

Gamagori ITU Asian Cup - 18.06.17
Chris George - 29th Place Heat # 1

Another busy weekend for Sunshine Coast Triathlon Academy / Protector Aluminium Athletes that were in action at the Asia Pacific Ironman Championships in Cairns, Cairns 70.3 and the finale of the Allez Sport Sunshine Coast Cross Country Series at Elizabeth Daniels Park.

Cairns Ironman put on perfect weather for fast times in the Ironman and 70.3 races. The 70.3 straight swim with current and chop behind them, while the Ironman had a bit of current and chop to contend with in the first half of the 3.8km swim, but came home fast with the current and chop behind them.

Once out onto he bike the tailwind was there, but by the time they turn the wind had dropped out. For the 70.3 this was ideal as the wind back to Cairns was very slight. In the Ironman the wind played nicely and only saw the last 30km straight with a slight wind, that was hitting the face that we had seen in years gone by. 

The cooler temperatures throughout the day help with fast run times and we saw both Male and female Professional winners breaking the race records.

All 4 of the SCTA athlete in the Ironman had great days out. They had all done the work leading into he race and we saw that rewarded with some great performances from the all. Leading the charge finishing in 11:51:05 was Paul McDonald (80th 35-39). Rebecca Sheppard with 12:20:21 (15th 40-44) not far behind was Tara Baker in 12:28:42 (16th 40-44) and rounding out the team was Sarah Pye in 13:16:33 (24th 35-39). 

In the 70.3 race we saw some great performances from the crew. Lucy Bowden (25-29) had a great day out apart from losing her water bottles on the the first speed bump right in front of the Coach, but she got thru the setback to finish 4th and 12th Female overall. Ty Harding had a solid day out on the course with a 5th place in a very competitive 40-44 years to place 33rd overall. Norm Marsh (50-54) was back after his knee surgery with a 18th place. Chris Pye (30-34) had a good showing in 28th while it was great to see the Big Dog Kev Hammond out having another crack with 48th 35-39.

Finally at the Allez Sport Cross Country Series Race # 6, we saw Toni Deutzmann (40-49 10km) continue her dominance with another win, the consistent Olivia Latimer (U/40 10km) 2nd place as too Jazzy Shults (U/14 3km). Claiming 3rd places were Chris George (U/40 10km) and Chloe Turner (U/40 6km). Jan Harvey (50-59 10km) just missed the podium in 4th, while Kaya Shults (U/40 6km) was 6th.

Over the 6 races we saw Chris George (U/40 10km) and Toni Deutzmann (40-49 10km) were Series Winners in their respective categories. Runner Ups went to Olivia Latimer (U/40 10km) and Jazzy Shults (U/14 3km). Jen Shults (40-49 10km), Chloe Turner (U/40 6km) and Jan Harvey (50-59 6km) all recorded 3rd Places.

Well done to all that raced. Full results below.

Asia Pacific Ironman Championships - 11/06/17 - 3.8/180/42.2 - Cairns
Rebecca Sheppard - 15th Place 40-44 Years Female - 12:20:21
Tara Baker - 16th Place 40-44 Years Female - 12:28:42
Sarah Pye - 24th Place 35-39 Years Female - 13:16:33
Paul McDonald - 80th Place 35-39 Years Male - 11:51:05

Cairns 70.3 -  11/06/17 - 1.9/90/21.1
Lucy Bowden - 4th Place 25-29 Years Female - 12th Female Overall
Ty Harding - 5th Place 40-44 Years Male - 33rd Overall
Norm Marsh - 18th Place 50-54 Years Male
Chris Pye - 28th Place 30-34 Years Male
Kevin Hammond - 48th Place 35-39 Years Male

Sunshine Coast Cross Country Series Race # 6 - 11/06/12 - Elizabeth Daniels Park
Toni Deutzmann - 1st Place 40-49 Years Female 10km
Olivia Latimer - 2nd Place U/40 Female 10km
​Jazzy Shults - 2nd Place U/14 Years Female 3km
Chris George - 3rd Place U/40 Male 10km
Chloe Turner - 3rd Place U/40 Female 6km
Jan Harvey - 4th Place 50-59 Years Female 6km
Kaya Shults - 6th Place U/40 Female 6km

Sunshine Coast Cross Country Series - 6 races
Chris George - Series Winner U/40 Male 10km
Toni Deutzmann - Series Winner 40-49 Years Female 10km
Olivia Latimer - 2nd Place U/40 Female 10km
Jazzy Shults - 2nd Place U/14 Years Female 3km
Chloe Turner - 3rd Place U/40 Female 6km
Jan Harvey - 3rd Place 50-59 Years Female 6km
Jen shults - 3rd Place 40-49 Years Female 10km