Inspire & Build Future Olympians

U16 Race, Kids Camps and Kids Of Steel Race to inspire and build our future Olympians

Kelowna, BC –

While the Kelowna community and the rest of the world gears down from the excitement of the Olympic games, the Kelowna Apple Triathlon Society is working to grow the Olympic spirit in its community.

For the first time, the 2012 Kelowna Apple Triathlon will host a new race specifically geared to assist the development of potential future Olympians. This U16 race will be held Saturday morning. 

All athletes can go to the website www.appletriathlon.com for race registration and details. This race (along with the annual youth and teen triathlon camps and Kids of Steel races) is an opportunity for our community to support and guide our future athletes.

Kids and Teens Camps began this past weekend at Strathcona Park behind the hospital. They are offered in an enjoyable, supportive environment that upholds the Tri BC philosophy of co-operation and fun. Instruction is provided by certified coaches covering the basic skills of swimming, biking, running and transition, teaching triathlon rules, and enabling each camper to complete the Pushor Mitchell Kelowna Apple Triathlon on Saturday following the Camp.

These camps sell out each year so we encourage people to come out and watch the fun and education the young people are enjoying, and then go to the website www.appletriathlon.com as registration begins in October for all those interested in signing up for 2013.

We are still looking for volunteers for all of our events, including the Kids of Steel race. This is a great fun family weekend so come bring your entire family out to enjoy the sunshine and cheer on athletes of all ages. Register yourself, family or team at www.appletriathlon.com/volunteers. 



Date: August 13, 2012
Issued by: Deanne Collinson, Media Relations and Communications Director, Kelowna Apple Triathlon Society
deanne@deannecollinson.com
Cell 1-403-613-9624

Olympic Triathlon Coverage

It is the time we have all been waiting for: the 2012 Olympics have finally begun!

For triathlon fans, make sure to mark your calendars for August 4 for the women's race, and August 11 for the men's race. Here are the key times as well as links for coverage:

The woman's triathlon final is scheduled for Saturday August 4th at 9am London Time, which is 1 am Pacific Daylight Savings Time. The men's race is scheduled for Tuesday August 7th at 11:30 am London Time, which is 3:30am Pacific Daylight Savings Time.

NBC will be broadcasting live, and for those of us that prefer to sleep in, you can watch the triathlon on either CTV or TSN later on.

Here are a few useful links:

London Olympics Website - http://www.london2012.com/triathlon/

CTV Olympics Website - http://www.ctvolympics.ca/videos/index.html

CTV Viewers Guide (all video coverage) - http://www.ctvolympics.ca/viewers-guide/index.html

National Post TV Schedule - http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/07/26/here-is-the-olympic-tv-schedule/

For those of you that want to relive of Simon Whitfield's exciting end to the 2008 event when he came from behind to win a silver medal, here it is: http://youtu.be/8mpWpaiXWo4.

(Thank you to Simon's Blog for the picture http://simonwhitfield.blogspot.ca) 

Simon Whitfield Canada’s Flag Bearer for 2012 Olympic Summer Games

TORONTO—Triathlon Canada’s Board of Directors, staff, athletes and coaches would like to congratulate Simon Whitfield on being selected to carry Canada’s flag into the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London.

“I am so proud of Simon, and he is so deserving of this honour,” said Stephen Holmes, president, Triathlon Canada. “From a young man who came out of nowhere to win the first Olympic gold medal in triathlon in 2000 and battling his way back onto the podium eight years later in Beijing, to now a veteran athlete presented with the flag and responsibility of leading the entire Canadian Team into the Olympic Stadium is tremendous. I applaud the Canadian Olympic Committee for selecting a truly great Canadian.”

One of Canada’s most accomplished Olympians, Victoria’s Simon Whitfield not only helped launch triathlon on the world stage at the sport’s Olympic debut in Sydney, he transcended the country and sparked an international growth in triathlon unmatched by any other Olympic sport with his electrifying gold medal victory at the 2000 Games.

Making his fourth trip to the Olympic Summer Games, the 37-year-old Whitfield has won nearly everything on the table in the sport of triathlon,including 14 World Cup victories and 21 trips to the podium in addition to seven top-10 finishes at the World Championships, 10 Canadian titles, a gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and a bronze-medal finish at the 1999 Pan American Games.

“Simon Whitfield has become an iconic figure in our sport, encouraging young kids, and adults alike, to dream big and live healthier and more active lifestyles by diving into a pool, hopping on a bike or going for a run,” said Holmes.

Whitfield’s global influence on the sport of triathlon was felt again in 2008 with his thrilling Olympic silver-medal run in Beijing.

“The positive effects of Simon’s two Olympic medals on our sport have been endless in every corner of this country,” added Holmes. “Over the last four years, thousands of children as young as four years old have enrolled in Triathlon Canada’s Kids of Steel programs. Hundreds of high-performance athletes are now leveraging their athletic backgrounds to focus on triathlon, and thousands of Canadian adults are testing their mental and physical fitness each week by toeing the line in our age group races of all distances.

“Simon Whitfield is triathlon in Canada,” added Holmes. “But more importantly, Simon is an incredible father, husband, friend, teammate, and true Olympic role model both on and off the playing field. I can’t think of a more fitting tribute to the man who is the reason our sport is where it is todaythan to have him lead Canada’s Olympic Team into the Opening Ceremonies.”

Canadians will have an opportunity to watch the newly named flag bearer race at home one more time before heading to London. Whitfield will hit thestart line for a sprint race at the Toronto Triathlon Festival on July 22, 2012.

Triathlon Canada is the governing body for triathlon in the country. Recognized as anOlympic medal sport since 2000, Triathlon Canada’s mandate is to promote, foster, organize and develop the sport of triathlon, and its related disciplines, in Canada. For more information on Triathlon Canada, please visit us at www.triathloncanada.com on the Internet.


*****
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Chris Dornan                                                                    

Triathlon Canada                                          
C: 281-703-4394
E-mail: hpprchris@comcast.net

Kelowna Athletes Off to 2012 Olympics

The Kelowna Apple Triathlon brings together elite athletes from all over the world, and shines a spotlight on our amazing community. Kelowna also produces world class athletes that compete on the world stage.

This year, Brent McMahon, an Elite triathlete who was born in Kelowna, BC, is going to represent Canada in the triathlon at the Olympics in London England.

Brent is a past Elite Champion of the Kelowna Pushor Mitchell Apple Triathlon, and all of us in Kelowna will be cheering him on.

Also representing Canada will be Kelowna’s very own William Dean, who has qualified for the London Olympics in the Men’s Rowing 4.

Also representing Canada will be Kelowna’s very own William Dean, who has qualified for the London Olympics in the Men’s Rowing 4.

William is the son of Blake Dean and Joanne Ritchie. Joanne is a past World Champion triathlete from Kelowna BC.

All of us in Kelowna will be cheering on Brent and pulling for William to be an Olympic champion in 2012!