The Challenged Athletes Foundation’s Dodge/CAF Paratriathlon Camp, an official technical training camp of USA Paratriathlon was recently held on May 5-8, 2011 in Pensacola, Florida. The camp helped 19 paratriathletes take the first steps toward the 2016 Paralympics, when the sport will be added to the program at the Rio Games.
Participating campers – including leg and arm amputees and paraplegics – honed their technical abilities with assistance from leading triathlon experts and were taught how to get the most out of training, how to practice proper nutrition and how to race effectively and efficiently and reach their goals in the sport.
Among the participants were nine members of CAF’s Operation Rebound program, which assists permanently injured military and first responders.
“It was a thrill to be a part of the camp again this year,” said Jon Beeson, a former ITU World Champion and Co-Chairman of the USA Paratriathlon Committee. “We thank Dodge and USA Paratriathlon for providing the funding to help make it possible for these wonderful aspiring and developing paratriathletes to move to the next level in preparation for the 2016 Paralympic Games. We’re looking forward to the next camp this fall in San Diego.”
The Portofino Island Resort in Pensacola Beach, Florida, proved to be the ideal location for the Dodge/CAF Paratriathlon Camp where athletes had access and instruction from some of the best Paratriathlon coaches in the sport, including: Sergio Borges of Sergio Borges X Training (Level 3 USA Triathlon Coach), Mark Sortino and John Murray, Level 1 coaches from the Multisport Performance Institute (MPI), and Peter Harsch, Level 1 Coach and Chief Prosthetist for the Naval Medical Center San Diego.
The coaching staff was rounded out by Jason Fowler (2009 Ironman World Champion in the Handcycle Division) and Scot Hollonbeck (a four-time US Paralympian in wheelchair racing) along with world-class challenged athlete mentors Sarah Reinertsen, Paul Martin, Amy Dodson and Jon Beeson.
“What makes these camps special is that we couple the expertise of elite coaches with the real-world experiences of world champion mentors, so our participants don’t have to reinvent the wheel,” said Roy Perkins, Senior Director of Programs at the Challenged Athletes Foundation.
“This greatly accelerates their progress and allows our athletes to quickly overcome any apprehensions they may have about the sport,” he added.
Many of the CAF/Dodge Paratriathlon Camp participants will compete in the Accenture USA Paratriathlon National Championship at the New York City Triathlon in early August. CAF plans to hold another camp in San Diego, California, on August 25-28.
The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) is a world leader in helping individuals with physical challenges get involved – and stay involved – in sports. CAF believes that participation in sports at any level increases self-esteem, encourages independence and enhances quality of life. Since 1994, more than US$30 million has been raised and almost 5,000 funding requests from challenged athletes in all 50 states and dozens of countries worldwide have been satisfied. Additionally, CAF’s outreach efforts reach another 60,000 individuals each year.
