British Triathlon has named its largest ever paratriathlon squad for the ETU European Championships in Alanya, Turkey next month. The team of seventeen athletes and five guides will compete in the Paratriathlon on Sunday 16 June. The event covers a 750m swim, 20K bike and 5K run with athletes using hand bikes and racing chairs as necessary depending on their disability. Visually impaired athletes race with a sighted guide athlete.
British Paratriathlon Performance Manager, Jonathon Riall said “We’re delighted to have been able to select our largest ever Paratriathlon team for the European Championships. It definitely feels like we are on the road to Rio now and the additional UK Sport Lottery funding has enabled us to take a truly world-class support team with us as well.”
He continued, “This event is about maintaining our position as the world’s top paratriathlon nation, providing racing opportunities in preparation for the world championships in London and developing athletes in new categories.”
Clare Cunningham is one of the longest serving members of the Great Britain Paratriathlon Team, having won the European title in Holten in 2009. She commented, “I’ve been part of the British Paratriathlon set up since it started, and it’s really exciting to be part of the biggest ever team. Since finding out that we would have the opportunity to be part of the Paralympics in Rio things have really stepped up and the British team leads the way in terms of professionalism and results.”
Reigning European Champions Jane Egan, Iain Dawson and Charlotte Ellis will look to defend their titles in Alanya as well as mentor new members. Many of the new squad members are benefitting from Triathlon England Talent Squad funding from Sport England, enabling them to compete internationally for the first time.
Great Britain Paratriathlon Squad, ETU European Championships, 14-16 June 2013:
Tri-1
Phil Hogg, 43, Heanor, Derbyshire
Jimmy Goddard, 35, Bracknell
Joe Townsend, 25, Eastbourne
Jane Egan, 42, Glasgow, World Champion 2010 & 2011
Tri-3
Steve Judge, 40, Eckington, Sheffield, World Champion 2011 & 2012
Sarah Pearson, 42, South Devon
Tri-4
Joe Allen, 25, Bridport, Devon
Dave Hill, 24, Bath
Clare Cunningham, 35, Cambridge
Lauren Steadman, 20, Peterborough
Tri-5
George Peasgood, 17, Saffron Walden, Essex
Adrian Heathfield, 38, Kent
Tri-6
Haseeb Ahmed, 43, Leicester, guided by Ben Matthews
Iain Dawson, 36, Norwich, World Champion 2010 & 2012, guided by Carl Shaw
David Ellis, 26, Heanor, Derbyshire, guided by Luke Watson
Charlotte Ellis, 28, Redcar, Yorkshire, World Champion 2010 & 2011, guided by Jenny Manners
Melissa Reid, 22, Truro, guide TBC
British Triathlon is the governing body for the sport in Great Britain. It is responsible for raising the profile and delivering elite performance for triathlon, paratriathlon, duathlon and aquathlon in Great Britain.
Triathlon is a fast growing, dynamic and modern Olympic sport with talented world class athletes, coaches and support staff, focused around delivering world-class events and medal winning performances. Great Britain is home to the 2012 Olympic Champion (Alistair Brownlee) and bronze medallist (Jonathan Brownlee) as well as numerous current world champions amongst a strong squad of world ranked elite triathletes, and emerging talent from British Triathlon’s youth development programmes.
British Triathlon enables paratriathletes to deliver world-class success, raising the profile of paratriathlon in the build-up to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
There are over 850 triathlon events conducted in Great Britain each year including the British Triathlon Super Series, which attracts athletes from all over the world. British Triathlon is committed to being a leader in environmental awareness in sport, protecting the environment in which we operate today and in the future.
British Triathlon also aims to promote excellence in our sport, and create opportunities for everyone to achieve their personal triathlon challenges. Tata Steel is the Corporate Partner of British Triathlon and is proud to be enabling the sport of triathlon.
British Triathlon is a beneficiary of the UK Sport Lottery funded World Class Programmes (WCP). The programmes focus on performance sport with the aim of achieving sporting excellence on the world stage.
www.britishtriathlon.org
www.uksport.gov.uk
