Multisport
The chance to represent the College in Triathlon, Duathlon and Aquathon is available to students from Year 7-13. Each year there are more students competing in these exciting events run by College Sport throughout the summer months.
In 2011 the College Multisport team competed in the Team Tag Triathlon, Individual Triathlon Championships, Team and Individual Aquathon Championships and the Team and Individual Duathlon Championships.
The team received many placings at these events including Elise Salt winning the AKSS U16 Triathlon and Aquathon titles.
These events are advertised in the daily notices prior to the event and permission slips are available from the Sports Department.
A SCC Tri Squad now runs in Terms 1 and 4, with two morning sessions held per week.
Sports Coordinator: Julia Shaw
Phone: 520 4159 extension 7480
julia.shaw@stcuthberts.school.nz Top Athlete-Elise Salt
Winning a national sports title is one thing, but winning it for three different disciplines, on your own, and in your first competitive year is an outstanding achievement.
Y10 student Elise Salt won the U14 title at the National Schools Triathlon Championships at Lake Karapiro in April.
“I get quite nervous before all my races but there is nothing I can do except try my hardest.”
It’s no surprise first-timer Elise won.
Last year, in her first year of competitive cycling, she was the U14 individual road race champion at the Perry Foundation New Zealand Secondary School Cycling Championships and she’s on track to the nationals again this year in the Junior A time trial team
“I only started focusing on triathlon this year, but the reason I started cycling last year was because I wanted to try triathlon.”
She cycled and ran her way to first for Junior Girls’ at the regional duathlon championships in May, was a member of the College six person Y9 team which came first at the national cross country championships last year, and the junior six person and three person teams which came second and third respectively at this year’s nationals.
She also came second in the Junior Girls’ regional aquathon (running and swimming), and was the swimmer in the College triathlon team with Anneka Herdson and Devon Hiley, which came second in the U14 teams’ event at the 2009 nationals.
Balancing training for all three disciplines, without a specific triathlon coach, can be tricky, says Elise.
“You have to put in a lot of work and time to train, early mornings for cycling and usually two different activities a day, and it is important to get a full 24 hours rest in each week so that you don’t overwork your body.
“It’s hard because all your coaches expect you to concentrate on just the sport that they are coaching you in but sometimes they clash.”
Elise has learnt some important tactics along the way. “The week leading up to a race you need to taper, which means resting your legs and having days where you do absolutely nothing.
“You also need to refrain from eating unhealthy food and make sure you’re hydrated.
So what goes through one’s head during a national triathlon race?
“Before hand I play the race through my mind and make sure that my transitions are all set up and ready.
“During the race I don’t know what I think. I suppose I just concentrate on what I’m doing and what needs to be done.”