Triathlon Canada Announces National and Development Teams

National Team
Triathlon Canada announced its 2009 National Team which, as a result of a continuing sponsorship agreement has been branded Team Teck.

Highlighting Team Teck is 2008 Olympic Silver Medalist Simon Whitfield of Victoria, BC. Whitfield is coming off a strong 2008 season, where he finished sixth at the World Championships in June, and placed first at the Ishigaki World Cup in May. Whitfield’s silver medal was his second Olympic medal after winning gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Joining Whitfield on the Men’s Team are Paul Tichelaar, ranked 16th in the World and a ninth place finisher at the 2008 World Championships; Brent McMahon, a 2004 Olympian who picked up four top-20 World Cup finishes in 2008; and Kyle Jones, who placed fourth at the Richards Bay World Cup and finished 2008 ranked 22nd in the ITU World Cup Rankings.

The Team Teck Women are composed of three females, including Lauren Groves who is looking to rebound from an injury plagued season. Groves dealt with injuries early in 2008, but still managed two top-15 finishes at World Cup events. Groves also competed in the 2008 Olympics, where she was unable to finish after a crash on the bike course that resulted in a broken elbow. Kathy Tremblay joins Groves on the Women’s Team. Tremblay had a strong 2008 season, picking up two top-5 finishes at World Cup events, and also finishing in 21st at the 2008 World Championships. 2006 Junior World Championships Gold Medalist Kirsten Sweetland rounds out the Women’s Team. Sweetland began the season with a fifth place finish at the Tongyeong World Cup, but was lost for the rest of 2008 after gamely racing through a stress fracture in her foot at the World Championships in June.

Teck, the Canadian Mining Company, in support of Canadian Triathlon, began a multi-year sponsorship in 2008 in which Team Teck athletes will serve as role models and participate in outreach programs in the company’s mining communities. Also, a part of the sponsorship agreement, Teck is the National Title Sponsor of Triathlon Canada’s immensely popular Kids of Steel® program.

Team Teck
Men                                                  Women
Simon Whitfield (Victoria, BC)             Lauren Groves (Vancouver, BC)
Paul Tichelaar (Edmonton, AB)            Kathy Tremblay (Montreal, QC)
Brent McMahon (Victoria, BC)             Kirsten Sweetland (Victoria, BC)
Kyle Jones (Oakville, ON)

Development Team
Triathlon Canada also announced its 2009 Development Team. The 2009 Development Team consists of Paula Findlay, Sarah-Anne Brault, Marianne Hogan, Connor Hammond and Jeff Phillips.

Paula Findlay capped off a successful 2008 season with victories in both the Junior and Elite National Championships in August. Findlay placed ninth at the 2008 Junior World Championships in June.  Sarah-Anne Brault also had a strong 2008, finishing in fourth in the Elite National Championships, 26th at the Junior World Championships, and in her best performance of the year, picked up the gold medal at the PATCO Continental Championships. Marianne Hogan rounds out the Development Women. Hogan’s 2008 race season was punctuated by a second place finish at the Junior National Championship and also a 17th place finish at the World Championships.

Connor Hammond has competed in the last two Junior World Championships and finished 12th at the 2008 PATCO Continental Championships. Jeff Phillips enjoyed a successful season in the Teck National Junior Series, picking up wins in both the Gatineau, QC and Summerside, PEI races. Phillips also raced in the Junior World Championships and finished in 37th.

Development Team
Women                                           Men
Paula Findlay (Edmonton, AB)           Connor Hammond (London, ON)
Sarah-Anne Brault (Winnipeg, MB)    Jeff Phillips (Victoria, BC)
Marianne Hogan (Bedford, QC)