Triathlon Australia today announced a new partnership with School Sport Australia to deliver an innovative new triathlon multi-sport festival to provide pathways in shaping our future champions.
The Australian Schools Triathlon Festival (ASTF) is new multi-sport initiative presented jointly by School Sport Australia (SSA) and Triathlon Australia. The inaugural ASTF is scheduled for 18-21 April 2017 in Penrith NSW. The ASTF is an outstanding opportunity for secondary school students from all over Australia to be part of this national multi-sport festival aimed specially at students.
Brad Allen, Executive Officer, School Sport Australia was full of praise for the new agreement reached and excited for what it brings to school sport.
“The opportunity to have the School Sport Australia Triathlon Championships included as an integral part of the Australian Schools Triathlon Festival is very exciting. We look forward with Triathlon Australia through our Memorandum of Understanding to growing and establishing the Australian Schools Triathlon Festival as the major national event for junior triathletes,” Allen said.
As the eyes of the world have been focussed on the Rio Olympic games and inspired by extraordinary performances and witnessing great sportsmanship through sport, this provides the ideal opportunity to launch an innovative new triathlon programme to school sport.
Traditionally, sport experiences a spike in participation in a post Olympic year and 2017 will be no different, this new alliance will ensure we provide the outlet for students who wish to give Triathlon a go. In providing more opportunities for our youth, it also ensures a variety of choice to opt into school sport and the inclusivity of triathlon on all levels further underpins this new concept.
Triathlon Australia National Manager for High Performance Pathway, Craig Redman who has been working on the ASTF concept for past 2-3 years was excited to see the program finally launched, saying: “Triathlon Australia is excited to be partnering with School Sport Australia in the development of our future champions. We have been working with School Sport Australia for over 12 months on the planning of these events and look forward to developing them over the next 3 years to provide students a pathway in triathlon and it’s many formats and opportunities.
“I am also extremely pleased to announce the ASTF will provide an entry level opportunity for students with a disability to participate in Paratriathlon and Aquathlon as part of the festival. In the long term this will provide an invaluable opportunity to identify our next generation of Paralympians” Redman said.
“We believe this partnership will provide Triathlon Australia with a unique point of difference in its value propositions in participation, education, inclusion and Talent ID,” he said.
The ASTF concept is also designed to deliver a superior event experience for the student athletes and to this end Triathlon Australia in consultation with Schools Sport Australia have engaged SME360 and Triathlon NSW to deliver the national championship event to a fully professional level.
Australia has created multi-tiered events program. With the combination of the SSA Triathlon Championships and the inclusion of participation Triathlon, school relay and Aquathlon programme into the ASTF it opens up a whole new opportunity for students to participate in this dynamic sport on a variety of levels.
The ASTF has two key event categories; the existing School Sport Australia Triathlon Championships and the new Australian Open Schools Triathlon. For students to compete in the School Sport Australia Triathlon Championships they must be selected into their respective state school sport representative teams. Selection into state school sport teams means they can race for the
prestigious School Sport Australia Triathlon Championship Titles.
While athletes not selected for the SSA Triathlon Championships can represent their school in the Australian Open Schools Triathlon. The SSA Triathlon Championships is a draft legal event with an individual triathlon and teams triathlon relay. The Australian Open Schools Triathlon event is a nondrafting triathlon race including the addition of a Paratriathlon wave for students with a disability. There is also an Open Schools Triathlon relay event where schools can fight for the title of all round best multi-sport school in Australia.
2017 School Sport Australia Triathlon Championships
This event is for students selected in their respective State School Sport Triathlon Team only
The School Sport Australia (SSA) Triathlon Championships includes:
o 2017 SSA Triathlon Championships (Draft Legal Cycle leg)
o 2017 SSA Triathlon Relay Championships (Draft Legal Cycle Leg)
The 2017 Australian Open Schools Triathlon
Is open to any secondary school students who wish to represent their school at the ASTF. Students have the choice of competing in one, two or three different formats of the sport during the festival.
Australian Open Schools Aquathlon
– Includes a Paratriathlon wave for students with a disability
Australian Open Schools Triathlon (Non-Drafting Cycle Leg)
– includes a Paratriathlon wave for students with a disability
Australian Open Schools Triathlon Relay (Non-Drafting Cycle Leg)
– 1 Swimmer/1 Cyclist/1 Runner per school team