Posted: February 20, 2007

Triathlon: Trinidad and Tobago Go For Triathlon Gold

Olympic Standards Set To Raise As Trinidad and Tobago Host First ITU Coaching Course VANCOUVER - Trinidad and Tobago will be hosting its first official ITU triathlon coach accreditation course on the 25th March. The International Triathlon Union (ITU), their global partner BG Group and the Trinidad and Tobago Triathlon Federation have jointly arranged the ITU Level 1 Coaching Course in order to raise the number and quality of triathlon coaches in Trinidad and the surrounding islands. The ultimate goal is to assist in the development of talented coaches and athletes capable of qualifying Trinidad and Tobago for the BG Triathlon World Cup Series and the Olympic Games. The course is part of the ITU and BG Group’s 2007 Sport Development Programme. Trinidad and Tobago was selected as one of the priority countries targeted for Coach Education Support and will see some of the world’s most qualified triathlon experts travel to the Port of Spain to oversee a clinic for a group of regional coaches. “We at ITU are very excited to be able to offer these programmes to emerging triathlon nations as part of our sport development goals, “said ITU Sport Development Director, Libby Burrell. “The goal of this programme is to provide developing triathlon federations with the building blocks to grow the sport within their region.” The eight-day coaching course will be headed up by Alan Ley, the former Coach Education Manager for the US Triathlon Federation and now ITU Sport Development Manager, with support from Olympic coach, Gale Bernhardt, and Tracey Shelley. They will be covering the fundamental principles of triathlon coaching and skills progression for the novice and intermediate level triathletes. “Since we became the ITU’s global partner last June we have been working closely with our local triathlon organisation to improve opportunities available through the Trinidad and Tobago Triathlon Federation,” commented Aleem Hosein, Head of Government and Public Affairs, BG Group Trinidad and Tobago. “We are delighted that the first ITU Level 1 Coaching Course will be going ahead in March and we hope that this will ultimately help increase triathlon standards and help build future champions who can go on to represent our country at the Olympic Games.” The ITU is encouraging coaches interested in the course to register with their national federation. About International Triathlon Union * The International Triathlon Union was founded in 1989 in Avignon, France and now has over 100 affiliated national federations around the world * Triathlon was awarded Olympic status in 1994 and the ITU is the youngest International Federation in the Olympics. For further information visit HYPERLINK www.triathlon.org. * The three expert coaches who will be running the course in Trinidad and Tobago are Alan Ley, the former Coach Education Manager for the US Triathlon Federation and now ITU Sport Development Manager; Gale Bernhardt, USA Triathlon Olympic Coach, author and highly respected coach-mentor and Tracey Shelley, Coach Educator from Triathlon Canada. About BG Group * BG Group plc is a global natural gas business. Active on five continents in over 25 countries, it operates four business segments - Exploration and Production, LNG, Transmission and Distribution and Power. BG Group seeks to support social and economic development in the communities where it does business by providing structured funding for community initiatives that match its skills transfer theme. For more information, visit HYPERLINK www.bg-group.com. * BG Group’s sponsorship portfolio is called Energy for life. The partnership with the International Triathlon Union is one of four that make up the Energy for life portfolio. For further information visit HYPERLINK www.bg-group.com.