Team Coffs Cardiology in the USA

Anyone interested in having a talk to the Team Coffs Cardiology members, and getting their thoughts on the trip is welcome to call in to Fiasco's Restaurant at Coffs Jetty next Wednesday night from 6.30pm.
Jon Waites will be providing the pizzas, but you will need to purchase your own drinks.
All four travelling members will be there, and will share their thoughts on subjects like altitude training, backing up to race week after week, how the events compared to our races etc.
This will be very informal, and is open to anyone who followed the successes online.
Get in touch if you would like further information, otherwise just show up on Wednesday!

As our trip draws to a close, with Dan and Reece jumping on a plane tomorrow, it's time to thank all the people who made this journey become a reality.
To Jon Waites of Coffs Cardiology, a special thanks for the financial support, high interest level and general assistance given in the leadup to our travels.
Sue Hutchison from Coffs Harbour Olympic Pool was also a major contributor, both in financial backing and supply of staff members for the trip.
Faircloth and Reynolds Air Conditioning courtesy of Dave Reynolds also helped out, with both a few dollars and some pre-travel advice.
Coffs Harbour Jet Ski Hire through Peter Wood, as well as Paul Courtney along with Sue and Cec Tempone were all encouraging right from the initial planning stages, and also contributed some of their hard-earned cash to ensure the project got off the ground.
Thanks also to Andrew Wellington from Travelworld for his assistance and patience in helping piece things together.
Without doubt, this expedition could only be classified as a resounding success.
From the trials of altitude training through to exceptional race results, everything has exceeded any reasonable expectations.
For the record, check out the synopsis of the individual results recorded by the athletes:
REECE EDWARDS: 1st place overall Rancho Seco duathlon; 2nd place overall and age group winner at Folsom International Triathlon; 1st place overall setting a new course record at Rancho Seco International Triathlon; 2nd place overall and age group win at Morgan Hill Olympic Distance Triathlon; 3rd place overall and age group 2nd at Sacramento International Triathlon; 2nd place both overall and age group at Squamish International Triathlon breaking the run course record; 2nd place overall and age group winner at Vancouver Olympic Distance Triathlon; 9th outright and age group 1st at Lake Stevens 70.3 and first non-professional finisher.
RICHARD PEARSON: 1st place overall Rancho Seco sprint triathlon; 16th overall and age group 1st in Boise 70.3; 2nd place overall and age group 1st at Sacramento International Triathlon; 1st place and age group winner at Squamish International Triathlon setting a new course record, and bike course record; 3rd place overall and age group 1st at Canadian Long Course Championships as first age grouper to cross the line.
DAN STEIN: 1st place overall Rancho Seco International Triathlon in course record time; 2nd place overall and age group winner at Rancho Seco Olympic Distance Triathlon; 1st place overall Morgan Hill Olympic Distance Triathlon. 1st place overall at Sacramento International Triathlon; 1st place overall at Vancouver Olympic Distance Triathlon; 8th outright at Lake Stevens 70.3 in a field of 30 professional men.
ANDREW ROWLINGS: 1st in age group Rancho Seco sprint triathlon; 2nd in age group at Boise 70.3; 1st in age group Rancho Seco International Triathlon; 2nd in age group Sacramento International Triathlon; 1st in age group Squamish International Triathlon; 2nd in age group at Canadian Long Course Championships.
Again, thanks to everyone for their support from Australia, while we were away.
Hopefully we will be able to repeat this experience in the next few years, opening the door to another group of our members to test themselves overseas.

Lake Stevens results in!!
Daniel Stein 8th home with a 4:10, Reece Edwards first age grouper across the line in 4:11 9th overall coming from the back of the field. Both Very solid results!!

Picture of Dan's competition for Lake Stevens 70.3. Reece says "U got him covered"

Richard and Andrew in the middle of the trip home... just had 14 hours between Vancouver and Auckland.
Dan and Reece fine-tuning for their final hitout at Lake Stevens 70.3 on Sunday. Both are in good form, and having done their homework on the course, can expect to go well.
Dan will race with the pros, while Reece will have plenty of time to psyche himself up, starting 40min later in his 70.3 debut.
This will be interesting to follow online, and will put up results ASAP afterward.
Thanks to everyone for their messages of support over the past 7-8 weeks, it has been very much appreciated by the four of us while away.

Just back to our accommodation after racing Vancouver this morning.
Another satisfying result.
Dan and Reece again went 1-2 in the Olympic race with some slick times. Dan crossed the line in 1.52.05, with Reece not far behind and clocking up a 33.13 10km run split in the process.
Richard raced as an age grouper in the Canadian Long Course Championships, beating home the majority of the pros in taking 3rd position across the line.
He looked strong all day, and the result was a well deserved reward for the effort and dedication of the past few months.
Andrew managed a 4.34 for a second place in his age group. The old body definitely needs a rest now!
Reece and Dan will head back to Lake Stevens tomorrow, in readiness for the 70.3 race to be conducted there next Sunday.
Dan will race as a professional, while Reece will be 40min behind in the age group wave start.
Both have been doing a lot of work over the course, and should both perform well.
Richard and Andrew will stay in Vancouver and fly home on Tuesday.
Now off to find some food and have a bit of a look at Vancouver, as we have only seen the North Shore mountains, city skyline and triathlon course.

Off to Canada in the morning... see below press release regarding the race:
Vancouver, BC – July 11, 2013 Once again, the magnificent Vancouver city skyline and North Shore Mountains will set the backdrop as over 1200 participants venture into the Pacific Ocean for the sold-out Subaru Vancouver Triathlon. The event has been awarded as one of the top “Urban Triathlons on the Planet” by Triathlete Magazine thanks in great part to its beautiful ocean-side course, yet taking place in the middle of a city of over 2 million residents.
Adding to the excitement of record attendance is the addition of the Long Distance National Championships in both the amateur and elite categories. Participants are eligible to qualify for valuable World Championship Team spots and don the red and white for Team Canada next year at the World Championships in Weihai, China.
The elite field includes the likes of Rachel McBride (Vancouver) who just recently finished on the podium (3rd) at this year’s Long Distance World Championship in France. Challenging her will be Sara Gross of Victoria who recently finished 2nd in Ironman Brazil and former Commonwealth Games Team member Gillian Moody (Kelowna). On the men’s side local Elliot Holtham (who just broke the course record in the classic Saunders Subaru Victoria Half Iron) will look for the National Title but will be racing the likes of Chris Boudreaux (Portland) – Top 10 at Ironman Coeur d’Alene, Brendan Naef (Mont Tremblant, Quebec) and 2012 World Cup Team member Andrew Russell (Victoria).
Triathlon as a sport embraces athletes from many different backgrounds. On the amateur side, this year’s participant list includes everyone from weekend warriors out to attain a goal, to professional ballerinas, to National Team rowers, figure skaters and sailors. First time athletes will share the field with veterans who have, as in one case, up to 39 Ironman events and 88 marathons under their belt. The ages range from 16 to 71-year-olds with everything in between. Collectively they represent eight Canadian Provinces, ten American States, and 14 countries – including those as far away as New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines, Qatar, and South Africa.

Quieter few days, back into training without hitting too much volume.
Aim is to keep ticking over, but freshen up for this weekend in Vancouver.
We will drive into Canada on Saturday morning, heading directly to the race site to drop off bikes for the early morning start the following day.
Richard and Andrew will do the long course, while Dan and Reece will both race the Olympic distance as a final hitout for the Lake Stevens 70.3 a week later.
No injuries, no niggles, no concerns.... all means no excuses. Let's see what Sunday brings and what is left in the tank towards the end of a solid two months of training and racing.
Live Results from RaceHeadquaters will be available online at www.triseries.ca/results.php so you can track the progress of your Team Coffs Cardiology (see below)

The Subaru Western Triathlon Series Race Results

Have a look at the story in the Squamish Chief newspaper this morning...
http://www.squamishchief.com/article/20130708/SQUAMISH0201/130709983/-1/squamish0201/aussie-invasion-at-squamish-triathlon

Aussie invasion at Squamish Triathlon | Local Sports | Squamish Chief, Squamish, BC Check out this page from www.squamishchief.com

We took our tour across the border into Canada this weekend, to a place called Squamish, half way between Vancouver and Whistler.
Undoubtedly a very beautiful place, with snow covered mountains every direction you looked.
It was surreal swimming in a lake and seeing your surrounds every time you took a breath, or riding on a course that felt like a basin surrounded by alps, then running on a trail through a variety of terrain.
All in all, a very nice place.
However, the race did have a few technical corners on the bike, which the commentators and officials warned competitors about on more than a dozen occasions.
This did not stop Richard Pearson from over-cooking a corner and face planting into the undergrowth on the side of the road whilst in the race lead.
He led out of the water, with a handful of Canadian professionals on his heels, and team-mate Reece Edwards also in the mix.
On the first testing corner, Richard went down, but bounced back on his bike to maintain his lead for the remainder of the race and take the win. In doing so he set a new bike course record, on the way to a new race record.
For his troubles he collected some scabs on his face, and a cheque for $500 Canadian dollars.
Reece and the local hotshot and race favourite went head to head on the bike course, fighting for second place.
As soon as the runners went on it was all over, with Reece putting the hammer down and running away to a $300 prize and a new run course record in the process.
All in all it was a good location, a good race, an enjoyable weekend, and well worth the 60min wait to get across the border into Canada.
Andrew also had an OK race, winning his age group, but also getting "chicked" by the lead female competitor.
The boys will put up some pics when they get the opportunity over the next few day.