It goes without saying that the TESE Junior Race Series 2015 has been an enormous success with over 120 children registered to take part across five age groups ranging from the eight year olds in Tristart to the fifteen to sixteen year olds in Youth. The fierce competition has been friendly and fascinating with impressively athletic, enthusiastic and committed performances from all the young triathletes participating.

 

From a personal viewpoint, the TESE Junior Race Series 2015 has provided my two children, ten year old Oliver (TS1) and eight year old Gabriella (Tristart) with the ideal framework and structure for their first year of triathlon competition, since taking up the sport in September 2014. We could not have imagined a more enjoyable, fulfilling and rewarding season of training and competition when the children went for their first ‘taster’ session at Medway Tri, a year ago. Oliver and Gabriella count themselves very lucky to have such a broad spectrum of events, ranging from aquathlons and duathlons to full triathlons, in which they can compete, not only against other young triathletes from the South East but also triathletes, competing in race series from other regions. The incredibly varied nature of the events in the TESE Junior Race Series has given them the opportunity to learn new lessons, gauge their fitness levels, monitor their training, gain much-needed race experience, assess their abilities within their age groups, travel to different venues, meet new people and most importantly to have fun.

 

Throughout the season, the TESE Junior Race Series 2015 provided Oliver and Gabriella with a constant target and challenge to aim for, helping them to maintain a dedicated training schedule and to stay motivated from beginning to end. Considerable thought, research and organisation is required to run such a series of events and we are very grateful to the South East Series Coordinator, Dean Painter, for setting up and managing the Series, collating and communicating the results and providing significant support and advice where required. Thanks must also go to all the event organisers and volunteer helpers who worked so hard to stage each event, enabling the children to compete and in turn contributing to the success of the Series.

 

As an introduction to the world of triathlon, Oliver and Gabriella have had a wonderful season competing in the TESE Junior Race Series 2015 and needless to say are hooked! Looking forward to the TESE Junior Race Series 2016, they are both relishing the thought of moving up into new age groups with the opportunities that this presents (for Oliver, the added incentive of competing for selection in the IRC event). As a family, we wish to thank everyone who makes the TESE Junior Race Series possible and we wait in anticipation for another season of intense activity in 2016!

 

Written by Alex Horne, mother to Oliver and Gabriella Horne of Medway Tri.