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Winter Triathlon takes centre stage in Italy

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The 2014 Great Britain Age-Group Team season gets underway this weekend as the team competes in Cogne, Italy for the ITU Winter Triathlon World Championships on 15 and 16 February.

With the Winter Olympics currently taking place in Sochi, triathletes will take inspiration from the performances of Team GB as they compete in our own winter sport: winter triathlon.
 
The ITU Winter Triathlon World Championships will test age-groupers over a 4km run, 8km mountain bike and 6km cross-country ski, whilst the elites will go slightly longer on a 6km run, 12km mountain bike and 9km run course.
 
 

 
The Great Britain Team has seven athletes in Cogne with six racing in the age-group races and James Smith racing in the elite U23 event. The team will be aiming to deliver more medal-winning performances after last year’s two gold and one silver medal at the same venue.
 
One member of the team who will be keeping a firm eye on Sochi is former Team GB biathlete, Jason Sklenar. Jason has competed in two Winter Olympics and been part of the coaching staff at two further Games. His experience will be valuable to the rest of the team and Jason is looking forward to competing in the 40-45 age-group. 
 
“I got involved with winter triathlon through starting summer triathlon and a love for cross-country skiing. Having a background in cross-country skiing - I hope - will help me in the cross-country section of winter tri. I am a keen runner and cyclist so I hope I can put it all together in my age-group race.  I would like to podium in my age-group, however my training has suffered recently with illness and a busy home life; however I'm going for it.”
 
Matt Spillman who competes in the 45-49 age-group arrived in Cogne last week commenting: “The setting is stunning, high up in the mountains with a metre of snow. I love winter tri because it’s really different. They are short but extremely hard work, personally, there is nothing harder than nordic skiing and I've raced triathlon for over 25 years! Have you ever tried to ski uphill?  Add in a run and mountain bike section to warm up in soft snow and you know you are in for a good workout.”
 
Team Manager, Keith Jenns, who will also race in the 45-49 age-group commented on the preparations of the team: “Members of the team have been training independently in Norway, German and in the UK. Our expectations are high as we have a returning age-group medallist (Debbie Trafford) and a past Team GB biathlete joining the team this year.”
 
To find out more about the event, visit: http://www.wintertriathlon.vda.it/
 
The Team
U23 Elite: James Smith
 
GB Age-Group
Nics Wetherill (25-29)
Debbie Trafford (30-34)
Julie Pritchard (30-34)
Jason Sklenar (40-49) - withdrawn 14/2/14
Keith Jenns (45-49)
Matthew Spillman (45-49)
 

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