Performance

Welsh Triathlon Academy Programme

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Welsh Triathlon Academy Programme

The Welsh Triathlon Academy Programme (WTAP) caters for athletes aged 15-19 years old (as of 31st December) who wish to pursue triathlon as part of a performance-focused pathway.

What is the WTAP?

  • The WTAP is delivered as one programme with three squads. More information about the squads can be found below.
  • It is a training day and camp-based programme that is supported by monthly mentor phone calls and domestic race support.
  • The programme is designed to add-value to selected athletes and enhance the training they are doing in their home environments.
  • The WTAP provides more opportunities for athletes to train with their peers and access to quality coaching and practitioner support as well as alongside our senior Performance Centre athletes.

Who is the WTAP for?

  • Athletes aged 15-19 years old as of the 31st of December of the relevant race season who wish to pursue draft-legal triathlon.
  • The WTAP is the first selective stage of the Pathway and so athletes must achieve specific benchmarks (see more HERE) to be considered.
  • Athletes must be a Welsh Triathlon member to be eligible for selection.

 

How do I get selected?

  • We have two different selection points; September & February. All athletes must re-apply in September, regardless of when they are selected.
  • We use our profiling tables to score an athlete. These require an athlete to submit a range of benchmarks/performances across swim, bike and run to give us an understanding of their profile.
  • Athletes apply via an online application form which can be found on our website HERE.
  • Athletes will be selected to either the Development or Transition squads. This depends on the age and stage of the athletes.
  • It is important to reinforce that meeting the minimum score of 12 points does not guarantee that an athlete is selected.  

Where/when do camps take place?

  • Wales offers fantastic locations to train and so we make use of several different venues around the country. Due to our partnership with Sport Wales, we often use their facilities in Cardiff and their activity Centre, Plas Menai in North Wales, as a base for our camps.
  • We usually run the camps during school holidays or weekends in October, December, February, April & August.
  • All selected athletes (Development & Transition squads) will be automatically invited to October, December and February camps. Those who show they are engaged with all aspects of the programme and are either at or working towards achieving higher profiling scores will then be invited to 1-2 of the longer camps where athletes will train with or alongside the senior Performance Centre athletes. All athletes selected into the Development squad will be invited to all camps.

**The schedule below is subject to accommodation and venue availability.

October
2 x night, 2 x day camp in Plas Menai.
Focus: Team building, running & swim technical.

December
1-2 x night, 2 x day camp in Plas Menai.
Focus: Open water swim skills, run technique & workshops.

February
2 x night, 2 x day camp in Plas Menai.
Focus: Cycling skills and workshops.

April
3 x night, 4 x day camp in Sport Wales, Cardiff.
Focus: Training like a triathlete with the senior athletes and workshops.

August
4 x night, 5 x day camp in Sport Wales, Cardiff.
Focus: Training like a triathlete with the senior athletes, including open water, and workshops.

 

Why are there three squads?

  • The Development squad is for athletes aged 17-19 years old (Youth B & Junior) and/or those who have been selected onto the Next Generation Cymru programme. The purpose is to support athletes to explore their potential in triathlon through positive experiences and clearly defined goals and to provide guidance through key transitional periods from junior to U23/senior. Athletes will only be selected into this squad after a minimum of six months on the Transition squad.
  • The Transition squad is for athletes aged 15-19 years old (Youth A/B & Juniors). The purpose is to provide athletes with additional support and positive experiences to help them identify their own personal development goals and expose them to the elements of performance triathlon.
  • The Affiliate squad is for athletes aged 15-19 years old (Youth A/B & Juniors). The purpose is to provide athletes with training day and mentor support to expose them to the key elements of performance triathlon with a view to progressing onto the Transition/Development Squads.

For more information, please click below.

Development Squad Transition Squad 

AFFILIATE SQUAD

 

How much does it cost?

  • There is no upfront cost to be part of the WTAP and camps are heavily subsidised by Welsh Triathlon. However, attendance at each camp does require a financial contribution as shown below:
  • £10 per training day
  • £40 per 2-day camp
  • £70 per 4-day camp
  • £80 per 5-day camp

 We have kept the costs as low as possible to ensure finance isn’t a barrier to any athlete. If the cost is a genuine barrier to an athlete’s participation in the Academy, please get in touch with Vicky (vickyjohnston@welshtriathlon.org).

 

Athletes are encouraged to remain/become members of their local swimming, athletics and triathlon/cycling clubs to enhance their daily training.

For more information about the Academy, please see the British Triathlon Handbook here.

 

Racing

Athletes who are selected into the WTAP are expected to race in the British Youth & Junior Super Series (BYJSS). The British Triathlon Youth and Junior Super Series provides up-and-coming athletes from across England, Scotland and Wales with the chance to compete against other athletes of their age in highly competitive draft-legal races on a regular basis.

Athletes will compete throughout the year at individual races to earn points, with the overall winners crowned at the end of the series. The 2023 series will see athletes’ race over triathlon (including heats and finals), mixed team relays, and aquathlon formats in line with Performance Pathway development objectives.

More information about the BYJSS can be found HERE.

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