Media...

Javier Gomez: The Tiger Woods of triathlon

Gary Kingston, Vancouver Sun
Published: Friday, June 06, 2008

Javier Gomez domination of the men's World Cup triathlon circuit has been so remarkable, so swift that even Canadian star Simon Whitfield, who admits he's consumed by all things Gomez in the lead up to the Olympics, is prone to mis-statement.
"Javier's won 10 World Cups in three years, I've won 11 in 12 years," a reverential Whitfield, who is tied for second on the International Triathlon Union's career list, said Friday.

More at the Vancouver Sun


Whitfield has nothing but respect for Spanish rival

MATTHEW SEKERES
June 7, 2008

VANCOUVER -- If you didn't know any better, you would think Simon Whitfield has a man-crush on Javier Gomez, the best triathlete in the world.

Often, Whitfield finds a way to slip the Spaniard's name into his interviews, or onto his blog, usually with admiration or some acknowledgment that Gomez is the man to beat any time he races.

More at the Globe and Mail


Top eight will be enough for Tichelaar
Edmonton triathlete hopes to qualify for Beijing Olympics on Sunday

JOHN MACKINNON, THE EDMONTON JOURNAL
PUBLISHED: SATURDAY, JUNE 07, 2008

VANCOUVER - On the eve of the biggest race of his life, Edmonton triathlete Paul Tichelaar has conquered his fear that 10 years of struggling to make it to the Olympics comes down to a now-or-never competition at English Bay.

What he can't shake is the feeling that if Triathlon Canada gets its way, the game plan for Beijing is 'all-for-one' and the one is 2000 Olympic gold medalist Simon Whitfield.

Tichelaar, who is currently ranked sixth in the world on the strength of three top-eight finishes in World Cup races this season, can automatically punch his own ticket to Beijing by finishing in the top eight at the International Triathlon Union world championship on Sunday.

More at the Edmonton Journal


Athletes gear up for Vancouver Triathlon event

Updated Sat. Jun. 7 2008 10:15 AM ET

ctvbc.ca

Nearly 3,000 top athletes from more than 60 countries are in the city this weekend for Sunday's Vancouver Triathlon.

They'll be running, biking and swimming in English Bay and Stanley Park.

As they made their final preparations on Friday, some competitors needed medical attention after a preliminary event, which went ahead in spite of the winter-like weather conditions.

More at CTV.ca


Pitched battle for three spots on men's side

Gary Kingston, Vancouver Sun

Published: Saturday, June 07, 2008
You might need a math degree from MIT to figure it out.
Yes, the Olympic qualifying procedure to decide which eight countries can send three triathletes to the Beijing Olympics seems just that complex.
The final point totals, collected over a two-year period, will be crunched Sunday at the conclusion of the International Triathlon Union world championships in Vancouver.

On the women's side, Austria and France are battling for eighth. The situation is far more tricky, however, with the men, where Canada (sixth), the U.S. (seventh), Russia (eighth) and Australia (ninth) are in a pitched battle to decide which of the four will be the odd country out and able to send just two athletes to the Olympics.

More at the Vancouver Sun


Brush with greatness

Olympic champ Simon Whitfield inspires Orillia triathletes

Posted By BY MATT FLEMMING, THE PACKET AND TIMES

The 600-strong Canadian age-group and athletes-with-a- disability team at the 2008 world triathlon championships was posing for a photo Thursday when their hero suddenly appeared.

The team cheered as Simon Whitfield, the 2000 Olympic gold medallist, slipped into the shot just as the group spontaneously began singing "O Canada."

More at The Orillia Packet

Changping Triathlon venue

Bernice Chan CBC Sports

The Beijing BG Triathlon World Cup, one of Beijing Olympic test events, in Beijing Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007. (AP Photo/ITU, Frank Wechsel, HO)
During the Ming Dynasty, the third emperor Yongle moved the Chinese capital from Nanjing to Beijing. The Ming tombs are located near the southern slope of Mount Taishou. He is also credited with laying out the city, putting the Forbidden City in the centre.

He also chose the burial site, which is 50km northwest of Beijing. The 13 successive emperors after him were buried here. The path leading towards their tombs is flanked by stone animals, depicting real and mythical creatures.

The area was chosen for its good feng shui (luck), which is why athletes competing in the triathlon may hope good luck will also come their way when they come to the Changping Triathlon venue near the tombs.

More at CBC.ca