Triathlon: Kiwis appointed in ITU Board and Committee

Photo / ITU

The International Triathlon Union at the 29th Congress on Sunday December 12 re-elected Marisol Casado (ESP) to a third term as ITU President. Three kiwis were also amongst the 48 that were appointed into committees and executive board.

Terry Sheldrake returns to the ITU Board in a new position. "I'm excited and privileged to represent first NZ along with the world triathlon community via this election. Triathlon is fast growing across the globe and I look forward to a very busy next 4 years as we head to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games."

Terry has an extensive background in triathlon event management including the popular Weet-Bix Tryathlon Series from 1998 to 2014. Professionally, based in Gisborne with his wife Kathy, they run TMS Sport Promotions Limited, an event management company hosting not only triathlon events but others such as the Motu Special (5 Mountain Bike races), the Gisborne 1st January River of Lights and cycling events.

Julien Clonen, Triathlon New Zealand's National Development Coach is based at the High-Performance Centre in Cambridge and was reappointed to the Coaching committee. "I am really happy with the reselection. It is a recognition of my work internationally and nationally. I continue to build healthy and positive relationships with coaches all around the world and I am especially proud to be doing so representing Tri NZ and the Oceania Triathlon Union."

Juls is passionate about bringing other coaches together and would like to plan an international coaches workshop in 2017. "I'm also thankful to our President, Arthur Klapp as well as Terry Sheldrake for their support during the ITU congress. It is great to share this opportunity with them and celebrate the successes we have achieved together.

Shanelle Barrett resides in Taupo with her fiancé and joins the Technical Committee with a huge passion for the sport. She took on her first triathlon at the age of 10 and has since become one of New Zealand's most respected technical officials. She is also highly recognised globally, officiating at the highest level and featured at the London Olympic Games and is the Technical Delegate for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Shanelle provides officials with the necessary training and support to ensure they can deliver world class service to local and international events. "It is a huge honour to be selected onto this panel of very experienced International Technical Officials. Oceania is a small region compared to the other regions around the world so I am excited to be given the opportunity to represent Oceania on this committee and ensure that our voices are heard here down under with the international technical official pathway and rule development of the sport."

Board Elections
Loreen Barnett (CAN), Antonio Alvarez (MEX), Ria Damgren Nilsson (SWE) and Shin Otsuka (JPN), all of whom had previously served on ITU's Executive Board, were elected as Vice Presidents.

Debbie Alexander (RSA) and Barry Siff (USA) were re-elected, while Ian Howard (GBR) joins the Executive Board and Terry Sheldrake (NZL) returns to the Board in a new position.

ITU Board Members Bill Walker (AUS) and Dr. Sarah Springman (GBR) opted not to run for re-election. However, after serving as a dedicated member to the Board for many terms, Walker was named an Honourary Member, joining Springman who is an Honourary Vice President.

In its first meeting as a new Board, they voted to make ITU Director General Antonio Arimany the Secretary General, which is an appointment non-voting member of the Board.

ITU Committee positions In addition to the Board positions, National Federations voted on several ITU Committee positions. Shanelle Barrett (NZL), Jorge Garcia (ESP), Howard Vine (GBR), Jamie Cadaval (MEX), David Markham (CAN), Bela Varga (HUN), and Dirk Bogaert (BEL) were elected to the Technical Committee.

The Credentials Committee will be composed of Ashraf Elmidany (EGY), Alicia Garcia (ESP) and Gerardo Zetina (MEX).

Ben Bright (GBR), Inaki Arenal (ESP), Julien (Juls) Clonen (NZL), Hideki Yamane (JPN), Philippe Fattori (FRA), and Andy Schmitz (USA) were nominated for the Coach's Committee.

Dr Toshihito Katsumura (JPN), Dr. Sergio Migliorini (ITA), Dr. Doug Hiller (USA), Dr. Claude Marble (FRA), Dr. Humberto Aguilar Lopez (MEX) and Dr. András Galyasz will serve on the Medical & Anti-doping Committee.

Gale Bernhardt (USA), Johan Druwe (BEL), David Ferrier (AUS), Heejong Moon (KOR), Aoife Nash (IRL), Ali Sabour (IRN), Bernard Saint-Jean (FRA) will serve on the Constitution Committee.

Sheila O'Kelly (CAN), Tomoko Wada (JPN), Karen Araujo (TTO), Susan Haag (USA), Sharon Oakley (RSA) and Nelly Becarra (MEX) were elected to serve on the Women's Committee.

The Multisport Committee will be made up of Brian Hinton (AUS), Chris Kitchen (IRL), Tim Yount (USA), Daniel Martin (AUT), Duncan Hough (GBR), Sergio Dias (POR).

Grant Darby (CAN), Jon Beeson (USA), Carolyn Murray (CAN), Alfred Lipp (GER), Neil MacLeod (ITA), Rob Noordzij (NED), and Masamitsu Tomikawa (JPN) were nominated for the Paratriathlon Committee.

Motions Passed at Congress
Six National Federations were included in the ITU triathlon family with Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Zambia, DR Congo and Central Africa.

In the interest of good governance, a resolution passed at Congress on Sunday prior to voting to set the term limits of an ITU President to three.