The North West (Zone 7) Triathlon team had a breakout weekend on the provincial stage at the Summer Games in Prince George, the first one held in 4 years. Led by Smithers mother-son duo coaches Cindy and Konrad Thummerer, the team’s preparation, training, and race plans paid off with exceptional results. The event schedule was a grueling series of 5 different multi-sport (swim-bike-run combination) events across 3 days at West Lake park, leaving athletes exhausted by days end and needing to recover for the next morning competition.
All told, the team of 4 athletes pulled in 10 medals across three days (half of all NW medals at the Games!) Bridie Hikisch of Smithers claimed bronze in the Junior Women Sprint Triathlon and bronze in the Junior Duathlon. Lia Crump of Prince Rupert pulled in two gold (Youth Girls Triathlon and Duathlon) and a silver (Aquathlon). Carine Franes of Prince Rupert, also Youth Girls, managed a Gold (Aquathlon) Silver (Sprint Triathlon), and Bronze (F1 Sprint). Luke Block of Terrace was bronze in the Junior Mens Duathlon, and Gold in the Team event.
Coaches Cindy and Konrad made quite the incredible coaching team: Konrad sharing his own deep triathlon experience having recently just returned from the World Sprint & Relay Triathlon Championships in Montreal last month, and Cindy with her decades of track and field coaching knowledge. Cindy states “These athletes trained hard leading up to the games, including a training camp at Tyhee Lake, and the generous sponsorships from BV Credit Union and McBike & Sport helped show the community was behind them.”
“I’m so proud of these athletes,” states Konrad Thummerer. “They showed composure beyond their years and the results were hard fought and well deserved”.
-Submitted article
