For 2009 we have put together a “Swim-tech” triathlon race team. This is not an elite team like other sponsored professional teams but instead a wide spread mixed age and ability team of age group Triathletes.  

Ranging from  group “A” 15 year olds to first time Ironman  on to Vets and up to the  Super vets “J” category.

 

Please feel free to follow there racing results and training with swim-tech throughout 2009  and say Hi if you see us at races.

 

Julie Williams: The first 100% Triathlete fully coached by Swim-tech, from “Learn to swim” to GB age group team at her first Triathlon Age group World Championships 2005 held in Hawaii.

Julie did not learn to swim until she was 30 years old as a fear of water from an incident in her early years kept her out of swimming. Once qualified for Hawaii Julie then underwent an intensive rough open water swim training with Swim-tech which gave her complete confidence and awareness for the turbulent waters of Hawaii.

At the 2007 World Sprint Tri Championships Julie finished in a superb 6th place and even out rode the BTF President and 3 times European Champion Sarah Springman OBE.

2008  saw Julies greatest race (so far) at the European Triathlon Championships held in Lisbon by storming to a well deserved and hard fought bronze medal finish

Aims for 2009 - Qualify for the World Sprint Triathlon Championships to be held in the Gold Coast Australia

 

Ben Walsh: 2007 was a great year for Ben. He became 2007 British Champion at Biathle (Run Swim Run) and finished 5th at the World Championships held in Monaco. Whilst as a member of the South-East Tri team at the National inter region championships  Ben finished 3rd. In 2008 Ben qualified to race again in the World Biathle Championships in Cape Town, South Africa. He finished 6th only 24 seconds behind the winner.

2009 will see Bens first Open water racing now that he is age able to race the sprint distance. Whilst training has been reduced to allow exams  during May, results later on in the year will be closer to his true potential.

' I have known Graham since I was 9 and he has been my inspiration in triathlon. His technique analysis is very precise and well worth following. He is motivational and very insightful in his coaching comments. Graham is a tough coach but he get results. Thanks Graham.' (Ben Walsh)

 

Alison Stagg: Past results include a 2005 Silver medal at the European Duathlon Championships in Debrecon Greece and a Bronze medal at the 2007  European long distance Triathlon Championships in Brasscheal Belgium amongst many age group top three placing's.  

Although already a strong swimmer Alison has found her self at a plateau point and has joined forces with Swim-tech to find that extra speed and efficiency in the water to complement her powerful cycling. This has required a “thinking in her own box” approach rather than swimming just as everyone else around her. At Swim-tech we  term this training method as being a selfish thinking swimmer.

Aims for 2009 -A good result at the European Triathlon Standard distance  race in Holten Netherlands and the Alp d’ Huez Triathlon France.

 

James Harvey: As a 28 year old British Royal Navy clearance diver and father of two James came to Swim-tech early in 2009 asking for swim instruction as he had entered the UK Ironman 2009. His problem he felt, was not only that he was only able to swim 100 metres in 2 minutes and 20 seconds without having to stop, but also he had never taken part in a Triathlon either.

After having a lesson with Swim-tech he went away and practised the suggested  drills to correct hand entry and kicking. This in only a few weeks took his time down to 1 minute and 50 seconds and more importantly without the need to stop every 100 metres.

A second lesson then worked on the pull phase reducing this down further to a best time of 1 minute 22 seconds. James is now working on a Threshold Holding Pace (THP) of 1 minute 30 seconds for the IM swim.

“I asked James to join the Swim-tech Triathlon team as I was impressed by his search for swim improvement and the logical and detailed way he implements the work given to him.” Graham

 

Graham Williams: Head Coach of Swim-tech. After 20 years of Triathlon I still get a buzz from the training and the racing.  I now also find the excitement is just as profound as the racing buzz when teaching or coaching.

Every year I say this will be my last and every year its “just one more” before I fully go over to coaching. Times ahead are exciting with the Olympics in 2012 and who knows perhaps I may have helped in some small way with early teaching to our future Triathletes.

Aims for 2009:  Qualify for World Sprint Triathlon Championships to be held at the Gold Coast Australia.

Other Triathletes working with Swim-tech Include