48hrs in the life of Tim Don

but can he do this?

www.simonwhitfield.com - "Yeah but can Cavendish do this?" (@markcavendish) from swhitfield on Vimeo.
MUSIC by Gonzales - Knight Moves
http://www.chillygonzales.com/
Simon Whitfield
www.simonwhitfield.com
www.simonwhitfield.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/simonwhitfield

ah. the joy. of riding. well captured Rapha. well played.

2011 Tour of California — Stage 4 from RAPHA on Vimeo.

TriathlonCode (www.triathloncode.com)

from www.triathlonmagazine.ca

Back Page Podium: Simon Whitfield - TRIATHLONCODE

May 13, 2011By Ian Donald

Left to right: Simon Whitfield, Matt Sharpe, Alison Hooper and Christine Ridenour of Triathlon Code. Photo by Brian Park.

With nearly 20 years of competitive racing under his belt, Simon Whitfield knows the level of support that is necessary for an amateur athlete to pursue a life of sport at the elite level. Whitfield assembled a small group of up and coming triathletes from across the nation. The six team members have committed to the same goal that Whitfield had at a young age: to represent Canada at the Olympic Games. Through the positive relationships that he has developed with his sponsors, Whitfield has set up the athletes with quality equipment and resources, helping them in what he calls, “a relentless pursuit of excellence.” They call themselves Triathlon Code.

Triathlon Code consists of Alexander Hinton, Ian Donald and Dorelle Hinton of the Guelph Regional Triathlon Centre (RTC-G), and Christine Ridenour, Matt Sharpe and Alison Hooper of the National Triathlon Centre Development Squad in Victoria (NTC). Thanks to the support from sponsors Specialized, Shimano, Nineteen, Vega, CEP, Champion Systems and Triathlon Canada Magazine, as well as bike shops, Gears (Ontario) and Oak Bay Bikes (B.C.), the team is going to be well equipped for the 2011 season and beyond.

for the rest of the article; http://triathlonmagazine.ca/2011/05/sections/racing/profiles/back-page-podium-simon-whitfield/ 

If you're interested in being involved with TRIATHLONCODE please contact me at sqwracing@gmail.com

Victoria Cyclists please take note.

ANNUAL OBSERVATORY HILL CYCLING SAFETY MESSAGE

POSTED: 13 MAY 2011

GOOD DAY,

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR TO REMIND ALL OUR CYCLING ENTHUSIASTS OF THE ONGOING SAFETY CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF OBSERVATORY HILL FOR TRAINING AND/OR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES. I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE SUPPORTED AND CIRCULATED MY MESSAGES IN THE PAST.

MOST RIDERS ARE RESPECTFUL OF THE RULES OF OUR ROAD HOWEVER THERE ARE STILL THOSE WHO DISPLAY SOME RECKLESS PRACTICES WHICH CAUSE SOME CONCERN.  PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THAT THIS SAFETY MESSAGE IS NOT DIRECTED SOLELY AT THE GENERAL CYCLING COMMUNITY AND THROUGH OTHER MEANS I ALSO ATTEMPT TO GET THE GENERAL MESSAGE ACROSS TO OUR OTHER USERS INCLUDING THOSE OPERATING VEHICLES, ON BIKES, HIKERS AND JOGGERS, BOTH PUBLIC AND NRC STAFF ALIKE. IT IS OUR EXPECTATION THAT ALL OUR USERS RESPECT EACH OTHER AND ACCESS THE SITE SAFELY.

IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR CYCLISTS TO RIDE ACCORDING TO THE POSTED SPEED LIMITS ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE BUILDING SITE WHERE THERE IS ABUNDANT PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC.  IF YOU ARE RIDING IN GROUPS PLEASE SPACE YOURSELF SO VEHICLES CAN PASS WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO.  YOU MAY RECALL LAST YEAR DUE TO A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS WE MADE CHANGES TO RESTRICT THE TRAFFIC PATTERN PERMITTED FOR BICYCLES ON THE MOST UPPER PORTION OF THE HILL NEAR THE VISITOR CENTRE AND TELESCOPES.

A REMINDER OF THESE IMPORTANT ADJUSTMENTS:  

• CYCLING TRAFFIC IS RESTRICTED FROM PROCEEDING AROUND THE 1.8 MDOME, CONSISTENT WITH MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC RULES.  SIGNAGE HAS BEEN INSTALLED INDICATING THIS IS FOR PEDESTRIANS ONLY. 
• WE ARE ALSO REQUESTING THAT CYCLISTS WHO ARE TRAINING,  USE THE CIRCLE TURN AROUND LOCATED BETWEEN THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE SMALLER TELESCOPE DOME (NEAR THE CONCRETE WATER TANK) AS THEIR POINT OF RETURN. 
• ALSO - ABSOLUTELY NO OFF-ROAD CYCLING IS PERMITTED ON SITE WHAT SO EVER.

AS WE WELCOME CYCLING ENTHUSIASTS TO OUR SITE IT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE SAFETY OF ALL THE USERS, VISITORS AND STAFF ALIKE IS OUR FIRST PRIORITY.  I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN COMMUNICATING WITH AND ENCOURAGING MEMBERS OF YOUR GROUPS TO ABIDE BY OUR RULES AND EXERCISE CAUTION AT ALL TIMES.  YOUR ASSISTANCE IN POLICING THOSE CYCLISTS WHO DEMONSTRATE A DISRESPECT OF OTHER USERS OR THE RULES CAN GO A LONG WAY IN ASSISTING TO ENSURE EVERYONE’S SAFETY AND CONTINUED USE OF THE HILL FOR CYCLING RECREATION.  

PLEASE DISSEMINATE THIS MESSAGE WIDELY TO ALL THOSE WHO SHOULD BE INFORMED.   THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.  SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. 

REGARDS,

CLYDE DONNELLY 
SITE INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGER   
HERZBERG INSTITUTE OF ASTROPHYSICS        INSTITUT HERZBERG D'ASTROPHYSIQUE
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL CANADA       CONSEIL NATIONAL DE RECHERCHES CANADA
5071 W SAANICH RD, VICTORIA, V9E 2E7

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA                   GOUVERNEMENT DU CANADA

PHONE 1 250 363 0004\CEL 1 250 888 1093\FAX 1 250 363 0077 CLYDE.DONNELLY@NRC-CNRC.GC.CA

2 cents from a vet. (with some underlines to clarify for those who skim and don't really read).

Obviously I'm a big fan of the ITU (International Triathlon Union).

The people, the races, the athletes, the venues, the career it's given me and so many other athletes. 

I simply can't say enough about Loreen and the crew, amazing.

The following 2cents is meant to be constructive. 

In my opinion it's time to make some changes.

Less athletes = more exciting. Races with 75 athletes in it lead to boring bike races. The swimming standard is so close now that it's one long string of athletes with very few gaps. Out of the water that string rarely breaks from the front to the back and if it does the overwhelming numbers simply swallow up the front pack and the "mass" rides to transition in one big pack, chaos ensues in transition because we have no unwritten rules (more on that later) and the running race begins. Less athletes = smaller packs on the bike, more exciting races, less crashes and more dynamic racing. Breakaways are exciting, small packs chasing each other is exciting. Large amoebae like packs rolling along eating up all the other packs... isn't very exciting. 

"yes but how do we reduce the number of athletes, we already have 50+ waiting lists for WCS races".

ITT for Pole position. Follow Forumla One's lead, or take a page from Tennis. Fridays (or saturday) athletes race an individual prologue (ITT) for "pole position" IN SUNDAYS MAIN EVENT (a classic WCS Olympic distance race) How about a 300meter swim, 7k technical bike, 2k run. With the fastest 50 athletes race the WCS race on Sunday, anyone eliminated races a continental cup that morning so no ones flying all the way to Beijing (or Sydney, or..) for a ITT. If you can't get access to the course (Sydney Opera House can't be easy to commender for an extra day) then find a pool with a big parking lot. And televise it. It creates more excitement, provides a great opportunity to profile each athlete,  sets qualifiable time standards for athlete development and with a technical bike theoretically it ensures that athletes with bike skills race the main event. The fittest athletes will qualify for the WCS race, new athletes will get a chance and old buggers who have just accumulated enough points to perennially be invited will have to qualify just like everyone else. damn it.

No more orange cones. Every time I see an orange cone in an ITU race I'm reminded we're still such a young sport, can you imagine orange cones in a cycling classic? And cones as turn arounds? that's one step away from try a tri's . What happened in Sydney, where athletes were able to crash into the oncoming lane SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN. Can you imagine if your sports biggest and brightest stars, Javier and the Brownlees, the Emma's and Miss Findlay were struck head on by an athlete crossing the center line, held back by a small orange traffic cone. Can you imagine if they were seriously injured by an athlete going the other direction who crossed or crashed into on coming athletes. This should not be possible. Everything and anything should be done to ensure this can't happen. No 180's (they look ridiculous) and courses should either never loop back on themselves or be required 100% to have barriers between lanes (think of the signage opportunities..).

Unwritten rules. Athletes, it's time we had some unwritten rules, an etiquette that is followed and respected. Let's start with unwritten rule #1, an athlete never ever comes to the front into transition if they haven't been near the front of the pack the entire race. An unwritten understanding that work is rewarded (even unsuccessful breakaways) with "pole position" going into transition, a maintaining of position. It's CHAOS and it's dangerous. If athletes do the work on the bike, respect dictates that those athletes lead into transition. Sit at the back then stay at the back going into transition. OBVIOUSLY this is unquantifiable, hence it's unwritten. It's a matter of respect and safety. It's time to evolve.

Race suits. The new race uniform rules are great. The country colours, being able to ID athletes, their country and if they did a good job with the logo's hopefully their sponsors, is great. Fantastic Job. Now please don't take it too far and hand over all of our logo rights to the federations. There's a balance to be had, the rights of the individual athlete and the rights of the federations. Triathlon Canada has our back, literally, their logo is on our back. They gives us tremendous support, they couldn't do more for their top athletes, they have our back and we've recognized that with their logo. Dear other federations, your athletes have a right to make a living too, the plethora of paid federation administrators can't be the only ones making a real living..... 

Or ignore me. Its possible I'm just getting old and senile. 

and I apologize for my grammatical indifference and poor sentence structure, my ability to write has been seriously hampered by my lack of post secondary education (I left to race in France) and twitter where you can find me at www.twitter.com/simonwhitfield where you'll find 124 characters (top 124 qualify, last 16 have to wait for the next tweet) of even more random bs. 

www.chemonglaketri.ca

www.chemonglaketri.ca

TC10k video. They need a camera that sees further back - 13,000+ participants running through Victoria. Wonderful.

love #yyj