ITU BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS

A little less than two years ago, Jason Wilson (BAR) joined our squad. He's brought a lot of energy and leadership to our program, and has made good progress in his development as an elite triathlete. And in addition to Jason, we've developed close ties with the Barbados Federation of Island Triathletes (BFIT). It's a very small organization, but very passionate, agile and focussed. Barbados has two very promising young triathletes right now: Jason Wilson and Mathew Wright. And with the support and collaboration of PATCO, TriCan (via our RTC program), ITU Development, and other partners, these guys have a chance of making it on the world stage. We've learned a lot from each other in a short time, and had a lot of fun.

Last weekend, BFIT hosted their first ever ITU Bridgetown Continental Cup. From all accounts, it was a huge success, and while it may not have been as big as the ITU Geelong event on the same weekend, it attracted an international field with some solid credentials (4 Olympians, a former world champion, a PanAm Games medallist, etc). For many athletes in North America and Europe, it was a simple and direct flight to Barbados, and the island boasts every amenity you could want. Training and racing venues are safe & clean, and the people are among the friendliest you could hope to meet. Who could ask for more?

So hats off to BFIT, and special thanks to Peter Gibbs and Derek & Cathy Wilson (and Jason) for making this race a reality. It takes a lot of work to host a race, and I think we (the triathlon community) rarely give enough credit to race directors, who in my opinion have the hardest job in our sport. I'm hopeful that this race becomes a permanent fixture on the circuit, and I look forward to seeing the race in person, next year.