Shanon heads to Lausanne | Taranaki Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Taranaki

By Jessica Poulsen In less than a month, ex-local Shanon Stallard will be competing in the World Age Group Triathlon Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland. Shanon leaves for Europe in a fortnight for the 19th International Geneva Triathlon which takes place on August 20 in Bains des P?quis, Geneva. This will help him shake off any 'cobwebs', get used to the heat and get back into race mode. Shanon has not competed since the New Zealand Duathlon Nationals in May where he won his age group and was selected to represent New Zealand at the Elite World Duathlon Champs in Canada in July. However, Shanon declined as he wanted to focus on improving his swimming for the world champs and for the New Zealand Triathlon Summer Race Series which starts in November (this series will bring him back home as the Age-Group Triathlon Race is in New Plymouth the day before the ITU World Cup race). This triathlon is a warm-up before he heads to the south of France for a training camp before the world competition. Shanon will be based in Puivert for 10 days with his coach, Graham Park and his 'G Force Squad'. This will be a time of 'focusing the training' with some hard speed work sessions and cycling in the Pyrenees. On August 30, he will travel back to Switzerland and conduct his final preparations and taper for the World Age Group Triathlon Championship which will be on September 2. "This will be my first World Triathlon Champs and I have no great expectations, especially because my swim is still off pace. However, it is a tough cycle course and my strength is the run so I could achieve a Top 10 spot. However, I just plan to give it everything, go hard and give 100%." Only new to the sport, Shanon completed his first triathlon in January 2004, which was at the half-Ironman distance in Tauranga. "After that, I fell in love with the sport." Over the next two years, Shanon had average success, but noticed he was lacking in the swimming portion. "I always would come out of the water down on the leaders and have to use the cycle and my strength, the run, to catch up." He said he would normally finish down the field, but showed competitive cycle and run times. In December last year, Shanon decided to get a coach to help him focus on his training and improve his swimming. He found New Plymouth coach, Graham Park. Shanon is a Captain in the New Zealand Army and has been in the army for the past eight years. He joined the army straight after school and completed three years in the Kippenberger Class at Massey University before graduating as an Officer. Since graduation, he has been based in Palmerston North and Waiouru. He has been to England and Germany to work for the British Army, and Australia twice on training exercises. His current job is a recruiting officer; which entails conducting presentations and interviews with people who wish to join the army as an officer. Currently based in Auckland, Shanon receives emails from Graham with his weekly training programmes. "We communicate via email and phone. I visit home every so often and link up with Graham's squad for some training rides up the mountain or runs on Back Beach. When in Auckland, I train with the North Harbour Triathlon Club." Shanon has found the army extremely supportive in his sporting endeavours and his job as a recruiting officer gives him the flexibility to train 20-plus hours a week. The army have also assisted Shanon financially and is giving him paid representational leave to go to Europe for the world champs in September. "The army has taught me a lot about being successful in life. The army strives for excellence in everything it does; there is no second place in war. The army has taught me the values of commitment, sacrifice, discipline, teamwork, courage, and the pursuit of excellence." To add to his sponsorship, O2projects in Stratford owned by John and Diana Woodward, gave Shanon a great discount on a new cycle to take to Switzerland, and to use for races in New Zealand. " It's a full carbon bike, which is lighter than the alloy bike I currently use. In return I will wear, along with the NZ Army brand, the O2projects brand on my race uniform and in the future help promote the sport in Stratford and Taranaki. "I want to go all the way in this sport, I don't want to be the next Hamish Carter, I want to be Shanon Stallard, a man of morals with a great love of Jesus, who commits 100% to achieving his God's will for the glory of God. In order to be successful in this sport, you need to commit a lot of time and resources and make a lot of sacrifices; while I'm currently working for the army I am surviving. However, in the future I may have to step out alone, especially if I want to compete in Europe over the New Zealand winters, which is what all professional triathletes do." This year's world champs are just one step on his journey. Shanon plans to race in the New Zealand Triathlon Series this summer, while continuing to focus on improving his swimming through one-on-one coaching and a disciplined swim programme (which means getting up at 5.30am five days a week to go swimming with the squad) and then win his age group at the New Zealand champs next year. Shanon also plans to achieve a Top 10 ranking at the world champs next year, race in the New Zealand Elite Champs and achieve Top 10 in 2008 and win the Age Group at the world champs in 2008. He would then like to compete on the International Triathlon Circuit in the World Cup Races in 2009-12, with the dream of winning Gold at the London Olympics in 2012. In order to do this, Shanon will need to rely on sponsorships to survive. "It's great to start this relationship with John and Diana, and I hope to start more sponsorship relationships over the coming years. If anyone is interested, give me a call or drop me an email: stallard_shanon@hotmail.com."

John Woodward, from O2projects, has helped ex-local Shanon Stallard reach his first of many goals by sponsoring a new bicycle for his upcoming trip to the World Triathlon Championships.