Cook Islands Host Oceania Course and Mini Pacific Games

The Pacific island nation of Cook Islands hosted the Oceania event management and technical course which was run in conjunction with the South Pacific Mini Games in Rarotonga.

Pulling in a wide range of participants from experienced athletes to interested volunteers, ITU Level 3 technical official Terry Sheldrake from New Zealand ran the course with attendees from Papau New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, New Zealand and Cook Islands.

Throughout the four days the course covered all aspects of officiating and managing elite triathlon events, including senior rolls, expectations, media, health and safety, responsibilities and requirements.

Concluding with a successful running for the South Pacific Mini Games Triathlon, all of the course participants were able to experience technical and event duties at an international competition which they will be able to take back to their National Federations to further enhance the development of the sport across the Oceania Confederation.

First home for the men was David Esposito from New Caledonia in a time of 2 hours 6 minutes and 39 seconds. He was followed home by Tahiti’s Laurent Barra. In third place was Aymeric Levasseur, also from New Caledonia. In the women’s division, it was a New Caledonia whitewash, with Erica Ellis in first place (2:24:45), Catherine Grangeon in second place (2:28:35), and Kandy Point in third spot (2:31:27).

Pacific Mini Games Triathlon

Men

Gold: David Esposito, New Caledonia
Silver: Laurant Barra, Tahiti
Bronze: Aymeric Levasseur, New Caledonia

Women

Gold: Erika Ellis, New Caledonia
Silver: Katherine Grangeon, New Caledonia
Bronze: Kandy Point, New Caledonia